Seashells are some of nature’s exquisite creations. The shapes and colorations can be fascinating even if there are some brightly colored ones among them. Incorporating them into the making of a lampshade can be a worthwhile project.
For one, it’s a great way to give an old lamp new life, so to speak. Making an easy project like this can be fun and thought-provoking even for those who are not artistically inclined.
Materials
Our main materials include many seashells that have small natural holes. The best are those small seashells traditionally made into necklaces, bracelets and anklets, not only by the natives of the island, but also among the inhabitants of the city.
The second important material would be an old or damaged fabric lampshade as the base of your creation. Equipment needed would include floral wire (20 gauge wire is fine too), needle pliers, and wire cutters.
First step
Remove all old damaged or existing screen fabric. Using a pair of scissors, cut through the fabric and remove all of the fabric.
After removing the fabric, work on the wires below. This can take a bit, but save money by saving an old shade and dressing it up with something new and contemporary.
For those who don’t have old lamp frames to work with, you can purchase wire frames at some inexpensive retailers.
The cables
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For your lamp shade, cut pieces of 20-gauge floral wire to make the lamp frame. Measure the distance from the top to the bottom cords of the shade.
Give an additional 3 inches. (This is the length of your 20 gauge wire.) With the size of your screen, you can decide more or less how many cables you would need for the whole project. Take your first wire and bend the end up (about an inch).
thread
Thread your first seashell, wrapping the final wire around it. (This prevents subsequent threaded shells from falling out.) This is a time to be creative where you can mix two or more colors.
You can also create some patterns, if you like, using the colored shells. Rotate colors as you go by threading these shells. (To make a checkerboard pattern, start with opposite colors on each new strand of wire.)
Let your creative imagination run wild here. You can create countless designs using just the colors, textures, and shapes of these shells.
Tips
If you really want color in that seashell lampshade you’re making, you can paint the shells any colors you like. Spray the finished product and avoid touching it while it is still wet.
Once you’re done filling in the wires, connect them to your beach theme screen. Then pull the string down and repeat the procedure under the lower wire lamp frame. Keep repeating the process until the end
Pull the Sea Shell string down and repeat the process on the lower wire lamp frame. Continue the process and separate them the way you want.