Lights you could probably make yourself...

One of the big things we've had to do for our house of late (which I imagine every home builder or renovator has to do) is cut costs. For me that means trying not to compromise too much on the things you want, but to do more of it yourself instead. So we've been busily working out which things we can do ourselves, and which we will have to pay an expert for.

So I've completely cut out our budget for light fixtures. I think I can make them all. So no lustful lighting at this stage, though it was nice to dream. We have LED down lights in a lot of the house, but there are probably about 5 spots that could use a lovely unique fixture. So I've collected a few thing I think could be achievable, even by a time poor mother of three.

 I absolutely adore the knitting lamp up top there by desacord on Etsy but as we are on a different voltage here and I wouldn't trust such a fragile thing to international post I may have to make my own version. I'm thinking it would look spectacular in the kitchen which will be largely black. Maybe hanging from a birch hook. Do you think that tube of knitting was done on a knitting nancy? And I think something like those string lamps above (via pinterest) would be quite easy to do, though I'm not sure where it would look good at our place. 

These nifty little balls (found via Convoy, on Tumblr) are made from strips of wood veneer secured with what appears to be a pin. Simple but effective and super super easy.

I really like the glass bubble chandelier idea but I think combining it with some hot pink macrame would totally ramp up it's awesomeness. I've not had much luck finding the glass bubbles here in Australia though (not the terrarium ones, but the totally enclosed glass bubbles) anyone know where to get them? I wonder if I can still recall the knots from my hippie jewellery making days. I used to make a living from macrame!

And how divine is this paper creation? Time consuming but totally doable. I love the shadows it creates and it would be fabulous in a little persons room. I wonder if the shadows might scare them?

And this pretty paper lampshade even comes with instructions, so there's no excuses there. You could do all sorts of variations on it too I think. Lots of small ones clustered together perhaps? Maybe with some small tissue pom poms in wild colours?

And I'm sure we could all whip up a few of these to replace any ugly pendant lights that are hanging around. You know those hideous ones that came with the house, that you've been meaning to do something about but have never got around to? There is no longer any excuse for ugly light fittings! Get a cheap shade from target or ikea and rib knit a cover. Do it now! I'm gonna have some lunch first, but then I'm gettin started :)