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Happy Monday everyone! I hope your weekend was a good one. We all survived spring break but I will say I was happy for a return to 'normal' this morning.

I was at Lowe's yesterday (surprise, surprise) and once again I couldn't pull the trigger and buy energy efficient bulbs.

Recycling, eating organic, buying locally, low VOC - I'll help mother earth out as much as the next girl. But when it comes to lighting, I'm a bit hardheaded. (ok, I'm really hardheaded about a lot of things, but I won't go there. not without drinks.)

via Restoration Hardware

I like mood lighting. I don't have a bulb in my house that's over 40 watts. We have recessed lighting (halogen) in a few rooms and we have dimmers everywhere we can. But with the government starting to shake me down, and phasing out regular bulbs over the next few years (yes, I am hoarding my 25 and 40 watt bulbs like I'm preparing for nuclear war), I'm realizing that I need to adapt to this wether I like it or not.

So Halogen, CFL, LED. What do you know? What do you use? What do you like?

Progress made!!

I can cross #4 off my 2012 goal list! That blasted crooked, crappy, creaky (and any other c adjectives you can think of) chandelier is gone.

You may remember it was a lovely 80's brass when we moved in.

I sprayed it black immediately and it stayed that way for a few years.

Until its most recent life in white.

Its had shades, no shades, round bulbs, candle bulbs. You named it, I've tried it. I should say here that this is a classic chandelier shape, and in many cases I really do like it. However in this instance it always felt like putting lipstick on a pig.

It had also been hung way too high and, the cherry on top, several of the arms were loose and crooked and all tightening attempts would fail. Usually resulting in a shade popping off and landing in your salad. True story.

So after years and years of hearing me complain about it, my parents were kind enough to give me a new chandelier for Christmas. WAHOO!

Now normally this would be an hour project on Saturday as my husband has hung many a light in his day.

However, since the table is off center, I wanted the light centered over the table, rather than centered in the room. We've had many guests bang their head on that chandelier, so it was really for the safety of those I love. I know, I know, I'm a giver.

Luke, being the wonderful husband he is, said no problem (while rolling his eyes) and headed up to the attic. Not a problem was the verdict. We measured, figured out where the new hole needed to be and he got to cutting. A perfect hole for a plaster ceiling I would say.


Now all he needed to do was move the wiring over a few inches, drop it thru the new hole, install and enjoy.

It was all going just too well.

Enter knob and tube wiring. For those not familiar with it, its kind of like asbestos - best not bother it if you don't have to. And really, comparing something in your home to asbestos? Never a good sign.

Apparently the wire was just a few inches short of reaching the new hole. And my husband's many attempts at getting a new wire to connect to the old wire were just not working. Something about the grounding of the wire blah blah blah. All I heard was 'electrician needed'.

Damn.

So while we waited for the electrician, we patched the old hole and painted the ceiling. And when I say we I mean Luke did the work and I said "looks great babe."

A week later the electrician finally arrives and after a lot of grumbling and several "You sure you want me to do this lady? You know that whole ain't in the center of the room?" I had my new wired and ready hole.

And now....

tahdah!

I love it! Its warm, more to scale for the room, and it gives off a really great glow.

It also gives off a saucy reflection in the mirror.

But of course, nothing is ever 'done'. Now I've got to fix the curtains. But that's another story for another day.

For now, I'll just enjoy my new lovely lady. Have you had any electrical projects lately? Been able to cross anything off your resolution list yet? Ever had an electrician tell you "whatever lady, I guess its your house."?

C'mon ride the train. Woo Hoo. The gold train. Sorry, I'll stop. But I'm seeing it everywhere, and I'm joining in the fun.

I've seen several people use the new metallic spray paint from Rust-oleum recently, but after I saw Julia's table over at Pawleys Island Posh I knew I had to give it a try.

Enter this sad little shade.


I picked up this piece of damaged goods, along with its brother Darrel and its other brother Darrel, at a high school rummage sale (remember these Becca?). I have a feeling that the owner of these shades work up that morning and thought, 'Crap! I was supposed to bring something for the rummage sale!' And then proceeded to go down into her basement and pick up the first thing she found.


Although the outside is a nice black satin-ish type fabric, the inside is paper. Paper that has suffered some type of water damage. (not a statement you often make about a lamp shade)


Who in their right mind would buy these things? That would be me.

Luckily I only paid $2 for all 3. Since they were already in such poor condition and they were just gathering dust in my basement, I figured why not spray some gold up in here!

I was thinking moody, library lampshade. Man smoking a pipe in the corner in a big leather chair type lampshade. Like this.

via SFGirlByBay.com

via Pinterest

And I'm happy to report...

these suckers look good! 100% improvement.


They still have a few little dents here and there, but you can't tell (unless you are taking close up pictures of them). And you've got to give these guys a break. They were obviously involved in some sort of flood that had left them for dead.

I'm loving the glow they cast.

So pretty. Saucy really. I feel like I need some candles and wine.

I'm in love. Especially after only spending under $10 for the whole thing - shades and paint. I think they will live in my entryway. I'll spend some time this weekend styling these bad boys up.

But I'm not so sure they should go on these silver lamps. What do you think?

Should I paint the lamps too? (trust me, they aren't precious) I don't want blow my $10 margin with some crazy expensive lamps. Maybe Goodwill? Any ideas?

In other news, I'm staring at an electrician's crack as I speak type so we can finally wrap up this living room project. So what do you think? Do I have more gold painting in my future?

Linking up to Emily Clark's Working With What You Have.