The Lampshade Lady Blog

This Wednesday's Lampshade Workshop has spots still available

I still have room in this Wednesday's fabric workshop if there are any spur of the moments students out there. Everyone leaves with a finished lampshade, lots of helpful lighting info and a fun day. Students also get to purchase my new book and lampshade materials at a reduced cost.

We have the workshops right in my shop. I push back all the display props and tables and make room for the gang. We usually start out with a mid size shade, either a square or hex frame. Students usually bring their own fabrics, but if you get stuck, I have lots... as you can see.

We start the day at 11am which usually gives everybody time to arrive in Vermont. We run till 1 pm or the point where are shades are put together and drying, then break for lunch. The Pawlet General Store, Machs is two doors down from my shop. So handy. I have the tea pot on and homemade cookies (hopefully). Then it's back to work making finishing trims and putting the grosgrain on. And tea and cookies... I see in England they have a wine and cheese hour in their lampshade making, only in Europe; but heck it might make trimming the shade easier which is fine by me.

We'll finish up between 4 and 5pm. Usually a proud moment to put our shades on a lamp and admire our hand-crafted lampshade. Hope you can join us. I'll be back in the shop on Monday, 802-325-6308. The foliage isn't quite peak, but it's coming. Still pretty out. We just drove up to Danby for Sunday breakfast and the leaves are making progress.

I will be set up this coming week at The Hildene Craft Show in Manchester Village, Vermont. I will be signing copies of my new book, The Lampshade Lady's Guide to Lighting up your Life and do a lampshade demo. The show runs Friday-Sunday 2,3,4 10am-5pm. It is in the Hildene polo field on the River Road, just past the grand Equinox Hotel.

VINTAGE + Textile + Homemade + Love + Talented Needleworkers = great finds + materials for new lampshades

*notes from the flea market week before last: I had stumbled upon a booth with lots and lots of vintage embroideries. They were priced to sell. I think it was 2 bucks each for all the textiles on the table. Wowowowowo. oh my goodness. okay, focus.... okay calm down and start looking through and making a pile of keepers. First I was the only one there and then some nice other crafty ladies also spotted the big table piled high with big deals. I heard them talking about the wonderful softness of old textiles... yupp, I thought, they got it. The textile bug. They were loving the history and life these old treasures have. It's all about being at the right place at the right time. But then to think of all the not so good deals but can't pass'em by treats I've splurged for over the years.




look how pretty all these fibers blend together on my old wall papering ladder. They are just waiting to be used.

Photo Credit: Ryan Benyi

Lampshade Lady Book Release Party, Aug 18 2009

Me and Angela sending The Lampshade Lady Book out to the world!
Nicole and Paula w/ Lampshade Lady fans! I decorated them with book pictures and pom poms. Great on the hot and humid night. Rain held out till almost everyone had left.
A true community affair. It was a wonderful night and one to be remembered by all. A huge celebration of love and support. Thanks to all that joined in.
The party spilled out into the street. Good thing it's a sleepy village.
We popped up 3 10 x 10 kd tents, lots of good food and drink. And the gang arrived for a delightful evening. How lucky we were with the weather.... the summer of rain.

George, never without the camera! Thanks George for all the
great how-to photos in my book.
Many thanks to my husband, Carson and The Thursday night band. They were perfect to give a bit of funk to the night.

Brimfield Pictures

Here's my booth at Brimfield. Everyone wanted to buy my white table! I thought this might be a problem, but it was such a great prop. It is pretty. And so sturdy.
I brought lots of my new Lampshade Lady Books.
Inside my little booth. It's been a few years since doing shows, but it comes right back quick. I've already signed on to doing May Brimfield!
I love this quirky shade on the custard glass lamp. It's pretty spunky, especially when lit up.
Melissa and Cary's booth. The gals from Concord were set up
across the way.
Philippa and Mary's booth. Such laughs we had. Did we eat!!
Lobster rolls all around.

September 30th Lampshade Workshop is Coming Up

My first fall workshop is just around the corner. September 30th, Wednesday 11am-4pm or so. I've heard from many of you, but need confirmations, please. I have room for several more students, but space is limited so don't be disappointed. We make a mid-size shade using either a hex 6-sided or square frame. Everything is included except students bring their own fabrics. It is fun to find a vintage treasure at the flea market or perhaps you have something stashed away in your attic.

I teach lots of lighting tricks to help get the perfect shade fit. I find that most people, even interior designers are petrified of lampshades. It can be hard to find a funky decorative lampshade that suits your taste and fits your lamp. Find your favorite fabric and you are off!
Workshops are $150 and reservations are a must due to limited space.

Some of my students will start out making one shade and before they know it they have redone their whole house! That's how I started my business. I started making lampshades as a hobby; we had our first house and needed lamps and shades. What better way to save money than by making it yourself. And then I needed Christmas gifts.... and then by then I realized it was a fun craft and turned it into an art. As Malcolm Gladwell says, 20,000 hours makes us an expert or was it 10,000... I think I needed the 20,000 hours. The more you do it the better you get. The faster you get and the better your eye becomes. And the better fabric choices you make. I can generally shop very fast. I can cruise around the flea market pretty speedy, keeping an eye out for textiles. Usually the only thing that can slow me down is the price; can I make a profit from this expensive piece of beautiful fabric? And at times that can be debatable, but I'll get it anyway for one of those to die for shades.

I hope you'll come up to Vermont for a workshop. We have a great time and everyone leaves with a finished lampshade. After the class students are welcome to purchase materials for another lampshade or 2. I recommend that you do one not too long after the first one so that you will remember the steps, but now you can look back into my new Lampshade Lady Book and get lots of great ideas.

Brimfield Days

We've had great weather at Brimfield the past 2 days. I'm just back from dinner after a busy day at The Flea Market. I am set up with friends at the back end of the Shelton Antique Show. Our end of the show has a great stretch of higher end booths with a nice array of antiques and collectibles. Next to me is Philippa and Mary with antique prints, across the way is Sharon with vintage textiles and lavender pillows, her friend with silk jackets and down the row is Melissa and Carrie from Concord and many more friendly folks nearby.

I've run into lots of folks from home in Vermont. It is sweet to see familiar faces when away. I am trying to figure out how long to stay at the show. Looks like a little moisture coming.... not always fun. We'll see how tomorrow goes. I'm bushed! I have forgotten how much energy it takes to be out in the public eye all day. The key is to pace yourself.... and eat healthy. We had the yummiest lobster rolls for lunch. Super fresh.

It has been great to bring my new book down to Brimfield. Customers come from all over the world to visit the show. I enjoyed chatting with a nice young woman from Japan. She hopes to move to Boston. There are lots of Japanese customers in attendance. They love the country look as well as the vintage fashions.

The flea market life is new to me. I have done many craft shows over the years, but this is really a different experience. I really have to say the group near me is incredibly wonderful. Everyone is helpful and friendly. My first night I stayed in my car..... we had to be set up by 6 am... and figured it didn't make much sense to stay in a hotel if only for such a short time. It was okay, I felt entirely safe. Most of the folks in the surrounding booths also stayed the night. It was okay... but happy to be in my hotel tonight and looking forward to putting head to pillow and nice hot shower...things we take for granted. Better sign off for now, morning will be here soon. I loved writing the date today, 9.9.09 pretty cool. I kept hoping for more sales so I could write the date!
signing off from Brimfield. Hope I get to shop myself tomorrow.

Brimfield Bound

It's always fun to do shows when you don't do them very often. Those are words spoken from one that has put many years on the road and now many years off the road. And now I am organizing my lists and piles of stuff needed to fill my little Honda Element. First things first, I cleaned the Element... I don't think it has been this clean since I got the it.


I am stacking shades, unplugging lamps, trying to figure out how many books to bring, what clothes to pack, food to bring, sunscreen, hats, sneaks, raincoat.... you get the picture. Pretty soon the old car will be looking like the Hillbilly's. Back on the road. I must say I get pretty spoiled here in my shop.
I've never shown my shades at Brimfield, only shopped till I dropped. This will be a new adventure. Hope I get a chance to shop, too. I am going to try hit The Textile Show on Monday in Sturbridge before set up. I won't be there for early buying as usual, but would be nice to hit the highway before the Labor Day traffic gets to bad heading south.
Things to remember at the Flea Market: water, cash,manners, sunscreen and hat, granny cart or backpack, write down where you park your car, a smile and more cash. Look for me, I'll be The Lampshade Lady at Shelton's Antique Show. I am set up at B53, way in the back, I think.