Weekend DIY: Lampshades with recycled baskets and buckets

Do It Yourself (DIY) projects are always great for keeping kids productively engaged, irrespective of age. We have a doubly good idea today. What if you rolled out the concept of recycling into DIY and got something useful like a lampshade at the end? Making lamp shades is a classic student project. It’s creative, fun and inspiring, because the lamp can be used immediately. We have suggested 3 objects your child can recycle to make lamp shades.  

Wicker wastebasket  
Wicker baskets are very common in India. In case you have a wicker wastebasket at home, dust it out, wash and dry it. Here are the step-by-step guidelines to make a beautiful lampshade out of it. Help your child follow these: 

• Coat it with oil or varnish to make it shine and protect the wood. 
• Turn it upside down and cut a hole in the centre of the bottom. 
• Make the hole big enough to accommodate a socket and cord.  
• Remove handles if they look odd.  
• Now, get a bulb, attach with wire via a holder, plug in, and your lamp is ready.  

Small plastic bucket  
Making a lampshade with a plastic bucket: Sounds a little weird, right? But it’s not impossible. Motivate your child to follow these steps to make it.   

• Choose a colourful small old plastic bucket. The more colourful your bucket, the better will it look. 
• Punch in a hole at the centre of the bottom of the bucket.   
• Outfit with a cord and socket package and use it upside down as a hanging light.  
• Likewise, a bucket can be set upright with a light and cord installed on a lamp stand 
• The light will shine towards the ceiling, creating an up-lit halo.  
• Don’t forget to remove the handle of your bucket.  

Vintage wooden buckets, paint buckets and beach buckets can be used in pretty much the same manner. 

Terracotta clay flower pots  
They have the advantage of a hole already present in the bottom centre. This existing hole makes installing the cord and socket configuration to create a lamp shade quick and easy. Use it as a hanging or upright lamp according to the size. You can make ‘light garden’ with small flower pots along a boundary wall, window sill, terrace or balcony.