I SAVED these beauties from the Melting Pot!

Source unknown...Aren't those lamps beautiful!

Recently I purchased this pair of lamps at an auction.  I was bidding against a guy who just wanted to buy them for the cost of the brass...(one of the sad things about auctions, most of the metal these days is going to the melting yard....silver, brass, nickel....all of that old wonderful workmanship.... I digress.....

These suckers are HEAVY....but were terribly UGLY, and SAD sitting in this warehouse of mostly junk....With the lamp shades that were on them....they were comical.   I mean when a whole room starts laughing when you are bidding on an item you know it is bad....but I saw the gorgeousness of them and wanted to laugh at those naysayers...  they couldn't see past the ENORMOUS shades that covered most of the tall lean base. "Just wait", I said outloud!

I marched them to my local lamp guy, who was impressed by my find.... He rewired, added new harps, and I picked out shades.

These Sad Doudy Lamps....have a new lease on life!  Slim and trim, long and lean, and Gorgeous.

My new beautiful lamps...

The LESSON: Lampshades are the dress on a lamp.  These lamps had an unfortunate dress on a beautiful figure...they were just wearing the wrong dress!  HA HA, HA to those naysayers.   I really want them to flank my sofa like the above inspiration photo, but I don't know that the scale works in my living room...going to try in my bedroom, or my husband's study....  They might be destined for another space, or for a future client.  But for now I have one in the living room, and it makes me happy that I saved her from the Melting Pot!

I have come across a few great lamp makeovers lately.  A lamp can have beautiful lines, but a bad finish, or shade....Don't discard beautiful lamps, they can be painted, or a new shade added to make them gorgeous. Look at these transformations!

Both Transformations from Jill Sorenson with

Live Like You Blog

Via Rene with Cottage and Vine
She found these at her local RE-store.

So go out find a lamp and dress her up, maybe with some paint, or maybe it is just a shade.  Another home accessory that DOES NOT have to cost an arm and leg.

11:11 Make a Wish!

via country living

Have any of you ever heard of this???....when you look at the clock and it is 11:11 you make a wish....Well today you get to make wishes ALL DAY!!  (I am taking a bit of liberty, since it REALLY is 1/11/11, but the day and year make 11:11)

Sidenote addition: My brain isn't working very well today...I think it is freezing up!  I didn't even think of every 11th day of every month this 2011th year...but I declare NOW that we get to make wishes all day long on those days..and at 11:11 make a really special one...AND on 11/ 11/11 make a really, really special one!  Seriously my head hurts.

I have to say, I really don't wish for much...I mean,  there are a lot of THINGS that I want and lust after, but I have a healthy, happy  family, and that is all that I could really WISH for. I am one happy and content girl.

There have been a few times, when pulling all of the clothes out of my closet and having a fit about what to wear, that I have wished to be a bit more stylish....so it was a surprise to me when I was awarded this...

I am not really sure what the criteria are, but I am, well, flattered:) 

I am supposed to write 7 things about me, and then pass it on to 7 other people.  I have to be honest and have a confession to make these things STRESS me OUT!...as in, it reminds me of the "tell me your favorite "fill in the blank".  which changes for me daily and has always made my palms sweat and heart race when asked these questions.... And then I have to CHOOSE 10 other people, when I could think of so many more....  So I am going to do something terrible...I am going to break the rules...

And just THANK the person who awarded me.

I was awarded this by a new very stylish blogger friend, Kathy from My Interior Life.  I knew we were kindrid spirits when I saw this chair that she is painting orange for her son. 

which is very similar to a chair that I have...

Kathy THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  I really am flattered!

It is another snow day here! Brrrrrrr!