Paint Polka

This Spring I was getting tired of looking at this all white lamp in the kids room.  I decided to paint it instead of going out and buying a new one, I mean I had all the things to do it; so why not!

What you will need is a solid color or white lamp shade, acrylic paint, round sponge applique and brush (to smooth out any goop) and textile medium.  I used a light blue and a green acrylic paint to make the color of my kids bedroom and mixed them with the textile medium. (Two parts textile to 1 part paint.)  Mixing the textile medium with the acrylic paint will make it permanent and washable.  You can also do this on clothing, bags, etc. I liked to use the textile medium on the lampshade in case there is a time I will need to wipe it down and with kids it is likely.

this is what I use

 

paint brushes

Before I applied the paint to the shade I made sure to get any dust off with a vacuum brush attachment  and a damp cloth.  I only applied a small amount of paint, covering the whole area of the sponge and started from the top of the shade.  Pressing down on the shade,I turned the sponge a full 360 to make sure I had a complete circle and used the paint brush to smooth out any uneven spots. Continue with your pattern. until the entire shade is finished. let dry for 3 hours to make sure it is completely dry. (this is for when your 3 year old wants to touch it because she is so amazed at what mama did to her shade. I love it!)

Start at top of shade making first row

Then do the next row for better spacing

 Now I will suggest from my mistake that you do the top row first and work your way down row by row and not in zig-zag .  I did the zig-zag and found some dots much further away than others.  I turn that side to the wall so it doesn't bother me so much. Over all it looked really good and gave it the little color it needed.  Another tip is if you have leftover paint and think you will use the color again save it in an airtight container.  It lasts forever.  (maybe not forever but they do last for a long time)