Shades of Love Christmas Trees

Hey y’all, hey! Have you seen lampshades at your thrift store and wondered what in the world you would do with them? Well, I saw a bunch of ideas on Pinterest and couldn’t wait to try this out!

This is probably my longest post, but there is so much to share!

Y’all. This is a labor of love! So much so, that we have named our trees “The Shades of Love Christmas Trees”. There are several parts to what has become a story of sharing, of generosity, of love and of memories. You’ll see multiple videos as our lampshade trees “grow”! Watch the videos in succession if you want to get the whole story.

The trees have become so much more than originally planned. I asked if y’all would send me a snippet of fabric for our first tree, and I am so surprised at the response! I definitely didn’t expect my mailbox to be filled with the huge amount of envelopes from you all. Parts 1 and 2 share the beginning; making the “trunk” of the tree and deciding on how I wanted to do the shades.

Then there is part three. Part three of this project begins with me sharing some of the pieces sent and the stories behind them. It just amazes me, and in the few I’ve opened, there’s even one that brought us all to tears. I will be opening each and every one and reading the notes sent with them. It is so sweet of the friends on our page to share these pieces of their heart’s history with us. I’m just absolutely amazed and I love all of you.

I’m also making a remembrance lampshade for the pieces sent in by our friends who wish to remember a loved one.

Part 4 is short and sweet. I added trim to the bottom of two tiers.

Part 5 is all about tree number TWO! There were so many wonderful pieces to add, that we had to make a second tree.

I hope you’ll watch the videos and see how this project is made of love and compassion with and for our friends from Lizzy and Erin. It means so much to me to honor their precious mementos in this way!

Now for the craft!

Supplies:

Goodwill Outlet: lampshades, metal canister and 30.5″ wood spindle

Fabric: Sent in from our friends at Lizzy and Erin!

Walmart: DMC thread, tapestry needles

Home Depot: FastSet Repair Mortar

Debi’s Design Diary: Gypsy Green, dark antiquing wax

Dollar Tree: Lace heart trim

I started with what I had on hand. This is the FastSet repair mortar that I used on our fireplace to make the German Schmear. (Click here to see the post!) I wasn’t sure that it would be heavy and support the post, but it did!

I just mixed it up and filled a canister with it, then set my post.

Then I used packing tape to secure the post while the mortar set up. Packing tape? Yep! I used what I had!

I tried gluing on hymnal sheets, but it wasn’t my favorite. Then I painted a lampshade Gypsy Green, and decided to hand stitch another one with fabric and DMC thread. It was fun exploring “how” this would go!

I decided to continue working on the white lamp shade, so I made a template and then hot glued some fabric to a panel.

And added a top-stitched heart.

I used dark antique wax from Debi’s Design Diary to give my pole some age.

And then I suggested y’all send some pieces to go on our tree. THIS is just some of the mail that has come in. Y’all are just amazing.

There are so many wonderful pieces that have been sent for this tree, y’all! Here are just a few, with more to come.

But that trim, y’all! Ms. Deborah Nagy sent the fringe trim both in a light green (that’s the one I put on the bottom tier) and dark green that I may use later.

This tree is telling your story with each piece added!

I’m building this over a few months, and here are some of the shades I’ve finished for the first tree:

Now for tree number two!

I have a Dollar Tree pot in this basket

Here are the first two shades for the second tree

I’m using FastSet Repair Mortar, and that’s what I used when I did the German Smear on the fireplace behind me. Click here to see that blog post!

I just mixed it with water and plopped it into my plant pot. I put the table leg into the mortar and another leg will screw into the top of that one. Husband Dave will figure the rest out!

TIP: About that mortar: Wear gloves and do it outside! There’s dust and stuff… it’s messy. But it started raining, so I had to do mine in the house. Also, I didn’t measure. I know, I know, but I DID measure with love, so that counts, right? So you may want to read the instructions, ask the husband or Google it!

My husband Dave made the trees rotate! They were absolutely beautiful on display at Hickabilly Homecoming!

Thank you all who shared their special moments with us. We are grateful and so touched by your generous sharing that made our Shades of Love lampshade trees so special.

Sorry the post is so long, but y’all showed up and showed OUT! Thanks to all! let me know in the comments if you see one of your submissions!

And thanks for stopping by!

XOXO-Erin