Yep.
I live in an apartment with absolutely no overhead lighting or ceiling fan in the living room. I have a light switch connected to an outlet that you can plug a lamp into, but it's on the wrong side of the room! Naturally. And I hate floor lamps. And table lamps. They take up space. So I decided I wanted pendant lamps but of course, couldn't find anything I liked. I decided to get the pendant light kits from Ikea and the plug in dimmer switches (I love dimmer switches!) and decided SOMETHING would come to me.
Then I saw this:
http://www.shelterness.com/diy-pendant-lights-of-tin-cans/And this:
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/03/how-to_punched_can_luminary.htmlI knew I needed to do something more along the lines of the punched tin look, because I needed as much light from them as possible. I'm not really into the modern aesthetic, and I wanted them to go with my sugar skull bull rider painting. I went to home depot and had them cut me a chunk off a 2x6 that
barely fit into the can. I printed the images I liked, taped the paper to the cans, and started hammering! I kept rotating the block of wood and hammering each section at a time. I have a feeling this was probably easier than the ice method used on craftzine.
Then I found this package of two stainless rings at home depot that I guessed would catch the lip of the lightbulb socket. I punched 3 holes, not too close to the top, so you can just barely see the top of the socket. Then I secured 3 lengths of picture hanging wire around the circles, and tightened them through the holes in the can. This part would have been much easier with an extra pair of hands! I estimated, and it was good enough for me!
I bleed for my art!
The first can I only did 2 images on, then realized I could easily fit 3 on the second one. They are a Texas (born and raised!), a "B" (my first and last initial), a sugar skull, classic Dutch tulip motif, and a weeping willow tree:
After they were all finished, I simply screwed a hook in the ceiling and hung them. I tacked the cords along the ceiling and walls, and then used 3M wall mount tape to mount the dimmer switches on the walls.
Even though my hands were killing me, I absolutely love them! I even have a friend who went to design school ask if I would make her some! The thing I like most about them is they'll be so easy to take down when I'm sick of them. Then I just have to figure out what kind of "shade" to make next!
C&C welcome. Thanks so much for looking!
button to nominate it!
