How To Turn A Broken Old Lamp Into An Awesome Cake Plate
$2
Easy
I bought an old lamp for $1 at a yard sale. The lady assured me it was in good working order. It wasn't. Time for Plan B! Here's how I transformed a broken old lamp into an awesome cake plate.
I kind of had a feeling that yard sale lady wasn't being totally honest with me, but heck, the lamp was only $1 so it was worth the risk. Besides, rewiring a broken lamp is easy to do with an electrical kit from a home improvement store. I decided if the lamp didn't work when I brought it home, I would just rewire it.
Then at the next yard sale I found this pretty plate with blue, yellow and pink flowers that match my home decor. It also cost $1.
I started by removing the wiring from the old lamp, but was left with this nubby metal screwy thing at the top of the lamp that needed to be removed for the plate to sit up there properly. I sawed it off with a hacksaw. Easy peasy.
The next step is optional. I could have left the lamp as is with its pretty silvery patina … but you know I was going to paint it. I started with a base coat of American Paint Company's hot pink Bordello ...
... followed by dark blue Born on the 4th ...
After the blue paint dried, I rubbed it with a damp cloth to reveal the hot pink underneath. I sealed the entire piece with two coats of American Paint Company's Top Coat. When the second coat was still sticky, I rubbed APC Gold Mica over the curvy parts with my finger to give it a gold shimmer and sealed everything with a final coat of Top Coat.
I used Amazing Goop to glue the plate to the top of the lamp. It stinks like crazy and is probably super-toxic, but I figure it is going on the BOTTOM of the plate so whatever... I let it cure overnight. Here it is:
For more photos and more detailed instructions on how I painted this piece, please head over to our All Things New Again Blog. Thanks!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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3 of 19 comments
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Cute idea but I like the original color better.............
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this is really nice !!! I have made a # of cake or dessert stands but only with pretty crystal. I found a beautiful flowered plate that didn't match anything in my house but I loved it. when I got home I found a Flower vase with some of the same colors. Put them together and Voila... a Plant stand for my back porch. I love thrift stores!!!
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