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calamity_j

Klinger's new seashell lampshade....

Calamity_J
15 years ago

Oops...did I say that out loud?! I was just thinking about how gorgeous it turned out, how she has it up in her new home already and it looks great all lit up! hmmmm....pics??? Well, maybe you can bug her.....eh?

Comments (56)

  • cindiloo
    15 years ago

    BREATHTAKING!!! Thanks for the how-to...Never would have thought to do something like this and then figure out how!

    I did save the busted glass for mosaicing.....nothing wasted! Too funny, Gypsy!

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    WOW, I love this. and I have a perfect place for the light fixture.

    Klinger, what kind of plastic fixture? could you use plain glass??
    This looks like a great use to my shells that are just sittiing around here ..

    so the liquid leading is kinda like grout? it holds the shells together?? Were the shells inside the plastic?? Or outside?? Obviously I am having trouble understanding how to do this, and I really want to try.

    so cool, you did great and a wonderful way of remembering good times.

  • klinger
    15 years ago

    You could use a glass or plastic fixture. This one was a white plastic and I bet a clear glass would show off the shells and glass even more.Glue your shells and glass to the outside of the light fixture, leave as small a space between them as possible. The liquid leading comes in a squirt bottle, it's maybe the same consistency as syrup, it will flow into all the spaces you have between the glass and shells. I made sure to put my silicone as close to the outside edge of everything as possible so there wouldn't be much leading leak under them.
    The leading is acting as a grout, but isn't holding things together, just filling in the gaps between them.
    Hope this helps,
    Cindy

  • nicethyme
    15 years ago

    OHHHHHH CINDY THAT IS GORGEOUS!!!!! thnak you to Jane for getting you to post! congrats on the move

    man that is too fabulous, I LOVE IT and thank you for explaining the how to!

  • susiesunshine
    15 years ago

    Klinger:
    WOW ! ! ! Amazing ..... Fantastic L@@King ! ! !
    Thanks so much for the wonderful Pics and
    the Fantastic IDEA ! ! !
    Love It !!!!
    God Bless !
    SusieSunshine

  • curbdiver1954
    15 years ago

    That is just Wonderful! Yours is so lovely all lit up!
    Got some shells sitting in the garage gathering dust from a trip to FL a few years ago....they may just find a place in the house now!
    Pat

  • shrty411
    15 years ago

    Wow, That is just amazing!! Thanks for the how to and the info on how you "grouted"

  • texaswild
    15 years ago

    Came back for another drool. I'll be looking for a sconce to go somewhere now. OR, this w/be pretty on a large candle shelter. Ideas are swirling in my brain.

  • texasfern
    15 years ago

    I love the liquid leading idea! Great job!

  • Calamity_J
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Yup, she just whipped this lil' ol' thing together, right in the middle of her move...pack some boxes, glue a little, pack a few more boxes....

  • squirrellycanadian
    15 years ago

    Oh Wow, Klinger that looks soooo awesome!!! Thanks for telling us how to do it, I never would have thought you could see thru shells! great idea. I didn't realize you had moved, hope you're happy in your new place!

  • d3bbi
    15 years ago

    Klinger, that is wonderful! Beautiful addition to a new home!
    I'm curious as to why liquid lead rather than grout. Were you worried about grouting over shells?

  • ladyronnie
    15 years ago

    That is just TOO COOL! I love it! I have a couple of glass ceiling light shades I want to do someday...but no cool shells or beach glass!

  • SadieSadie
    15 years ago

    That's beautiful!!

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    Thanks Cindy for the play by play. Now I just need to find a fixture. How cool this is and perfect for your new house. And thanks for positing in the middle of the move.

  • Louisiana_greetings
    15 years ago

    Very nice, I will definatly try this, thank you so much for sharing. Do you think the liquid lead will be O. K. if the light is on for a long period of time? Does the lead dry slowly?

  • klinger
    15 years ago

    Hi, I've used the liquid leading before for Gallery glass projects. I did a large project on plexiglass and some glass projects. I think the heat generated by the bulb will be no problem. I didn't feel like fighting with grout with all the little lines in the shells, thought the clean up would be no fun. The gallery glass you just squeeze out from a pointed end bottle. Easy to use, Got it with a 1/2 price coupon from Michaels so it was fairly cheap too. :)The lead is dry to the touch in maybe an hour or two. I let it dry several hours between the coats. I did pack and glue, pack and glue. The glue was the fun part. I'm still unpacking and am enjoying the new place, but a lot of work to do yet.
    cindy

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    Great, I just bought a cheap fixture at Lowes today, can't wait to get started, will take pix, oops, got to buy the liquid leading alllllwwwwwwwwaaaaaayyyyyyy something LOL

    Thanks Klinger

  • emtnest
    15 years ago

    You girls never cease to amaze me... just about the time I think everything has already been thought of, you come up with a new idea... This is beautiful!!! So creative here!!! thanks....

  • scootsmom
    15 years ago

    This is absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to try this. I am so amazed at everyones talent here. I cannot allow myself to get on here too much, because I have to finish all the projects I have started before I start anymore. Everytime I look at all the pictures, I start something new.I went to garage sales this morning, and found some beautiful dishes. I hated to tell the people that I was just gonna bust them up when I got home.

    Thanks for all the great ideas.

    Allyson

  • Louisiana_greetings
    15 years ago

    Cindy, i really like your lampshade, so i covered this glass light bulb cover, i'm thinking that this cayenne colored grout i have would look good with the color of the glass?
    i never worked with glass, i always used broken tiles , so i'm not sure what to use, i do have some of the liquid leading. i put the glass on with silicon, will the grout work with that? Preciate any input.
    bonnie

    Here is a link that might be useful: light cover

  • klinger
    15 years ago

    I think your light cover looks great. You could likely use either grout or the liquid leading. My shells had so many grooves and little edges I didn't want to face cleaning grout from it. This will look lovely lit up, great colored glass,
    Cindy

  • texaswild
    15 years ago

    Hey, LA, that'll look so pretty. I'd use grout and DARK. I went through your album. You've done some GREAT work, girlie. Glad you've joined us.

  • cindiloo
    15 years ago

    Ooo, that's so pretty! Can't wait to see it grouted!
    I, too, went through your mosaic album...Wow, you sure have made a lot of great things! Keep it up and keep us posted!

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    La cool, can't wait to see if finished. I just ordered my liquid leading, have my lampshade , have shells, beach glass, now just need to get to work. will post when I start. thank you so much klinger for the great idea

  • Calamity_J
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Oh Bonnie!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE that light of yours!!! It's absolutely ingenious to use that , recycle something that seems outdated and improve it!!! Black grout I'd use!!! Oh do post finished, lit up pics!!! Love the flowers!!!

  • crystal01
    15 years ago

    OMG!! THIS IS SO COOL!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! I have a bunch of shells from beachcombing in FL. And liquid leading - GENIOUS!

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    Klinger, I've got all my stuff in front of me and I realized, I wasn't sure how to glue the shells onto my base. I read somewhere that it helps to fill up hollow pieces with something before you glue on. so.. i am stumped. did you use anything special or just choose shells that weren't very hollow and stuck nicely to your laamp surfaces. i guess it doesn't help i have a migraine right now but i really wanted to get started on this... hate it when I think i know what I am doing only to find out I have not a clue,.

    thanks

  • Calamity_J
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Bonnie, your albums make me think that you are Cindy's twin!!! I thought Cindy was the tufa queen...
    Merm, I believe you can just silicone around the outside of the shell where it makes contact with the lampshade..thats what I'm gonna do. I'll also be working on this on my lightbox table, so I can really see how it looks.

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    Thanks calamity, i have visions of my mirror i did many years ago and it took 15 years to complete and i had a rough time of the shells falling off, but i wasn't using silicone then. well i'm off to do it, hmm, wonder if i should set my up on my lightbox too thought is is just a small one.

    enough stalling here i go, can't wait to see yours Calam, and anyone else who is trying it..
    bonnie oh i so want to do a tufa, what ingredients do you use?? thanks

  • texaswild
    15 years ago

    When I try this w/a sconce (hmmmm, I must get to lookin' for one) I'm gonna try that plumber's putty to put them together. I believe the artist in PV used something comparable. It's sorta expensive, but I think it'll be two steps in one. It's dark, and w/be the adhesive AND the leading/grout. I picked up a package of it other day in a hardware store, but didn't have my sconce, so put it down. One has to knead it to softness. The artist didn't have a fixture under his - he only used the fixture as a mold to shape his new fixture.

  • texasfern
    15 years ago

    Looks good Bonnie! Dark grout definately.
    Sure enjoyed your pictures. I just gotta try that tufa thing.
    Hey Merm, I hate when that happens. Hope your head is better.
    I have so many projects I want to start, I stand in the garage looking at the stuff, then I stall out!

  • klinger
    15 years ago

    Wow, this is so cool that this idea has taken off. There could be a lot of variations on this. Jane was right, use the silicone to kind of seal the edges that aren't flat on the shells to the light fixture. Betty I think he did use plumbers putty and I'd love to try that sometime, you could create soo many cool shapes then.
    Post pics as they're done please,
    Cindy

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    Ok, here is my version of Kliinger's idea. Seashells silconed and ready for leading, actually i have started with the leading, and yes, Klinger, mine is taking lots of squirts to cover the pin holes. my jury is still out if I like mine this way, love your's Kinger, we;ll see afer i finish take pix and clean it up luckily the stuff peels really well if you over squirt it..



  • texaswild
    15 years ago

    Oh, how utterly divine, MER. That is soooooooooooo pretty. Outstanding!!!

  • texasfern
    15 years ago

    Ditto! I wanna go to the beach!

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    Thanks Slow and Texas, ... but disaster struck!! I really liked the way it looked, then I started with the liquid leading, never used before and I made a mess, couldn't seem to get rid of all of the holes and my fingers didnt' like how hard I had to press that dang bottle so it kinda blended on my perty shells and messed them all up. as i am trying to clean them, i made them much much worse.. so as we speak, I had to take the majority of the shells off and clean that dang shade.

    I'm not sure if liquid leading and me go along together, so.. i will glue them back on after cleaning, and this time, i am putting sticky glue throughout and sprinkling sand maybe with some glitter between the shells. I think that will go better with my shells.

    Slow you doing the putty?? anybody else, what are you are using.

  • texaswild
    15 years ago

    Lordy, I haven't even bought a fixture yet. Can't figure out where to put a hanging fixture, so thought I'd make another sconce for the patio. I plan to use the plumber's putty to stick mine onto the fixture, then unmold it and have only the shells. That's what the artist did that inspired this project. Cover a fixture w/plastic wrap so the stuff doesn't stick. Since you're taking them off, why doncha check into the putty. You knead it, then you would make a thin snake and put it around the edges of the shells, and stick them onto your plastic wrapped fixture as a mold. When it hardens, unmold. I hate to advise, but just telling you what the Bucerias artist told us. So sorry for your mishap.

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    Thanks Slow, right now I am so disgusted with myself, I'm not sure what I'll do. Not sure if I'm comprehending what you are saying. are you using the putty to stick the shells onto the plastic wrapped fixture and then also using it to wrap around the shells?? Then the plumbers putty will harden and become the light fixture???

    I'm going into town tomorrow o I could pick up some putty at the hardware store.. I'll let you know what I decide and I am dying to see what you come up with.

  • texaswild
    15 years ago

    Mer: Don't mean to confuse you, but I'm thinking that:
    take a shell - make a thin snake of the kneaded putty, wrap it around the outside edge of the shell - put it down on the mold. Take another shell, wrap the edges w/the snake of putty, put it down right next to the first shell and press the putty to the first shell. Then perhaps a smaller shell or whatever mix you're using, wrap it w/the snake, stick it in the little area where the two shells touch, thereby sticking all three shells together by the putty. When all the shells have been wrapped w/the snake, stuck as close as possible to each other, there shouldn't be any gaps. Each shell, wrapped w/the putty snake w/stick to its neighbor. It'll be like a puzzle, finding different sizes in order to fit each snake-wrapped tess to it's neighbor. Just make sure the putty snakes all touch and stick to each other. See - the putty is acting as a grout or leading. Therefore, when the whole mold is covered w/all these shells/tess, sticking together by the snake of putty, let it hardens, and you should be able to take it off the mold. Hope this helps.

  • klinger
    15 years ago

    Mer, your light looks wonderful, I love all the fun sea stuff you chose. I have arthritis in my hands and know what you mean by sore fingers from squeezing. So I did a fairly large hole in the top of the bottle and let it sit upside down with the cap on before I started then just let it run down into the cracks. I only did it for about 20-30 minutes then took a break, again with the bottle left upside down and a bit later went back and did more. I didn't worry about cleaning up any glops till I was all done. The liquid leading cleans off fairly easily. I used a little razor blade to cut or scratch off any messes. Tours will look wonderful no matter how you finish it.
    Slow I think you're right about your method of making those putty snakes, sounds funny though doesn't it. lol. I might still try that yet. I've got a few out door light fixtures that need some purtyin up,
    Cindy

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    AHHH!! Lightbulb moment. DUH.. thanks Slow that makes total sense.

    Think I figured out what i did wrong with the leading, I didn't wait between coats, I just kept adding more and more and itdidn't have time to dry... Just read Klinger's description again about her waitiing.. oh well.

    I decided not to get rid of all of the shells so I am back to not knowing what I will do.with this one. . Do want to try the Buceras method , let me sleep on it and see if enlightenment comes in my sleep

  • cindiloo
    15 years ago

    Been following all this and don't know if I'm more confused or intriqued! Mermaid, I LOVE your shells and hope you get it fixed to your liking. SLOW, can't wait to see what you are talking about doing, cuz I sure can't visualize it no matter how simple you say it! I'll just keep checking in and admiring you ladies playing with your seashells down by the seashore!

  • texaswild
    15 years ago

    If you use a fixture as a mold and then take it off, you have to worry about how to hang your newly-made fixture. I suppose one should think about that process b/f starting this project for a stand-alone fixture. Therefore, I'm gonna be lazy and just try it on a candle shelter. W/get to the hardware store tomorrow for the putty.

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    OK, got DH to put up the light fixture. I got some beach sand and used tacky glue to put in between the shells and then sprinkled sand all around, kept doing that and decided I needed something else for some places, I put gold and crystal seedbeads, and some larger crystal beads in places that I coudln't get the sand to stay. There might be a few places that poke through but I am okay with it. The left side doesn't light up as well because we need a different light bulb but here it is.

    will post another pix later when it's dark so you can see..

  • texaswild
    15 years ago

    Well MER: You did a fantastic job on this. That looks absolutely wonderful. BTW - you could have started a new thread on your project. We seem to have hijacked KLINGER's thread. Aren't you proud of this piece? I'm so impressed. BTW - I'll continue the hijacking by saying the plumber's putty didn't work - not an adhesive and doesn't harden. I have to look for something else. LOVE your fixture.

  • Mermaid
    15 years ago

    OOPS so sorry Klinger, thanks for reminding me Slow.. I'll post another thread when i get the rest of the pix.''

    Klinger, you did such a fantastic job that we all got excited and wanted to copy you. DOn't they say, Copying is the best form of flattery there is??

  • Calamity_J
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    This is truly gorgeous!!! Glad to know about the plumber putty, and I was to lazy to try the wood putty I bought for this project, so I just siliconed mine, when I added the grout, it was sloppy so I could get it to come out of the bottle, but it was spreding to much on the lamp, under the shells and such, was making a big mess, and then I had to leave and go somewhere when I was 3/4 done, so the very outside near the top(ceiling lamp)didn't get grouted cuz the grout set up in the bottle(I had just ran out the door, late for an appt) so I had left as is and it looks different now...yah, different....but it has some of my favorite treasures from PV on it and even a barnicle cluster, so I am happy with it as is! I'm not gonna torture myself with the grout anymore on this one.

  • Dottie B.
    15 years ago

    That is incredible!!! Beautiful!

  • copanolady
    15 years ago

    That is just beautiful! Are you going to sell any like that? I would be interested. I just happened onto this forum and am looking to buy (not make - don't have the patience) a mosiac mailbox (the kind on a post) and a kitchen mural or mosiac for over the sink in the kitchen, both coastal, shells, seahorses, starfish, shore birds, etc. That sort of thing. I have a beach house in Rockport and these are the last two things to complete, well almost, a remodeling. Anyone?
    P.S. Why isn't there a gallery for this forum?

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