Christmas Gift

Sophia loves the chandelier in our dining room area.

She will stop in her tracks on a high speed run

through to stare up at it.

She also loves to carefully touch the crystals.

I wanted to get one for her room.

One made of acrylic(plastic) parts that

are still flashy, but safer than glass.

I also wanted it to be vulgar.

I shopped around, no luck for the price.

So...I decided to make one.

How hard could it be...fixture with some beads...

maybe some paint.

Here is the lamp I bought for a whooping $3.88

($4.20 with tax)

at a thrift store in Birmingham, AL.

UGLY, but I could see the potential...

the lion in the marble.

There would be a whole lot of chipping to do.

Practice run on the beading...before I completely took

apart every piece and spray painted it white.

I'm not sure how much time and money I spent...

Most of the larger pieces are Target Christmas bulk decorations.

Hit Michael's two for $5 bead sale for most of the beads and wire.

Installation was today.
Sophia wasn't too sure what Daddy was doing,
but from the look on her face, she's coming to tell on him!
He's making a mess in her room!!
When Steve came up the stairs from flipping the breaker,
we turned the new light on.
Sophia was impressed!
We got "Oohs and Ahhs"
She pointed at it for us to look up!
She even clapped...
Checking it out still.

Daddy and Soso with the cool star view
from underneath it...

which goes so well with the room!

(I'm tempted to say that I planned it that way.
BUT really I just kinda threw them on there

in a way that felt pretty...and it was a star!)

The view from underneath...
very cool star pattern.

Magical.

I had a great time figuring out how to make Sophia's Chandelier.

Of course, I didn't do it entirely on my own.

Steve fixed the wires and even added a ground.

Steve also smiled, kept commentary to himself,

and helped show me how to drill holes

in brass...which FYI melts dremel bits left and right.

(Thank you honey bunny for helping me see this through!

And for putting up with my mad scientist moments...

running through with beads and pliers, babbling incoherently.

Which really is most days anyway...)