You Can Wash These Things. Like, With Soap 'n Water.

So yesterday I start making-over a thrifted lamp, right, with the cleaning and the painting and the sanding and all that? Ya.  So I figure that while the paint is drying, it might be a good idea to skoot over to Canadian Tire to grab a new shade for the lamp 'cause the old one I have is kinda gross and grubby, right? But then, I have this idea, right?... Why not try cleaning the shade I do have before going out and dropping money I don't have on a new one. I figure it's worth a try, right?

And then I think to myself: "Someone out there has done this before." Gotta be, right? So I google it. And lo and behold, HERE is a tutorial at TLC Home. You can wash these things? Once again, I was clueless. I've never washed a lamp shade in my life. But the best part, it came out like brand-spanking new. I just followed the instructions with the warm water and the dish soap and stuff. And boom. Beautiful and clean again.

So lamp shades are washable... I learned something.

♥M

Drop-Dead Denim Guest: Mich L. in L.A.

Happy Monday!

As you know, September is all about remaking old jeans into new denim loveliness. For today I'd like you to welcome my first guest-poster EVER, a sweet and amazingly creative friend of mine. Let's see what kind of Drop-Dead Denim she's dreamed up... Take it away, Michelle!

Hi there, friends of Michele Made Me! I am SUCH a fan of this gorgeous blog, and extra excited to be here with a denim project! My name is Michelle L. and I write about upcycled jewelry over at Mich L. in L.A.

I don't often try my hand at decor, but here's a quick and funny NO SEW denim project for your home. Do you like any of the following? Faded blue jeans, tomboy style, rustic, farmhouse, shabby chic? Then take a gander at this:

Or this:

Or this:

No-sew blue jean lampshades! Here's the ridiculously easy DIY.

Step one: cut the bottoms off some jean legs.

(I love old work jeans after my husband works them to death - so much character! But yours don't have to be this beat up. Any jeans will do.)

Step two: stuff a mini lampshade inside a jean leg.

Depending on the relative sizes of leg and shade, it may require some tugging and grunting to get the shade all the way in.

Note: if you use boot cut or flared jeans, it will be easier and you will have more of a bell shape.

Step three: spend a moment dorking around with any available pets or children.

(The Sorting Hat put him in Hufflepuff. But he was hoping for Ravenclaw, waaah!)

Step four: trim the jean leg to about an inch above the lampshade.

Step five: secure and embellish with something cute! The quickest: a simple ribbon tie.

You're finished! Jean leg lampshades, for sconces, little table lamps or even a chandelier.

But a ribbon is just a starting point. This is where you play and become giddy. Add stuff! Try stuff! Trims, notions, yarn, pom poms, fringe! As we all know, a comfortable old pair of jeans goes with anything.

How about a cute concho ornament, for a boy's room?

I added crystals to this one, for a girly tomboy's bedside lamp:

So rack your brain and rummage your junk drawers, and add your own personal style to the basic look. It's super duper easy, and a great denim upcycle.

Hope you enjoyed this shabby sweet home decor project. Thanks for having me over for your marvelous month of denim, Michele! So. Much. Fun.

Is home decor supposed to be such a blast? 'Cause jeepers, that was so much fun! What a cute project (and PUPPY!) with so many possibilities, don't you think? Thank you so much Michelle for the play date today. I sure hope you'll come again!

Oh yes, and today I'm Diggin' This Denim: Art by Ludingirra

Now YOU have a great day! Wednesday's post belongs to another dear and supremely talented friend of mine, Amy from During Quiet Time. I'll see you then!

Series 4 - The Candy Wrapper Chain #2

Happy Family Day! It's a teensy post today as I am spending this great little holiday with my family!

Welcome to Series 4 - Candy Wrapper Chain #2!

Yes, it is the 2nd installment in this series of simple crafts made with the lovely candy wrapper chains. In the 1st installment, I dressed up a gift with a few lengths of chain. Easy and effective too!

Today's craft is a decorative lamp shade sleeve that can be slipped on or off your lamp shade whenever you wish to freshen up the look of any lamp.

To make the sleeve, I simply created a removable cone made from a large sheet of newsprint trimmed to fit the shade exactly. I then decorated it with lengths of candy wrapper chain! Find out how to make candy wrapper chains by checking out this great little video tutorial right here. I enlisted my whole family - including my sisters and brother-in-law who were visiting - to help make the chains! Weren't they sweet to help? We made our chains out of the phone book, but they can be made from virtually any kind of paper.

And see? The sleeve slips off easily, so you can have fun creating a few different ones for a variety of looks and seasons!

Now you have yourself a fantastic day and I'll see you again soon!

Linking to Today's Creative Blog.