When it comes to DIY projects I have a long list of things to do, and many more projects we’re saving up for long-term. So when I get the chance to do a small project that is both fun and simple I jump at the chance!
Lighting is always needed in our house. It seems we never have enough lamps! When I put a long desk in the boys’ room it was the perfect opportunity to add a fun lamp to brighten up the desk space.
I went to my usual go-to for lamps-Target. They have inexpensive lamps but lots of selection, and I knew I’d find something that would work.
LEGO lamp
Project needs: fillable lamp, recycled cereal box, and LEGOs
I found this Threshold fillable lamp and was instantly inspired to fill it with something we have a LOT of-LEGOs. I went through the many LEGO bins we had and found pieces that would be fun, be big enough in the space (little pieces would just be lost here), and most importantly pieces that weren’t too important or precious to the LEGO builders in the house.
I started by taking some cereal boxes from our recycling and creating a sort of filler piece. It just took some cutting, a few minutes and a few folds to fill up the majority of the space. The LEGOs go on the outside, so it’s hidden from view, and meant I had to use less LEGOs.
Once I was done filling it (which took maybe 30 minutes from start to finish) I added a lightbulb and shade and we were set!
Over time though that wasn’t enough. I wanted something different for the lamp shade, something more fun in fitting with the lamp’s playful theme.
Comic Book Lamp Shade
Project needs: Plain lamp shade, mod podge in matte finish, and comic books
To start I gathered my supplies. I picked up some Mod Podge at the store for a few dollars, and then hunted down the right comics. Since we were already going through my husband’s old comic book collection (more on that soon) I snagged a few comics that weren’t sentimental or valuable and cut out some figures, scenes, and even a few ads.
Next I played around with the placement on the shade, and when I found something I liked I used some mod podge on the back of the paper edges to hold it down like glue and then mod podged over the front. The paper wants to curl so it’s best to add modge podge to the back to help prevent that.
I simply continued around the shade adding and adjusting as I went and decorated all 4 sides with a variety of comic book frames and cut outs. The results are below.
Overall this was a relatively inexpensive project at around $40 (on sale) for the lamp, and a few dollars for the mod podge. For under $50 we have a unique and playful lamp that was a breeze to put together.
If you choose to use things you already have on hand your cost might even be free! If you have a lamp on hand already you might hot glue some LEGO pieces to the base of your lamp, or even add them to the entire lamp!
You can find the pieces I purchased below.
Kelly
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