So long, paper lanterns

I got my first paper lantern in college.  I saw one in a magazine photo and thought it was so beautiful, the way that the light got misty through the paper.  It was a Japanese style lantern, a cube with wooden frames on the top and bottom, and sheets of handmade paper provided the shade.  Being a Chidsey, I thought it would be easy to make one, and besides that I had no money to speak of so hand crafting it seemed like the best way to bring one into my life.

It took several months and my Dad's help to get this project off the ground, and once I learned how to make paper (sorry Mom, I know your blender never recovered), I got to glue my first lantern together.  I remember hanging one in my apartment, grateful for the light in the "subgrade" apartment with few windows and fewer light fixtures.

Since we bought our house two years ago, I've slowly been adding light fixtures.  It feels a bit like the old joke "putting lipstick on a pig", but since there were only two working light fixtures in the whole house when we moved in, I had a good excuse to obtain really beautiful lights even if the rest of the house looks like the before scenes in an episode of "Flip that House".

The last of the light fixtures went in last week.  I chose the Woodstock fixture from Rejuvenation, made here in Portland.  I really like it.  It makes me feel like, well, like a grown up.  Of course, this means that the paper lantern in the living room (not one I made, just a round variety from the import store) will be retired to the basement. 

While I was at Rejuvenation today selecting shades for the fixture, I fell in love with some hand-blown art glass shades of amber glass with an iridescent finish.  I ran my finger down the glass, the surface smooth and pearly.  Then I saw the price tag; a fair price for handmade art glass, but outside of my price range.  Maybe someday I will graduate to art glass, but for now I am going to enjoy having a light that isn't held together with glue and popsicle sticks.