"Things that make you smile" ~ handmade by Susan Schneider
When my friend Pam from retrorenovation.com got together to make a video a couple of months ago, we came up with so many ideas.
Here is the result, we had another day of making videos, these lamps were the outcome of a fabulous day together.
Make an Upcycled Vintage Percolator Lamp from RetroRenovation.com on Vimeo.
Vintage percolators, every house hold had one, but they are no longer being used. What to do with all of these fabulously designed vessels? Make lamps!!!!!
Hope they make you smile.
I just recently launched a new product “the original Cloth Cord Swag & Pendant Light Kits”
Well, my own creativity has been unleashed. I have boxes and boxes of old architectural findings and such, they are now being turned into beautiful lighting.
The pendant/swag pictured is made from old brass lighting parts.
Most of my creativity is out into lampshades, vintage things to make into lamps, and fabulous old lamps. Now this is a whole new territory I am discovering and having so much fun with. Hope this sparks you creative juices.
Have a great day.
Susan
Bring your own one-of-a-kind creations — to light
Express your creativity
– create your own, one-of-a-kind light fixture – and enjoy it every day –
with The Original Cloth Cord Swag and Pendant Light Kits from Shandells.com.
For my Cloth Cord Light Kits I’ve chosen the same high-quality materials and components that I use in my own high-end creations. This delicious cloth cord is Made in the U.S., and all the kits are assembled-to-order here in my workshop studio in Millerton, N.Y.
Put a Bulb In It
The idea for these light kits surfaced after my friend Pam Kueber of RetroRenovation.com and I taped a video sharing ideas to create upcycled pendant light shades.
After doing the video, we discovered that the only DIY swag and pendant light kits on the market today are plastic. Can you believe it: No one was making kits using gorgeous, vintage-style cloth cord. So, building on my longtime lamp-making experience – I decided to create these kits for everyone interested in working with this wonderful art form.
My kits including everything you need to string your light, including instructions. You can choose from:
This Little Light of Mine — I’m Gonna Let It Shine
Whether you are into upcycling, crafting, vintage, collage, scrapbooking, or some other art form – and want to use your skills to create a work-of art lighting fixture…. Or whether you simply want to hang a special lampshade in a special place – my Cloth Cord Swag & Pendant Light Kits are designed to help.
Truly: Your imagination has no limits when it comes to what you can do to create a pendant or swag light of your very own. What will you create?
I have been to 3 farm markets in the last week. Cannot get enough of fresh greens and produce. Living upstate New York in the Hudson Valley, there are so many wonderful farms around. With all that said, what do you do with all that you bring home?? Can all you can. I found this great image for advertising canning jars in the 1940′s, when having a garden at home was part of the way of life. I made a matchbox with this graphic image, great for a hostess gift this time of year.
As canning will be on so many peoples mind, head on over to my friends Margaret’s site A Way to Garden for a chance to win some Weck canning jars, these are on my list to add to my collection this year.
What is your favorite thing to can? Mine is peach chutney and whole peaches. As I was hunting around the internet I also found this great site dedicated to canning, Food in Jars, there are wonderful recipes and tip that Marisa gives.
I love to open up a jar of anything I put up last year in the dead of winter, it is like opening up a can of summer.
Happy canning.
After the winter we have had here in the Hudson Valley, spring cleaning is on everyone’s mind. A customer come in last week with a car full of lamps. As she hauled them all in from her car, she said “Spring Cleaning, new shades and repairs.” Rearranging her house and cleaning away, thought she would update some of her treasured family lamps.
She was not the only one, I made a house call and filled my car with a customers treasures, all to be reworked.
New sockets, fabulous colored cloth cords and new bases. Even a new finial can make a wonderful change.
This time of year we are all itching for a change, what fun way to make a change in a room, than with a lamp and shade. Yard sales have started, people are going through their attics and garages find heirlooms to bring into their home.
For the next two weeks (May 12~21), I will be offering 10% off of rewiring lamps. Bring in your treasures or I can come to you. Happy Spring.
Susan
I started making lampshade over 15 years ago and making them with vintage wallpaper. Recently as I have been going through my paper draws, kind of a spring cleaning, all of these vintage wallpapers were screaming at me. It has been a long winter and I needed some flowers to make me smile.
So I pulled out papers and lampshade frames. Started cutting and gluing. Above is a picture of some of what came out of a good shade making session.
What room doesn’t need a floral lampshade to brighten up it space. Lets all rejoice in Spring.
Happy Spring holidays to all.
Susan
Thank you to Hudson Valley Magazine for the current mentions. Shandell’s is thrilled that you picked our Honeysuckle vintage image wastebasket for your “the hot hue of the home”. I have fallen head over heals in love with pink this year, I have used it when ever I have gotten the chance to.
“Lamps Lost and Found” a perfect description of my studio. Click here to read all about what Hudson Valley Magazine has to say.
If you are traveling through the Hudson Valley, please stop by and say hello. My studio is in a wonderful country town, Millerton, NY, come for the day and visit.
Susan
Make Pendant Lights Out of Thrifty Vintage Finds — Put A Bulb In It! from RetroRenovation.com on Vimeo.
I got a call from my friend Pam at Retro Renovation a couple of weeks ago. She talked to me about making a video for her readers. “Put a bulb in it” was the theme. Taking thrifty finds, treasures or what ever you have in mind and making a hanging pendant out of it. What a great idea. So here is my first video. We had such fun making this one, there are more to come. Enjoy, and get creative.
Susan
I came into the studio on Monday morning and had a message from Lynn Hazelwood from the Hudson Magazine blog. Her message said that she was so thrilled to find me can I give her a call.
So I did and we had a great talk. She is from England and I love the intro line to the story “How to brighten up a dowdy room with one- (or maybe two-) of-a-kind lamps and shades”. My grams is from England and the word “dowdy” brought back wonderful memories.
What lamps do you have that could use a brightening up? Table lamp, floor lamp, wall sconce or chandelier? Bring a bit of sunshine indoors.
Shandell's is the creative home of me, Susan Schneider, a longtime collector of things vintage with a passion for recycling them into things that make you smile. Shandell's, a working lampshade and vintage lighting studio, has just relocated to 2976 Church Street, Pine Plains, NY 12567. I draw on a collection of thousands of unique handmade papers, antique wallpapers and other very special materials in my work. We will be open by chance or appointment. Sign up to receive new product updates as well as specials!
A couple of years ago, my friend Pam at Retro Renovation did a post on mid century modern pendants. As I was reading about them, I was …
Upcycled Vintage Battery Jars, I found a box of them as I am still unpacking from my move last year. The color and shape are fabulous. Some …
Spring time always has me opening up draws in my studio that have not been opened for a long time. The past couple of weeks …
WE ARE MUCH MORE THAN JUST readymade lamps and shades. Our list of custom services and products (including ideal ones for use in group fundraisers) goes way beyond just shade-making. We even make house calls!
