Anthropologie: Cork Balls

 Anthropologie (one of my favorite stores) acts as an inspiration for creative conversation starters.

Gotta love their cardboard lamps, wine bottle chandeliers and shutter display.

Anthropologie: Clean and Green Cardboard Drum Lamp

Clean and Green drum lamp from Anthropologie really caught my eye on my 'tour de Anthropologie stores' last April. Tour de what? ...So I found myself driving with my family through Vegas to San Diego a couple months ago, and I can't pass up an opportunity to browse the clearance section at an Anthropologie store so I found myself visiting three seperate stores in two and a half weeks. And you know my love for anthropologie inspired projects! Like the wine bottle chandelier and hanging glass votives.

Salvage Lamp, Rolled Paper Decor, and Flowing Fabric & Lights

Stop talking about your trip to Las Vegas already!  Okay....last time.  With out the distraction of raising three other human beings, it's amazing how much you can observe in one weekend!  I just have a couple more observations from recent time spent at the Anthropologie at The District in Las Vegas.

I love the arms and legs on this leather sofa.  It's a complementary balance of feminine and masculine design elements.  The colorful throw blanket and weaved ottoman coffee table are cheery.  Couldn't you imagine finding a coffee table like this at a thrift store and weaving the top with thrift store found men's ties?

I've been into lamps recently with my thrift store lamp redo and my upside down lamps in my kitchen.  When I saw this lamp I had visions of finding a piece of architectural salvage and drilling into it and installing a lamp kit.

Have you made a lamp before?  What have you used?

Look at this labor intensive paper decoration.  I interviewed the sales clerk to get the scoop.

They took water color paper and rolled it around various objects with varying circumferences and used a staple to hold the shape.  The paper was then dipped into blue water colors and then stapled to 2x4s that were attached securely to the wall.  Cute huh?

I'm wishing I had taken a picture of the fantastic round metal lanterns hanging from the ceiling at Gardunos at The Palms Casino in Las Vegas.  Although they would be too large for any home I've ever been in (okay, maybe Hurst Castle would be okay) they are a great inspiration for some fun lighting.  Assuming I could find pictures online, I didn't get a good shot (or picture.....shots were plentiful all weekend), but if you are ever in the area, be sure to look up.  They're awesome.

This bouncer lady was standing in front of the VIP section at this small lounge where we were dancing at Mandalay Bay.  I stood near her, looking up at this chandelier with flowing fabric.  Whipping out my camera I asked if I could take a picture.  She puffed up her chest feathers and pretty much told me off.  Instead of huffing and rolling my eyes like I wanted, I decided to smile and say nicely, "It's so pretty I thought it would look great hanging over my bed.  What do you think?"  Her whole face changed shape, she relaxed and said, "It is nice isn't it?"  It was interesting how being nice can change someone's whole attitude.  

Short story long, she let me take pictures if I angled the camera up.  And it would look romantic over a bed, wouldn't it?

Wine Bottle Chandelier & Hanging Glass Votives