The Lampshade Lady Blog

My New Lampshades, Yay!!!!

I got a new lampshade! Wouldn't you think it wouldn't be too big a deal..... nope. I am still excited to get new lampshades. And YES, it does make such a difference. Happy, Happy.... so queer, but I get tired of stuff really easy. My design test it: HOW LONG CAN I LIVE WITH SOMETHING AND NOT TIRE OF IT! pretty simple. If I have a fabric or a pottery bowl or even a coffee mug- do I still love it after all these years. I am really fussy when I buy things. I am not a perfectionist, but I do not like to buy anything I don't love. I don't have the money to waste on unattractive stuff, even down to the kitty bowl.


My new drum shade is 12" across the top by 12" across the bottom by 8" high. It has a clip adapter with one of my pushpin finials to clip onto the light bulb upside down. Too easy. I am making a couple more of these tomorrow if anyone is interested. They will be $75 each.
I showed this shade before in my shop. And here it is! At home with me. The color ties in super nice with the room.

Flamin' Reds Wood-Fired Pizza

Flamin' Reds Wood-Fired Pizza Business

It's time for a little shameless family promotion. This is my husband's business.
Carson was a chef for 20 years in fine restaurants in Vermont. He was ahead of the
the foodie curve. And ahead of the wood-fired pizza craze. He trained at the Culinary
Institute of America many moons ago. I not only married him because he was a
good guy, but created great food. Having a family life and many long hard years in
the restaurant business led him to create his business Flamin' Reds.

Maybe 16 years ago, Carson and our friend Peter Moore started building a brick oven
in Peter's barn. They originally were building an oven that could be mobile....
Famous last words! The oven turned out so large they could barely get it out of Peter's
barn!!! Oh my goodness, we will all remember the moving day. The oven had to be
moved out of the barn, down a steep hill, go a couple of miles and then up our hill and
into place next to "the pizza hut". We were all holding our breath. It could have easily
been a smashing mess. Flamin' Reds started it's first year 15 years ago at the Londonderry.Vt. farmers market.
As I write today, he again is headed back to the Londonderry Farmer's Market.
Saturdays 9am-1pm. He's usually there. And also at the Manchester.VT market 2-6pm
on Thursdays. For many years he had developed a wonderful wholesale business but
has decided to bring the business to the local level and continues to wholesale to local
stores and the farmers markets. He also sells by the case to individual customers.

His info is: Carson Lake, P.O. Box 295, Pawlet,VT 05761 802-325-3641
6-grain organic flour wood -fired 12" crusts
White organic flour wood-fired 12" crust Spelt organic flour wood-fired 12" crusts

Carson's has added frozen dough to his line-up for the DIY pizza and calzone makers. It
Sure makes it easy.

Lake's Lampshade Interview on Contemporary Cloth Blog

It's been a busy week here at Lake's Lampshades. Some weeks plod along with busy, busy creativity and others seem to finally come together and make big headway. I had an interview with Sondra of Contemporary Cloth. It is up on their blog, check it out and also check out their funky fabrics. Thanks so much Sondra; it was lots of fun.

I got a sneak preview of my Lampshade Lady Book. Phew, it is soooooooo beautiful, if I say so myself. My book designer and gang did an incredible job. As I have written here earlier, most of my job on the book is done once we submited the photos and manuscript. Sure lots of editing back and forth, but design wise it's was pretty much out of my hands. I am really impressed by the clean design, the photos look fantastic and best of all, it's not too cute. Thank you, thank you. I guess the big job of selling the book is ahead, but sure makes it easier to sell if you love it!
Shades of the day! The French sure can design things beautifully. Pretty French Vintage Needlepoint. Oh, so yummy. I'm lovin' these colors, but being a purple girl it isn't hard. Here I've used that vintage trim I found at the textile show this spring, a French purple check and a new trim at the top.
detail of top


detail of bottom.

Not just Lampshades at the Lampshade Shop

It seems to be pet central at the lampshade shop. Here is Ziggy dancing with my dear friend Scarlett. Too sweet for words.

As I write this the stray, well barely stray kitty (below) is sitting on my lap.... I think this is the 5th stray that has found it's way to my shop. It must be the couch on the covered porch or maybe the salmon at Leo and Beverly's Mio Bistro next door. The girls down the road named him Creamsicle; the perfect name for an extra sweet orange and white kitty. For the time being he has taken up residence at the shop. Last year I did take a stray home which we named Girly Bob. It was almost me or the kitty at home.... and I have been forewarned, no more pets... I agree.
2 dogs, 2 cats; that's plenty.
Creamsicle, he's looking better by the day! He is sitting on
my lap as I type.... okay, back to making lampshades. I didn't have
any brilliant things to write today on lighting design.... so my animal buddies got to show off!
Girly Bob, the stray that made her way home from work with me. She showed up last winter when it was cold and snowy. How could I leave her to freeze on my porch... okay, I am going back to work.... bye for now. judy

Recycle Your Auntie's Embroideries and The Vermont Palette Project

I am sure if you have been following my blog you know I am crazy for great embroideries. A few years ago Vermont had a state project called The Palette Project. This photo is part of my palette. I fretted for a month what to do with my palette; it was a piece of thin plywood shaped like a painters palette. I was stuck for months how to approached this form. First I had to get over the shape. One dreary March day the idea hit me. Use all the embroidery scraps I've stowed away for a rainy day..... Yay. I was on track with a direction for the palette.

Hours later, several glue bottles empty, lots of yarn and fabric scraps everywhere my palette was starting to take form. It was lots of cutting and gluing. Hours were flying by and my project was coming together. Layer upon layer the colors and textures blended together. Pretty, pretty.

This year's state project is puzzle pieces. I haven't come across any brainstorms yet and it sits tucked in one the corners of my shop.