I often get asked, “where did you come up with that idea?” I always assume that’s a positive thing and not a “what the heck were you thinking?” kind of question. Today I’m going to show you how an idea for a lamp made from foam core board evolved. The lamp pictured here is just round one! Keep reading to see how the idea evolved into something much more polished!!
After making this light up sign with foam board, I started thinking how cool it would be to leave the holes open and let the light shine through. I toyed with the idea for a while and couldn’t really decide what kind of pattern to use. I really liked this flowery Americana stencil, so I decided to make a lamp for my daughter’s room.
I started with just a few flowers to see if I liked the idea. Here’s how I started:
Supplies:
- Elmer’s Acid-Free Foam Boards, 20 x 30 Inches, 3/16-Inch Thick, 2 Boards per Pack, Bright White (902015)
Foam Core Board
- E6000® Med Visc 3.7-Ounce Auto/Industrial Carded Adhesive
- Dowel Rod
- Wood Plaque
- String Lights
- Awl
- Craft Knife
Step one: Glue the dowel rod onto the center of the wood plaque.
Step two: Measure the length of the wood plaque, and add one inch to it. This is so the lamp cover will set around the base with room to spare. If you want a more snug fit, adjust accordingly. Now divide your foam core board into four segments that are that length. For example, I used a 6 inch square wood plaque, so my board panels are each 7 inches wide.
Step three: Use a craft knife to cut through the top layer of the board, but not the entire thing. You will need the paper on the back to stay intact so you can fold the lamp.
Step four: Use the awl to pierce holes in the foam core board. I used a stencil to make simple flower shapes. You could spell a word, make a chevron pattern, etc.
Step five: Fold the foam core board into a box. I kept the extra foam piece to glue the sides together, but you could cut it off and just glue the last two edges together, also.
Step six: String the lights on the dowel rod. Tape in place, if needed. Put the lamp shade over the base.
As I was taking pictures, I kept thinking that it just wasn’t “full” enough. I worried that poking more holes would just look like a board full of holes, and that I’d lose any semblance of a design. So I put it aside for a week and kept thinking. And thinking. I was stumped. Then, I saw some papel picado left over from fiesta, and inspiration finally struck. I pulled out another sheet of foam board, my stencil, and craft knife, and got to work. Here’s a tiny peek at what I ended up with. For the full tutorial, see THIS post!
Love this!
Thanks, Gail!