margaret_loves does not love making lamps

Somehow, when I start to make something tiny and delicate my normal-sized hands transform themselves into huge, clumsy, ape-hands that I have little control over. This is why I have avoided making miniature lamps. But, after a long struggle, I think I was moderately successful in today's attempt. So here's my not-very helpful tutorial if you are anything like me, if not you can whip up a pair of these no problem :). 

My lamp bases are made from wooden pegs I found at a craft store. My husband helped cut off the bottom studs with his Dremel tool, and left on the top studs. 

I painted the wooden lamp bases and coated them in clear gloss medium, (I still need to do some touch ups) and then I fashioned a lampshade harp from some wire. I basically created a loop that wraps around the top stud of each lamp base, with arms reaching up to hold the shade. For the shades, I used two types of ribbon I had on hand. The white one is wired and had satin edges and a sheer center, I wanted to use it but I needed it to be opaque, so I taped a strip of gray ribbon behind it. I was afraid to use glue, since it might soak through the ribbon and create spots, so I used clear tape to hold it in a cylinder shape. The hardest part was taping the shades in place while reaching inside the lamp and taping it to the wire harp. I kept pulling it and putting it on too high or too low, and messing up the shape of my fragile lampshade in the process. Anyway, I think it worked out okay in the end, and I'll keep thinking about an easier method. For now I am happy to have some new lamps! Here is a preview in a scene I am working on with my new lamps: