Champagne Cork Finials

Two years ago when I was just starting to stick a toe ( and I mean my pinky toe, not my big toe) in to the upcycling/ furniture flipping / chalk painting world I had my first sale at my own house.  Let me just lay this out on the table first thing:

It was a big success.

And all that did for me was stoke the fires of my crazy.

Fact.

The sale was a TON of work but it was even more fun.  I don’t think I slept more than three hours at the whack for two weeks before.  At 7:00 am, the morning of the sale, as we were styling all the stuff that I’d redone out on my front patio (and praying to the sweet Lord for it NOT to rain) it occurred to we that I had a beautiful pear green lamp with a burlap shade . . .  and NO finial!!

A few seconds after I calmed down I FLEW in the house and was just about to rob a finial from a lamp in my kitchen-

When it hit me.

Now, I’m a wine drinker.  There is no same in that.  And I save corks, mostly because they are great vase filler.  But champagne corks are different.  They are usually special.  Or, the occasion was special at least.   I have quite the stash of them.  I was saving them to use, among other things as cabnet knobs.  So I grabbed one and Big Daddy took a drill to it (which is totally unnecessary) and saved the day.  

AGAIN.

That particular lamp was purchased and is right now sitting in my cousin Sam’s house.

So today I’m gonna dumb this way down because that how I learn the best.  

Here’s your supply list:

1 Champagne cork

1 steak knife

That’s it.

First poke the tip of the knife straight up and down in the center of the bottom of the cork.  If you get to the serrations you’ve gone in too far.

Then turn the knife 90 degrees and insert the point of the knife again 

and begin to twist gently back and forth. A few bits if the cork will fall out.  This leaves a small shallow hole and that’s all you will need.

If the hole is too big or too deep your cork finial will not seat snuggly enough to stabilize your lampshade.

The cork finial will not fit tightly like a finial that screws on but it will be pretty snug.  The little hole you have created with the tip of the steak knife will be just deep enough to fit over the threaded part of the lamp harp.  Then you can twist the cork,  applying gentle downward pressure until your cork finial fits snug.

Every time I walk past this lamp in the morning or turn it on late in the evening, I think about Big Daddy and I think about Mexico.  That’s where we drank this particular bottle of champagne, on our 26th wedding anniversary.

Puts a big smile on my face

every single time!

Paige

Blogs I love!

http://www.stonegableblog.com

http://www.astrollthrulife.net/?m=1

http://theblissfulbee.porch.com

http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/?m=1

http://seekinglavenderlane.com

http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net

http://www.findingsilverpennies.com

http://theessenceofhome.blogspot.com/?m=1