tea time

sometimes the smallest changes make me so happy. right now i am borrowing a dining room chandelier from my friend (thanks marijke).  it was sitting in her garage and she wasnt quite ready to part with it for good. so i suggested that it come and live at my house for a while:)  at first i didnt want to invest in shades for it because it wasnt mine for good. then i found some inexpensive shades at lowes but they were too white (and a little small). i bought them anyway. i knew i could change the color...i just wasnt sure how. then it came to me!  for halloween in 2009 ethan wanted to be obi-wan kenobi. i decided to put together a homemade version. i wanted to use his karate jacket ...but it was too white. so i tea stained it!

i cant resist adding this photo of them in their costumes from that year. they look so young to me in this picture. 

have you figured out where this is headed?  yep....i tea stained the shades! and i love them. even though everyone in my family says that they cant tell the difference. i can...and isnt that what is most important? i basically just made a big bowl of tea with about 5 or 6 tea bags. 

i let each soak for about 20 minutes. this was all an experiment....there was no exact science was involved. here is a shot of one before (on the left) and one after the tea staining. i can tell the difference...can you?

i am fully aware that it is hard to tell in the photos....but i really wanted to share my little victory. here are all of the shades before.....

and here they are after....you might have to adjust your screen a little to really tell:)

i know it is subtle...but totally worth the time and effort. the tea soaking just took the edge off of the stark white shades. i couldnt be happier with the result. so even if you cant tell...trust me it works!

jodie