There's a new welder in town!

OMG, I have the nicest friends!

So for months I was lusting after a table lamp at one of my favorite home decor shops. Each time I went in I'd ooh and aah over it. But alas, I knew I didn't have a spot for that lamp in my house so I resisted buying it (who knew I had any willpower at all, but there ya go! Now if only I could harness that same willpower to resist, say, donuts!).

Anyway, I went to that store recently to shop that big sale they were having. And lo and behold, I found my beloved lampshade, only sans the lamp base (apparently it had broken). And the shade itself was only $3!!!!! And so, it goes without saying, that I had to have it!

I didn't really know what I could use it for at that point, but I knew down the road there would come something I could attach it to. Maybe even say, a lamp?!!!!

Only I get home and I start eyeing this funky, metal, floor-standing, older, Ikea(?) candle stand that I had. I set the shade on it, leaned it up against the wall (since the shade wouldn't stand on its own), and By George, it looked kinda cute.

So I mentioned my new treasure (my precious, my precious) to my friend T2. She mentioned it to her husband, aka MacGyver, and he said to give it to him that he could probably figure out a way to affix the shade to the candle holder (apparently they were not impressed with my idea of using several sticks of chewed bubble gum!)

Anyway, he takes a look at it, buys an old lamp at a Goodwill so that he can use part of it, buys tools so he can weld, and voila ...... I now have a lamp-shaded candle holder!! And seriously, it is BEAUTIFULLY done! That man rocks!

Take a gander:

Here's the top of the candle holder before it underwent any fixins'. Just an old candle on it, sitting on a spike sitting in the center of the base.

After some welding and a new paint job ... shazam!!! ..... no spike any longer in the center and the two lampshade prong holders (errr, that may not be the official name of those ;)) welded to the base!!!!!!

I was so dang excited after they gave it back to me last night that I ran right out and purchased one of those new-fangled battery-operated flameless candles (I'm thinking a real candle flame would have been perhaps a bad idea so close to my beautiful silky lampshade!).....

.....Popped the shade prong thingamabobs into the shade prong holders ......

.... and VOILA!:

hmm, this looks hella better in person, trust me. You can't even see the candle glow here nor the detail on the lamp shade. Phooey!

Too cute, right!?! Thanks SO much T2 and C! Y'all ROCK!!!!! I'd have no idea what I'd do without you (and this isn't just referring to a lamp-shaded candle holder either!!!). Love ya!