"STUCK IN A MASON JAR WHERE I SEALED UP MY HEART..."

If you were to ask me, I'd tell you that just about anything looks better with a doily on it. These long forgotten and usually overlooked lace masterpieces are versitile and one of my favorite items to accessorize with. When it comes to doilies, the possibilities are just about endless and there are dozens of art and craft projects that center around doilies. If you're cringing and thinking of the doilies that your grandmother puts stale mints in a jar on top of, think again. Yesteryear's doilies are one of today's most sought after and unique decorative pieces so the next time you see some dusty doilies in a thrift store corner or in a lonely stack at someone's garage sale, buy them (some people even try to give away doilies) and keep them handy for a future Saturday when you feel inspired to create something.

A few weeks ago my Lighting professor assigned our final project; to design a functional and innovative light fixture. I just about fell out of my chair just thinking about how difficult this would be since A) I know  close to nothing about electrical wiring, and B) metals, electricity and I just don't get along. I quickly shot up my hand to ask if there was an alternative option, which there was, but if you can believe it Option #2 and #3 seemed much more consuming and daunting than designing a LAMP. I spent the next few hours brainstorming and Googling until I saw something that spoke to me: a beautiful mason jar chandelier. Well, it didn't literally speak to me, but it sure did catch my eye. I started drawing some concept sketches and decided that for my final project I would make a mason jar lamp. Above are some of the basic components I'll be using to create it. First and foremost I'll be using doilies to create a lampshade (still haven't decided on whether it will be a free form or if I'll sew doilies onto a ready-made lampshade). I've already ordered the mason jar lamp kit from Wholesale Craft Supply on Amazon and Matt's dad gifted me the perfect mason jar. I also found an antique shaped light-bulb at Home Depot but still need the lampshade frame and MORE DOILIES.

Thanks to a some generous family members, I have amassed a few doilies but not enough to complete the lampshade. So this Saturday will be devoted to garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores. Sounds like the perfect Saturday to me. I'll make sure to post photos of the final product (if it's not too embarrassing) as well as other doily craft project ideas.