Surveyor's tripod and clamp lamp

There's been a big trend on the lighting scene to incorporate old and vintage items into creative lighting options, from mason jars and hats to giant balls made out of string and paste to create a lampshade to all sorts of found objects to make a unique free-standing lamp. 

My favourite this past year is the surveyors stand, or tripod if you will, used as a base. This style looks great in large open spaces and funky lofts. I have neither, but wanted to try this out for myself after finding a great tripod at a quaint antique store. 

What I needed, however, was a pole that would act as the mid structure of the lamp in which I could thread my wires and would hold the lighting fixture and lampshade and still look cool. So, the restore provided me with lots of ideas and after I found this sawed-off clamp with great bright red clamp components, I knew I had to make it work!

So after much tinkering and thought and trips to the local hardware store to check out lighting fixture component options, here's the end result:

Silverware box gets a makeover

Old silverware box gets a makeover

There are lots of ways to recycle old furniture and items if you just think outside of the box. Speaking of which, here's a fun update of an old silverware box I did at the studio with acrylic paint, photocopies of old cards and some artistic skill. The inside was stripped of its old velveteen and replaced with some heavy duty felt for a new and improved lining. A fun and decorative peice for storage!

DIY projects in the works

The weathers been great for one very important DIY chore and that is spray painting! When you have 22 degrees Celsius, adequate sunlight And a very mild breeze, that's the ideal combination for smooth finishes.

Cold paint cans can clog and paint can 'spurt'. Too hot and your paint might not go on evenly and dry too fast to give you that smooth finish you desire, especially with metals. Always read those cans for best use of the product, because they're not all the same!

This electroplated tea set had stained look patina that was etched and could no longer be brought back to its former glory despite all the great products I the matket. So a special high-heat Tremclad paint is your best bet not just for aesthetics, but usability too (painting the outside only!).

Tremclad high heat paint for barbecues is ideal. It comes in black and white, matt or high gloss and they've just introduced silver to their line of high heat paints. Why high heat? A metal container filled with boiling liquid would cause other paints - even if cured - to blister over time. I've tested mine for two years now and it's still perfect, no wear or loss of paint. 

So salvage grandmas teapot from the attic and start using it again with an updated paint job.

Supplies needed:

Painters tape

Tremclad high-heat spray paint

Small wire brush for cleaning

White vinegar for cleaning

After a good scrub with vinegar and brush to get into the nooks and crannies of the pots spout and handle, tape off handles, any trim and inside of pots (fill with a cloth or plastic bag and tape over top. Following directions on can in a well ventilated area, start by spraying underside of pot to get full coverage under spout and handle. Turn over and spray the rest, using long smooth strokes, being careful to spray past the pot as you go left, then past the pot as you go right. This will ensure even coating, no globs. Make sure you stay a good distance away! Too close and you'll end up with nasty drip lines.

Allow to dry to the touch, about 20-30 minutes (times may vary). Remove tape. Let dry for a full 7 days before using, allowing the paint to cure (harden) for best results and durable finish.