When I started brainstorming on aesthetics and concepts for this project, I had a few ideas come to mind. Namely, I thought of using wine corks to create a koozie, broom bristles and rubber bands to make a pencil holder, a wine rack made from old cans, and plastic spoons and plastic bottles to make a lamp. Refer to my Upcycle Inspiration 2020 post for more details.

I narrowed my ideas down to two: the koozie or the lamp shade concept. Because I would like to make something that I will be able to use after this class, I’ve decided to go with the lamp shade idea. The idea is that a plastic bottle is used as the main structure, and the plastic spoons are hot glued onto the bottle, overlaid in a certain manner to give an interesting look. When the light shines through, it refracts and reflects through the plastic materials, giving a cool glow and gradient of color. Here are a few photos of what I am going for:

I am not sure exactly what shape or size I want to make yet, but I want it to be small enough to be a desk lamp. I really like the 2nd photo with the botanical garden aesthetic and how the creator left the stem of the spoon on to give it a “spikey” look. I recently went to a botanical gardens light show that featured a bunch of Chihuly glass sculptures and really appreciated the aesthetic. I am fascinated by blown glass works especially the funky shapes Chihuly incorporates. I have also been thinking about using a bottle in the shape of a fish and the spoons to represent the scales, but I don’t know if I want a fish lamp necessarily. The color of the light can be changed along with the color of the plastic spoons to give a different look.

Moving forward, I need to decide on the shape and size of the water bottle, what color spoons I have available to me, and how to mount the light inside of it. I will be making two of these (maybe one with white spoons, one with black spoons) because my lamp fixture has ports for two bulbs. I already have the lamp fixture and bulbs, but I am in the process of collecting spoons. Please let me know if you know of a good place to get plastic spoons or have any laying around. Also, reply and let me know if you have any other suggestions for me.

[1] DIY Plastic Spoon Lamp | Easy Step By Step. Accessed February 3, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcB7CIHVKP4.

[2] “DIY Pendant Shades.” Accessed February 3, 2020. https://www.bltdirect.com/10-diy-light-fixture-ideas-to-brighten-up-any-space.

[3] Denver Botanic Gardens. “Chihuly,” August 12, 2015. https://www.botanicgardens.org/exhibits/chihuly.

[4] “How To Make A Pineapple Spoon Lamp.” Accessed February 3, 2020. https://diyprojectsforteens.com/how-to-make-a-pineapple-spoon-lamp/.