I was asked by a client to use straws to create a kitschy lampshade and I LOVE how this turned out!

Materials

Colorful plastic straws
Aleene’s Tacky Glue
Lamp with white shade (vertical sides is preferred) – I found mine at Goodwill
Scissors
Painters tape & copy paper
Spray paint (deep purple or color of your choice)

For this project, I selected colorful straws. NOTE: Be sure you buy plenty of straws depending on the size of your lampshade.

Starting at the seam, apply a generous line of Tacky Glue. Place straw into glue and gently push so that the glue surrounds the straw. The plastic is slippery so generous glue is a must! I also run my finger on the inside of the lampshade and on the outside straw to push the glue along the entire length of the shade. As you glue, continue to check to be sure that you are keeping the straws in a vertical line.

Pay particular attention to securely gluing the ends of the straws to the lampshade. Continue gluing and cutting straw lengths to size as needed and vary colors to create an interesting color pattern. Let glue dry completely overnight.

When glue is completely dry, use scissors to cut ends using the lampshade as a cutting guide. If needed, reattach any pieces that may pop off when you cut the ends. Let glue dry.

Use painters tape and paper to cover all inside surfaces including the wire and inside shade.

Spray paint over straws. If desired, apply second coat. Let dry.

When you light the lamp, you can see if there are any areas of the lampshade that may need more paint. In this technique, I wanted the colors of the straws to still show through, so I only applied one generous coat of paint.

Enjoy your new straw lamp! Remember that you can use any color of spray paint to match your home decor. This client wanted a dark, moody effect for the bar cart.

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