lampshade workshops Archives -

I realised I hadn’t written a blog post on here for a long long time, sorry! It’s usually a sign that things are busy but no excuse really as it may look as though I’m not here any more. And I definitely am!

Lampshade orders are still busy and I have also run a few workshops already this year so all good. I’m also getting more and more into my art and on my second booking of a printmaking course at South Hill Park every Monday which I absolutely love. I’ve found my thing (aside from lampshades of course!) I’m working on a website for that at the moment so I’ll share it once it’s up and running.

I also work part time in Toast in Marlow which has been amazing for the social side and also for inspiration for my art. It means my lead time for lampshades is 3 weeks (but often quicker). I’m just trying to keep time in my diary for art every week rather than rushing through orders and running out of time for it. It’s all about balance isn’t it?!

So here you go, a few of the lampshades I have made recently. You can find lots more on my instagram feed here.

Get in touch if you’d like a lampshade made or recovered, I’d love to hear from you.

And if you’d like to follow my printmaking journey too, you’ll find me at Julie Gardner Art here. Thank you!

I made a lampshade this morning from some of my screen-printed fabric and I thought it would be nice to write about what goes on behind the scenes. Not every detail, don’t worry, just a little insight into the journey of a gilhoolie hand-made lampshade.

As I’m not organised enough to have lots of fabric already printed, I started off by screen-printing my fabric using my butterfly design. Well, at first I had to mix up some more ink as I had run out of purple, nothing’s ever straight forward you know!

Printing fabric for butterfly lampshade — gilhoolie butterfly fabric in dusky purple

Five perfect screen-prints later (phew!) and I have a strip of crisp cotton/linen blend fabric printed with my butterfly design in dusky purple. I love screen-printing when it goes right but it’s not always as easy as you’d think. It’s unbelievably satisfying though when I make a lampshade from my own print and that’s why I do it.

Once the fabric has dried, I iron it to set the design and then get ready to transform it into a drum lampshade. I won’t go into details but you can see the course notes from my first lampshade workshop on FromBritainWithLove. Or come on a lampshade making workshop with me!

I love it when the lampshade comes together and I must admit I still have a little jump for joy when it’s done and perfect!

Next I wrap it in cellophane, add a gilhoolie tag and wrap it in bubble wrap before placing it in a box and sending it on it’s way to a lovely Etsy customer. This all takes time but I love the fact that it’s all hand-made by me, here at gilhoolie…

Tag: lampshade workshops

I’m still here!

The journey of a gilhoolie hand-made lampshade…