Decoupage Dress Mannequin Floor Lamp

Danette Ward, known as the "Decoupage Diva" to her friends, loves the idea of turning plain pieces into one-of-a-kind works of art. She does this with creativity and a passion for decoupage. After creating a few cigar box purses for friends, the idea caught on and soon she was having trouble making enough to keep up with the demand! Her success spurred her to start decoupaging other items including luggage, light switches and lamps. But in true "Diva" fashion, Ward put her mark on the lamp world by making hers out of dress forms.

Materials:

1 mannequin dress form*
1 jar of decoupage glue
glue
50 to 100 copyright-free images
scissors
craft sponge brush
strong adhesive glue
drill
drill bit
ventilation mask
spray polyurethane
lamp kit (socket, cord, outlet) with at least a 3' cord
moveable light fixture piece
lampshade
beaded cord or trim you wish to place on the lampshade
* Mannequin can be used with or without a stand. Without a stand, it can be used as a table lamp.

Steps:

1. Remove all material, fabric or outer coating from the mannequin leaving the smooth base of the form to decoupage.

2. If the mannequin has a neck block, detach it.

3. Coat the entire surface of the mannequin with decoupage glue using a sponge brush.

5. Apply the decoupage glue with a craft sponge brush to the back of the images and begin to paste them artfully onto the mannequin. Smooth each image with your index finger to ensure no bubbles are under the image and that it is adhered smoothly (figure B). Cover the entire mannequin with images, overlapping them for complete coverage (figure C).

6. Overlap the edges of the neck block and the bottom of the mannequin for a finished look.

7. Once all images are on, apply one to two coats of decoupage glue to the entire mannequin.

8. Let the mannequin dry for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Once dry, put the ventilation mask on and spray the entire mannequin with polyurethane (figure D). If you live in humid climate, be sure to do this on a day with the least humidity.

9. Let the mannequin dry overnight.

10. Prepare the neck block. Using a power drill, drill a hole through the entire neck block. The size of the lamp kit will determine the size of the drill bit.

11. Glue the neck block back onto the mannequin with a strong adhesive. Let this set for at least one hour.

12. String the wiring through the tube from the lamp kit and bring it up from the bottom of the mannequin and through the hole drilled in the neck block. It should stick out about 1/4 inch.

13. Secure the metal tube to the neck block both on the outside and the inside with the washers in the lamp kit.

14. Screw the moveable light fixture piece onto the metal tube that is sticking out from the neck block.

16. Screw in the light bulb.

17. Adhere desired trim along the base of the shade with glue.

18. Attach the lampshade to the lamp kit (figure F).

Tips:

The decoupage glue will build up on your fingers so take some time to "de-glue" them while applying the images to the mannequin.

Place the mannequin on the base and spin it around to determine the placement of the images.

E-mail: danette@divadecoupage.com

Website: www.divadecoupage.com