Friday, August 03, 2007

This Little Light Of Mine

Ok, here is the light fixtures that I'm thinking of. I took some wine bottles and cut the top and bottoms off so that I just have a cylinder. That was pretty cool; I had never cut glass bottles before. Fairly easy. A friend of mine is a fabulous glass artist and she said I could bring them over to her studio and sandblast them to give them a frosted look. That was fun also.
So then I wanted to add a little detail because I think the glass cylinder itself is a little plain. I took copper foil that you use to make stained glass windows with and ran it around in various designs. The copper is a peel and stick thing and then you go back and solder it to make it a little more substantial. I will then patina it a darker color; like a dark gunmetal color. Ok, so here is where you all come in. Which design do you like best? Going from left to right, far left being #1 etc. Of course, there is an infinite variety of things you could come up with but I'm trying to keep it simple. Keep in mind, I have to make 30 of these. So tell me what you think. Do I have preference? Yes, but I'm not saying.
This is just one I grabbed up and put in the fixture so to see it lit up. They look pretty good. the globe part is about 5 1/2" tall. The fixture itself is a cheap ($2.85) porch light fixture that I installed upside down. And yes, I am using the energy efficient, compact florescent bulbs; 60 watt.
Here it is a little further away so you can get a different feel. This has been taking most of my time yesterday and today so not much else going on at the house. I think I'm getting a little frustrated or burnt or something too. Needed something a little more creative than caulking and painting to concentrate on. This is a quick post today as we are going to Birmingham tonight to attend a gallery opening where some friends of ours exhibit their work.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I like #4 best, but they're all good. So good, in fact, that I think you should use all of them and a bunch more designs as well. Why do all of your cylinders have to be the same after all?

Rurality said...

It's too hard to decide. I like them all! You are so creative.

MamaHen said...

Hey Pablo! Actually, Allen thought I should do a different design for each one also but I'm afraid I couldn't come up with 30 different good, simple designs! Fred suggested that I use the 5 or 6 designs and then just repeat those in some sort of pattern. Then I thought, well, each different section of lights (the clerestory, the kitchen etc.) could be a different design. It's endless what you could do. Too many possibilities!!

Hey Karen! Thanks but you're not helping me any!! ;)

R.Powers said...

The one on the far right, but they are all smashing!

You really are inventive, turning a porch light upside down and making it your own.

Congrats on the magazine article too! Yippeee!
Getting published is a super head in the clouds kinda feeling!

MamaHen said...

Thanks FC! Actually, desperation can bring out great bouts of creativity in me sometimes.

Rurality said...

I think I agree with the several designs, just repeated. Hubby says that they remind him of churches because of the crosses (except for #4, I think he said).

Anonymous said...

Hey! I think 1 and 5 look very much like they belong in a church--but not in a bad way. I like # 4 best, I'm a very symmetrical kind of girl.

But I agree with the others who said you should use these designs and alternate them throughout.

Good luck deciding! And I think you could sell those light fixtures as sconces to churches :) Hmmmm...we need some lighting in our basement hallway.

MamaHen said...

Hey Karen and Linda! That's seems to be the concensus so far, that I should repeat 5 or 6 designs. Yes, they do look like crosses or something that would be in a church. Hmmmm. You know I have always thought that the ceiling (with the rafters tails)in the living room/kitchen, gives it a vaulted, mini-cathedral feel. Interesting.
Yeah Linda, that's not a bad idea maybe to sell them.