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So here's the project I worked on this weekend. :-) It was so much fun! And i have to admit I'm so thrilled with how it turned out. Totally how I invisioned it. I have to tell the story of how it came about. A year or so ago, I was reading Heather Bailey's blog (who is not inspired by her?!) and saw the CUTEST chandelier that her and her husband (i think it's so cute how she and her husband work on creative projects together... how fun is that?) embellished with vintage brooches and jewels. I thought the idea was brilliant.
So soon after that I started collecting a few vintage brooches. But I never really got around to doing the project as I wasn't sure where I'd get the chandelier.. thrift? hardware store? Then i just sort of forgot about it. Then I went to my favorite antique/thrift store the other day and saw the PERFECT chandelier. It was even painted already. A perfect green that would go with the color palette in our living room, where I wanted to hang it.
And the seller (this particular market has booths set up permanently, and the sellers bring stuff in at random times. Some things aren't even "antiques" really, but stuff they find and then fix up.. like this chandelier.) She had replaced where the bulbs go, with these wooden dowels painted white. And then on top of the dowels she flipped over glass tea cups (vintage?) and glued them onto the end of the dowels. I didn't even notice this til I had the thing in my car.. "oh! they are upside-down cups!" Der.
So basically I glued the vintage brooches on with epoxy glue (boy that stuff stinks) and strung glass and plastic beads and buttons onto plastic see-through jewelry cord and hung them all over the chandelier. The cup handles actually provided another place to hang the beads from. Most of the plastic beads I got from Hobby Lobby, the glass beads I got at a bead store, the crocheted beads and others were from 2 necklaces that i don't wear anymore.. they were cheapy costume jewelry. 2 of the brooches are vintage, 2 are vintage LOOKING (but new) and the 2 pink smaller jeweled flowers are actually flip-flop emellishments I got at Hobby Lobby!
I had the bird already that I was going to attach to my pompom wreath (that i'm putting off til this coming Christmas to finish.. lol!).. but attached to the chandelier instead and i think it's a perfect place for it. Cooper had never seen a fake (but very real looking!) bird like that. I was like "look Cooper, a bird!" and he was like "Cool!".. then a couple hours later he was like "Mommy?... he's not moving." ;-)
I was inspired to add the silk flowers after seeing this chandelier on Flickr (which is so amazing!). Instead of gluing them I just threaded embroidery floss through the 3 flowers, connecting them together and they just sit in the middle like that around the base.
I haven't hung it yet where it's really supposed to go, in this room, because I need Ethan to secure a hook to hold this very heavy thing... so I hung it from a couple hooks in 2 other rooms so I could take photos. And i also hung it on a tree branch outside.. ha-ha.. my brilliant idea. Thank goodness that branch didn't break! And oh, did i mention there was still snow everywhere and I froze my ars off taking photos of it? Lol! Oh the things we do for photos. :)
This first pic is in our "mud room" with our fabulous 70's (painted) wood paneling. Don't laugh. But i needed a room where there wasn't so much on the walls so you can see the whole thing. (if you look closely, you'll see that the bird has fallen over, bless his heart.) The rest are from outside and in our dining room/kitchen area which is kind of busy, but you can still see details pretty well.
Brilliant!!! Love it!
Posted by: dana | January 21, 2008 at 07:05 PM
Totally LOVE it!! Totally a winner in my book....Also wanted to comment on the GREAT photos of it. They look AMAZING... You should be VERY proud of yourself for creating something SO very wonderful and fun...
Posted by: giosmama26 | January 21, 2008 at 07:23 PM
This is probably a dumb question but how are you doing the rounded corner framing? Please email me if you dont mind.
Posted by: Dennis | January 21, 2008 at 07:25 PM
Okay, this is SO totally fun & cute!! I would just smile everytime I looked at it. Your photos are just amazing, as always, too!
Posted by: Jana | January 21, 2008 at 07:32 PM
Wow! What a beautiful piece, you outdid yourself again Danielle..Love it..All those colors look great together..Looking at this just makes me smile! Wonderful brooches, such a great idea and love the creativity..It's nice when things come together like this piece..perfection. Hope you are feeling better, I read your post on flicker on friday..Things like that used to bother me too and now I've learned not to have expectaions and now when nice things happen they are just wonderful surpises..There are all kinds of people and I've learned to accept that. Anyway, once again, wonderful, wonderful work!
Posted by: Paola Norman | January 21, 2008 at 07:33 PM
omgosh!!! this is absolutely awesome. I'll take 3, please.
Posted by: Alissa | January 21, 2008 at 09:24 PM
It is so delicious and just makes me giddy looking at it.
Posted by: Mara-May* | January 21, 2008 at 10:39 PM
awesome. Love anything that delicious apple green! The cups look like those from old punch bowls. I have a whole set that just hook onto the edge of the bowl. And if they are anywhere near as heavy as mine then that bit of gorgeousness has HEFT!
Posted by: CarrieJ | January 21, 2008 at 11:27 PM
wow this is lovely, so colourful and sunny. how cool you found the perfect chandalier by chance!!
Posted by: Sylvia | January 22, 2008 at 01:52 AM
Owmy how come you are so wonderful!!It's so amazing!!
Posted by: fauve | January 22, 2008 at 03:43 AM
HA.PP.Y.
Posted by: Kim McMillan | January 22, 2008 at 05:26 AM
most fabulous chandelier I've ever seen...seriously!! I love it!
Posted by: lyndsay | January 22, 2008 at 05:38 AM
OMG!! That chandelier is like candy for your ceiling!! I loooove it! :) What a fun project...it is perfect for your house. :)
Posted by: Mandy Ford | January 22, 2008 at 07:14 AM
BEAUTIFUL chandelier and photos, Danielle!! It will look so AMAZING in your living room! I can't wait to see a photo of it once you get it hung in there!!
Posted by: Shari | January 22, 2008 at 09:32 AM
This is so adorable, you always inspire me... your craftiness, photography, just about everything you do!! xo
Posted by: Jillian Guimont Paddack | January 22, 2008 at 09:51 AM
luscious!! this is so pretty and really well done too. you have such a flair for color!
Posted by: katie | January 22, 2008 at 10:21 AM
AMAZING.
Posted by: Jessie | January 22, 2008 at 10:21 AM
This is totally amazing! You are incredible!!
Posted by: Kayla B. | January 22, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Wow, this is freakin awesome Danielle! I so love it. I want you to come and decorate my house. You come up with stuff I would never think of that I just adore! Great pictures too.
Posted by: Ashley Schultz | January 22, 2008 at 11:13 AM
I love this so much i have to make one for me!
www.myshtub.blogspot.com
Posted by: sheva | January 22, 2008 at 02:31 PM
okay, just came across your blog...that chandelier is off the hook. wow! And your photography and colors are just amazing.
Posted by: cathy walters | January 22, 2008 at 03:18 PM
What a beautiful chandelier. I love all the colors and embellishments that you've added. The beads and flower are my favorites. It must be so much fun to live in such a colorful house!! I imagine it being a candyland feast for the eyes! (Me, I'm married to Mr. Beige - but I'm sewing colorful pillow - LOL! - to make up for the deficit.) :-) Lisa
Posted by: Lisa Cohen | January 22, 2008 at 04:40 PM
cool. i love all the colors. i just discovered your blog. (through tara whitney's) i love it. i am here in georgia too. our snowed melted minutes after it fell. :( i hope my honey will go with me to the little market you posted about earlier. is it open in the winter? i would love to know about anymore cool little places in the atlanta area. thanks for sharing.
smiles,
ria
Posted by: ria | January 22, 2008 at 08:04 PM
wow. this is so beautiful. I just love the colors...the style...EVERYTHING!
Posted by: Melissa Runcie | January 22, 2008 at 08:45 PM
Gotta say how much i love the little birdy! They are my latest obsession...not live ones, but fake ones - wood ones, felt ones, glitzy ones, etc. Thank you for sharing this fab piece with the world :)
Posted by: Angela U. | January 22, 2008 at 09:04 PM