Saturday, November 14, 2009

Practically Free Pom-Pom Lamp!

My mom is great. She's always bringing me random things saying, "I thought you might be able to make something out of this!". A couple of weeks ago she brought me a 2-pack of microwave plate covers from the Dollar Tree. I knew just what I was going to do with it....


A lamp, of course!!

Materials List:
-1 yard of tulle in the color of your choice (I wish I'd had pink!)
-2 plate covers
-1 strand of white twinkle lights

I already had the tulle and lights, so this project only cost 100 pennies! Nice!


1) Cut your tulle into small squares, about 2-3". No need to be exact, just whack away!!


2) Cut a small flap in the side of one plate cover, large enough for your plug to fit through.

4) Stuff your lights into the plate cover and pull the cord through, stopping just before the first twinkle light comes through the flap. Then shut the flap as much as it will go and put a small piece of clear packing tape over the flap.

5) Set the other plate cover on top, so they meet at the bottoms, with the lights in the middle, and tape all the way around to hold them together.

6) Lay 4 or 5 (again, no need to be exact!) squares of tulle on top of each other and pinch them in the middle, making a little pouf shape:

7) Glue the bottoms of the poufs to the plate covers, starting in the middle and working all the way around, leaving the back side(where the cord comes out) bare. Glue them fairly close together, that way they will keep their shape and hide the lights.


8) Drill, cut, or punch a hole in the back side for a nail to go through. Or glue on a picture hanging hook if you have one!


7) Plug the lamp in first, and then see how far your cord will reach, then hang on the wall!








Unfortunately these pictures don't do justice to this lamp at all! It's so pretty when the lights are low! It reminds me of those dandelions that kids love to blow on :o)

84 comments:

Sheila said...

I absolutely LOVE this idea! Thank you so much for sharing it with us....

Miss Madison's Mommy said...

Wow you are so creative!! That lamp is genius and beautiful!

Antoinette said...

This is SO cute!!! :) I'm adding it to my list of things I'd like to make.

Anonymous said...

I loooove it.

Heather said...

What a cool idea - can't wait to do this!!!

Jen said...

Genius! Well done!

Cathy said...

I do believe I have to make one of these! Thanks..It's too cute.

PuggleTrouble said...

How cute is that!! Oh, I love it! Thanks for sharing

kristen said...

I absolutely love this!!! I love how your mind works! :)

Trudy Callan said...

It looks really neat when lit up. I can tell that your daughter is thrilled by it. Another project to put in my ideas' binder of things I want to try. The binder is mostly filled up with ideas I've gotten from you.

Meg said...

Oh my goodness that is just so pretty!!!!

Alexis said...

It's so lovely! You have such great home ideas! My girls would go crazy if they saw this!

HomebirthinMomma said...

absolutely brilliant! adding to my to do list!!

Leah said...

That is such an ingenious idea! I love love love it! Thanks for all the great ideas!

Amy Kelly said...

How pretty and whimsical!

Emily Dawn said...

I love it Disney! I was thinking the same thing that it looked like a dandelion. It would be so cute to put several in a row and then it would look like a field of dandelions. You never cease to amaze me with your creativity.

Happy Together said...

It's so pretty

Anonymous said...

I love everything! could not stop till the 1st post!

eye_on_sparrow said...

This is so adorable. This would be perfect for a winter wonderland theme. We are using Cronicles Of Narnia theme for Advent at me church so I think I will try this as part of the winter wonderland.

Catherine Hansen Peart said...

This is genius. Love it!

Theresa @ 612Riverside said...

Oh my gosh...I love it when SIMPLE=GORGEOUS!!!

kirstin & jordan said...

Ummm, I seriously can't handle how dang cute this is! I need some daughters in a major way (though, don't you think this lamp could possibly even transition into an office? or craft room?).
Also, you live AN HOUR from Target??? That's tragic my dear... :)

Stephanie Sabbe said...

So cute!

You do not stop with the creative ideas! I am totally giving that book/clock thing a go when I get the chance:)

vanessa said...

this is lovely!

gédane said...

oh!! lovely

jess said...

whoa. no doubt, you are soo creative! love this!

Heather - CROQZine.com - Dollarstorecrafts.com said...

That's super cute. Great idea with the plate covers!! You rock.

Lissa said...

So cute! I love this!

carriegirl said...

You have got to be the MOST creative person I have ever seen! I love this project (and all your other projects for that matter!) :-)

Beckymae Designs said...

oh disney super cute idea, I wish I had a little girl's room to put it in, only boys here!

. said...

I'm new to your blog and let me tell you I'm so impress with all of your creations!!! I wish I new how to sew like you do, your blog gives me a lot of inspiration...
keep it up
Erika
(I'm in love with your blog)

Kimberly Margaret said...

You could easily make this lamp look more like a dandelion if you made a scrunched green fabric tube to cover the cord with.

Rachel Leigh said...

So pretty! I love it!

Summer Prescott said...

Inspired! Thank you :)

Lindsay said...

I love this idea! I am definitely going to be making this soon :)

Amy Leavell said...

I LOVE it!!! So, so, so cute!

vertigoxcured said...

i just started following your blog and you are so creative! i just loved that i was looking at my feeds just now and saw this featured on craft! way to go.

BJ_Mama said...

HOW CRAZY AWESOME ARE YOU! This is sooooooo COOL!

Chirley Maria. said...

A D O R O, amo, estas ideias lindas e simples que voce apresenta!
O máximo!
esta eu vou fazer AGORA!

The Manlupig Mob said...

can we say Christmas Presents?!! soo cute!!
Can't wait to make it!!

picknstitch said...

I LOVE this idea. Now, I just have to figure out where to use such a lamp...

Firenze said...

NO WAY! This is incredibly simple and fantastic! I am SOOOO going to have to try this at home folks :) Thanks for such a great tutorial.
Hi from Cape Town!
Helen
Firenze Cards

lynnem48 said...

it is so cute you are a true crafter at heart!! lynne

mamababy said...

What a great idea! I can see using these as a table decoration for the holidays.
Thanks for sharing!
Carol (mamababy- queen of hearts)
RN2momsanbabies on twitter

Bromeliad said...

Great idea!

Cupkateer said...

Genius!!

TAITx3 said...

I absolutely love your blog! Can't wait for the next post!

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

We love this and are going to try it! Thanks

JUHYUN MOON said...

amazing!!
How blessed your daughter which has a such a great mom!!

Thank you and bless you.

Kira said...

If I had a little girl, I would SO make this to put in her room! (If I'm feeling wild and crazy, I just might make it for myself for my craft studio!)

I just found your blog via Dollar Store Crafts and I love it! I don't have any children, but seeing the things you make for your little girl make me want one of my own! (my husband and I can't have children, but we're hoping the Lord leads us to adopt someday).

Keep up the good work!

Mademoiselle Frou-Frou said...

well that is just the most creative thing! wow, what talent...and the lamp is so adorable too.
really, i'm so impressed!
xox

AdronsCatherine said...

Um, I am SO thinking "Christmas present" with this!!!!!! My girls will LOVE it! Thank you so much for the tutorial!

Flaca said...

lovely! thanks for sharing - came across it on TipNut... we're redecorating my DD room in a Spring Prarie theme.. this is PERFECT! and easy for the non- Martha Stewart mommy that I am. ;)

Ann said...

Soooo clever! I am painting nursery rhyme scenes on my grankid room - this lovely glowing orb would be a perfect moon for the cow to jump! Is it too bright for a night light? Also, do the lights fall to the bottom inside the plate covers when you hang it?

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

I am so blown away with your ability to turn stuff into something magical. This is gorgeous! Thanks so much, I'll be linking.

Cal said...

Fantastic! Gee, you do have a keen eye!

Mrs Portswood said...

I had a house fire recently - this lamp scares me stiff!

Disney said...

Oh that's terribile! I'm sorry you had a house fire! Scary!
That's why I chose to do it out of microwave plate covers, they're meant to hold up under tons of heat. So if they don't burn down my plastic tree, then they shouldn't burn this either! :o)

Tammy said...

I WANT to do this!!! But I didn't find the plate covers at the dollar stores near me :-(

Marisa said...

What an awesome idea! I'm definitely going to try this.

Lenetta @ Nettacow said...

Count me among those who think this is absolutely adorable! (Though I'm curous - what kind of glue did you use?) I linked to this on my weekly roundup (bit slow in letting you know, sorry!), and it may end up on my handmade Christmas post as well. Thanks so much - and happy Thanksgiving!

The Popes said...

this may be a silly question, but what is a plate cover and where do I pick some up?!?!

Disney said...

A microwave plate cover is something that you use to cover you food in the microwave so that it doesn't splatter everywhere. Like if you're warming up spaghetti or something :o) I got mine at the Dollar Tree, but you can get them at walmart, or any kitchen-y store I think!

Crystal said...

I LOVE this idea! I'm going to try it out with a gallon water jug that I keep trying to find something to do with. Then hang it on my porch. I'll put a link to your tutorial though, of course. Since you asked what tutorials you should put on your side bar, I vote this one. If I find any others I'll comment. :)

~Alison~ said...

This is truly darling!

I didn't get to read the entire tutorial. I just got to the part where you said you wished you had pink tulle.

I used to work in a flower shop. Typically we only had white, ivory or black tulle in stock for bows. If there was an occasion that another color was needed, we used spray paint to achieve the desired color!

Shannon said...

Love, love, love!

thehammondfamily said...

Thanks for the inspiration! I've had this bookmarked for a while and I am in the process of gluing the tulle on right now. I've found that the cutting and gluing is a little time consuming, but it's totally going to be worth it! LOVE IT!!

Anonymous said...

I cant believe this! You actually make stuff up on your own: RARE!! Keep up the great job! Thanks for sharing with us

ohbrooke said...

Are you kidding me with this? ADORABLE. Found your blog from pancakesandfrenchfries. Love it.

Mrs. livingsimple said...

Looks like so much fun!

I will be making this soon and sharing on my blog.
http://justlivesimple.blogspot.com/

Miette said...

Merci pour ce magnifique tutoriel.
Votre blog est une vraie mine d'idée, à très bientôt, bonjour de France.
Miette

Heather - Dollarstorecrafts.com said...

Fun idea. I love cheap lighting projects! I'm linking on 1/23. :)

Heather

Erin said...

I know this might be a strange question, but I bought all the things to make two of these lamps and I am wondering what kind of glue you used? I NEED advice - I feel like hot glue might make a mess - but other kinds would take too long to dry. Thanks.....Erin

Anonymous said...

This is totally adorable. I would also like to know what kind of glue you used as well as more detail on how they were formed and attached. Did you just gather at the bottom, soak with glue and press to plate cover. Thanks so much for your inspiration! Stacy

Rose said...

That is so gorgeous. And easy, and thrifty. I got here from the Dollar store crafts blog. Now I can't wait to see what other creative things you've done.

victats@gmail.com said...

You are a freaking genius! I bow to your crafting expertise!

aytozee said...

oh~!
love it!
this is soooo cute!!!
thank you for sharing =D

Jay said...

totally totally drool worthy!

Diane said...

so cute!!! I love it

Ashley M. said...

By far one of my favorite crafts I've seen lately! You have such awesome stuff on here though, it may change in a few minutes! :-) Thanks for sharing! -Ashley

missemilynoel said...

I love this idea! This immediately got me thinking of all those colorful scraps of tulle i have in the work room... little swirls of color? Thanks for a great tutorial!

Anonymous said...

i love this so much! my night light recently stopped working, and this would be great to replace it with! on top of that, i'm planning on redoing my room in the summer, and this will go nicely with the colors i had in mind. thanks for sharing your ideas! i love reading all your DIY ideas!

Ronita D. said...

What kind of glue did you use? I want to make sure when I make it the glue doesn't melt... thank you!!!

missDDT said...

This is just too cute! Will do very soon :D