Vintage Embroidery Scallop Lampshade

I'm just back after a delightful day at The Equinox Hotel in Manchester, Vermont. I was asked to tell my Lampshade Lady Story to The Winter Conference of The WBON. Of course I have been fretting about public speaking since Sept... but one more time getting out of the comfort zone of life. I decided to do a demo making up a big Drum Shade made out of vintage chenille; a pretty large and cumbersome project to do in front of a large crowd, but good for a few laughs.

The group was a diverse group of woman business owners. I enjoyed meeting new people and hearing their stories. The hotel had significant meaning for me. The old hotel had been shuttered for 15 plus years and reopened in 1985. My husband Carson was hired as the Sous Chef at the time of it's reopening and we moved from The Mad River Valley down to Southern Vermont. And I had also help start a juried craft show at the hotel many years ago at the beginning of my lampshade business.
The big decision: Which trim to use. This shade stumped me 2 times, but like the final product. First I added a crochet trim and ripped it off... and also tried a sweet pink and white trim. Also thought of this green and yellow floral trim (above). And ended up with the vintage lavender trim. That the one! It works the best, doesn't look forced and adds the finishing touch. I am always saying how hard the trim can be and this was a great example of it. Some shades it is a no brainer; it's clearly obvious what to choose, others aren't so easy.

I tried it onto this sweet vintage boudoir lamp. Fits it just right. Okay, now it's back to finishing customers orders.... no more procrastinating. This shade did make it feel a bit like springtime.

Best Laid Plans... but a few good finds

I did manage to headed south to Brimfield on Mothers day. I made my first stop at the Stone Antique Center in Chester, VT. (Can't go by without stopping.) Didn't find anything that grabbed me, hopped back in my car and my nose started running... and running. oh, no. my first time away, it's mothers day and I am getting a cold..... sh.t..... how can it be. I pressed on, slowly keeping my wits about me..... shucks. I hate to be sick and I was so excited to get a few days away from home and work.... I only managed one night and a couple quick go rounds at The Textile Show. My bank account is very happy..... but of course managed to spend every dollar on my wallet...Here are a few pretty treasures I found.
I am making a large rectangle shade today with the turquoise, green and white fabric today. I am doing it next after today's blogging blabs. I love the big polka dots. My shop always does well with the Vermonty Grandma Moses Prints. I splurged on the vintage William Morris fabric. Also got a big stack of animal redwork, a few birds, Dumbo the Elephant, even a very sweet mouse one.
The Sturbridge Textile Show is 2 big rooms and several hall spaces and other small rooms. You never know what you will find. Sometimes I go looking for a few things in particular, but often I go with an open mind. Searching for fabrics that call out to me and screams, you must buy me!! I make my way around the show buying only those must have things first and then the 2nd time around rethinking the other fabric possibilities.

Yesterday I made this sweet small rectangle clip on shade. It is made with an embroidery I found on Ebay recently. It had a perfect small scallop edging on the cloth. Just the right touch for finishing up the shade. The shade size is: 3.5"x5"top by 6.5"x9"bottom by 6.5" high. $75.

Vintage Embroidery Candleabra Shades

As you all probably know by now, I love to use vintage embroideries on my lampshades. This is the sweetest little pair ever. I picked them up for a book photo prop. It shows that they had been framed at one time. They are small, maybe 3"x4". They were just one of those things that I had to have..... and they were maybe 8 dollars each.
After using these for our photo shoot, I had them around my shop and eventually figured how to use them best. This is a square bell candle clip shade. They are 2" across the top by 4"high by 4" across the bottom. They fit the best into this shape and then I found a neutral linen for the rest of the panels. And trimmed them with some left over fabric I had in the shop; I picked out the stripe in the fabric to make self-trims.
p.s. this is fake forsythia I twisted around my butterfly bush in my shop flower garden.... worked perfect.... yikes, everyone thought it was real. No one thought I would ever use plastic flowers in my garden!!! We get pretty desperate in early spring up here!

Last Batch of Quick Lampshade Pictures for Today

A nice pair of vintage embroideries.