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Monday, September 20, 2010

STUDIO LIGHTING AND DIY CEILING MEDALLION...

I have been searching for new studio lighting since I moved in the new space several months ago. I have waffled back and forth between practical and pretty. Practical would have been a new ceiling fan with a better and brighter light kit. Pretty would be a nice bright chandelier. Well, pretty won out in the end, never mind that we have substandard short ceilings and if one is tall one might bean ones brain on it or that it will be a bit warmish while working from time to time. Handy Hubby suggested hitting a few flea markets on Saturday where he found a beautiful light fixture for my studio. I love the tarnished brass base, so dark it almost look bronze, and the cut glass pieces. After cleaning and rewiring it was ready to hang. Please ignore the popcorn in this post, maybe someday I will muster up the energy to tackle an entire house smothered in popcorn ceiling. Exactly who thought this was a good idea anyway?I really wanted one of those ceiling medallions to give it a little more substance. Those things can be quite pricey for a piece of plastic and the plaster ones are outrageous, so, I made my own. While we were browsing I found this oval gold toned framed print...The frame is plastic with a sturdy pressed board backing that screws on, perfect for this kind of project. I removed the glass and mat, setting them aside for another project. Handy Hubby helped me to figure out the size of hole we would need to cut from the center in order for the wiring to go through. Ours needed to be 4 inches. He used a hole saw to cut out the center hole. The print was glued to the pressed board back so I painted three coats of gesso over the print so it would not show through the collage papers. I then covered the entire piece with large torn pieces of vintage sheet music. Once that was dry I collaged small pieces of various book pages, some with inked edges to give depth, gold and ivory printed tissue paper, and dark bits of coffee dyed paper over the sheet music. I used a rubber stamp and white craft paint to stamp a design around the oval.I primed and painted the plastic frame with white spray primer and paint. Once it was dry I replaced the newly collage piece in the frame. There was a small gap around the frame where the glass would have been. To fill this in I glued some antique gold silk cording around the edge. Once that was dry I sealed the entire piece with a satin finish spray sealer. The top most piece of the light that caps off the wires had been painted a dirty cream color. I left it chippy but just gave it a fresh spritz of white paint to tie it in with the medallion and remove the dirty look.Handy Hubby cut a little piece of metal and drilled out the holes to hold the medallion to the ceiling and to attach the light fixture to. It worked out beautifully and I am really pleased with the results. The fixture is missing the glass shades but I think I might have found some new ones to use as replacements. I am going to look around a bit before I decide. I have no idea if this fixture is old or newer but I really do love it! Doesn't it have a pretty glow at night? The best part is that it really puts out a lot of light and now Handy Hubby will never ever hear me grumble about the horrible lighting in this room again. I think I am starting to actually love this room a little. Now, why can't all the other studio projects I have stacked up be so easy? I promise I will show you the whole thing someday soon. I honestly don't know how some of you are able to pull a room together so quickly. I seem to need space and spans of time to make decisions. I am thankful that it is close, very close to resembling my creative vision.

I wish you all a marvelous Monday!

Blessings,
Miss Sandy

16 comments:

Harriet said...

Miss Sandy,
i just love your light and what a great idea for the medallion and your collage work is awesome too. Can't wait to see what your space looks like when you finish.Enjoy!Oh! I love the look of your blog BEAUTIFUL!

Vee said...

You are positively brilliant! What an excellent solution for a ceiling medallion. Your light is very pretty. I'm afraid that I, struggling with energy surges, would have gone with the ugly ceiling fan. :D

Becky K. said...

I must agree with Vee! This is brilliant!!!! I am so going to watch for those old frames. Love this application!!!

Becky K.

Ruth said...

Wow Sandy.... Just love that! It's beautiful!!

Lady Farmer said...

Oohhhh! That light is so beautiful! I hope to find one like that ~ I just love the cut glass pieces! And your medallion is fabulous! What a clever idea! We had some friends that made on for their new home from the bowl of a plastic bird bath! It was stunning in their entryway and one would never guess it had a former life as a bird bath!
Can't wait to see your finished studio ~ I am sure it will be as spectacular as everything you create is!
Blessings!

Jillayne said...

This is just beautiful Miss Sandy, stunningly beautiful I am so inspired by the collage you did to make the medallion. Much, much nicer than a ceiling fan would have been!

Elizabeth said...

Sandy, You just amaze me! I would NEVER have thought of doing that. NEVER. And yet, here you are, putting this beautiful idea together and it worked out just wonderfully.

I adore the chandelier. It is so beautiful and unique.

What a lovely thing to look at now every time you go into that room. You will look up and see what you made with your own hands.

GREAT JOB!
Elizabeth

Vickie said...

Absolutely perfectly genius, Miss Sandy! Turned out beautifully!

Anonymous said...

What a marvelous idea! I love the idea of ceiling medallions but they are pricey and your fix is just perfect!

We had popcorn ceiling in another house and it really took no time to take it down. I took a large metal spackling blade and a step stool and just brushed the stuff off. It was messy but went quick and the vac cleaned it up in a jiffy. Left a real neat texture to the ceiling.

bee blessed
mary

LiLi M. said...

I was going to email you back that I'm so happy that everything worked out fine for the both of you, but sometimes the time just slips through my fingers.

How utterly creative is this, this is one to remember!

Wishing you a swell Monday too!

Elizabeth said...

Hi, Miss Sandy!

Come stop by this link and read down through it...:)

http://homemusings.blogspot.com/2010/09/for-today-outside-my-window.html

Anonymous said...

Sandy, I love it!!! That is so clever! And I've never seen a chandelier with such pretty glass designs. What a wonderful idea for the medallion. Hmmmm....someday...in my spare time!
;-)
Hugs and blessings,
Diane

Sonya Badgley said...

Oh Miss Sandy, I.LOVE.IT! How clever you are! I just love the cut glass of the chandelier too.
I need to put a light in my craftroom too. And it just has to be a chandelier too:)

Thank you for sharing again. I can't wait to see the rest of your room. But no pressure! I realize these things take time.

Oh yeah, God answered my prayer about the job that I applied for 10 times? I got the job! Thank you LORD!
Have a wonderful week,
Sonya

Edie Marie's Attic said...

You clever girl you!! I LOVE your idea and will be using it!!

Hugs, sherry

The Country Nest said...

What a great idea and it is beautiful...I so enjoy your blog. I may not always comment, but read each post. Thank you for sharing your ideas.
Donna

renee said...

You my dear, are a genius! This is exactly what I am looking for. We just replaced a light in our kitchen and of course there is the messed up ceiling to deal w/. I don't care for the store bought medallions..our house is very rustic and unique and they just wouldn't do! I think I have a round frame laying around some place....Getting to this THIS weekend! Thank you for the inspiration!

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