lamps are expensive...

I'm pretty sure this happens to most people when they get married... They are shocked by the price of a few things. Things they need. Things they use everyday. Things they've really never thought about buying... Until they get married and need to fill a house full of beautiful and useful things...

For me one of those items was lamps. Lamps are expensive. I would have never imagined that the average cost of lamp is between $40-$60, sometimes way more! And being the *cheap* person I am it was just something I couldn't break down and pay that much for. For our bedside lamps I searched and searched and searched {for over a year} until I found two great matching lamps at Marshalls for less than $25. Now that I can deal with.

When we moved into my parents basement {where we currently reside} I quickly came to the realization that we were going to need another lamp. Ugh. So for the past 5 months if we've needed lights we've just used the very bright overhead can lights, but after a while the brightness gets old night after night so I began searching... Couldn't find anything. Then one random day I stopped into Goodwill & happened to see a decently shaped, very blue and bronze lamp for only $8.99. And I bought it. It sat for quite some time with no attention. Then I got spray paint. More time passes. Finally decide to do something with it a couple weeks ago.
Step 1: Open spray paint.
Step 2: Put painters tape on parts of lamp that can't be spray painted.
Step 3: Put lamp in box & take outside to start spraying.
Step 4: Realize Colorado is the windiest place in the world and move into open garage.
Step 5: Many coats. Trying not to have drips.
Step 6: Let dry for a couple days.
Step 7: Realize you missed a lot & need to do another coat.
Step 8: Do second coat.
Step 9: Try and find a lamp shade. Bring home the wrong one twice. Finally get one at Walmart.
Step 10: Put lamp shade on lamp & bring downstairs. Add light bulb & plug in.
JOY.






Lamp pre & mid spray paint





All done & looking pretty shiny!





Done with lampshade!



Looking swell in my basement living room :)

Seriously I am so pleased with this lamp! I was clapping with joy. Seriously.
Cost break down:
- Lamp base from Goodwill: $8.99
- Lamp shade from Walmart: $14.49
- Black spray paing (Hobby Lobby): $4.99
TOTAL COST = $28.47


Ok, so maybe that's still a pretty expensive lamp... But I'm super happy with it & I can use the spray paint for something else... That's worth something right?

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