![](https://cmhomeanddesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-15.jpg)
One factor I like about DIY is trial and error. The factor I hate probably the most about DIY is trial and error. 😀 I do know, I may be complicated. I do love trial and error so long as the trials and errors final simply two or three rounds. Trial and error is a good way to study new processes and merchandise. But when that trial and error section lasts greater than about two or three rounds earlier than I come throughout the method and/or product that can accomplish my purpose, I begin getting actually pissed off. And that’s precisely what occurred this previous weekend.
On Friday, I stated that I used to be positive that I may get all the spoons painted and assembled on the lampshade rings for the pendant gentle that’s going above my studio desk. However I additionally stated that I wasn’t assured that I may get the entire gentle assembled over the weekend. I simply had a sense that that might be the difficult half. And whereas I used to be proper, I truthfully had no concept simply how proper I used to be. I had no concept simply what I used to be in for, and I had no concept that it will take me ten tries, and ten completely different concepts (and 9 failures) earlier than I discovered the fitting answer. Right here’s how my weekend went…
Concept #1
My first concept was clearly to place the sunshine again collectively utilizing the primary concept that I had after I simply assembled the lampshade rings a few weeks in the past. That first time, I used beading wire and screw-on crimp beads, each of that are used to make jewellery.
So I began off utilizing that course of to re-assemble all the rings as soon as I had all the painted spoons hooked up to the rings. However the extra rings I assembled, the much less assured I grew to become that the wire and crimp beads on the high would maintain the burden of all the rings with the burden of the spoons added. I had about 5 rings assembled, beginning on the high and dealing my means down, after I determined to desert that concept and discover one thing sturdier to carry the lampshade rings collectively.
Concept #2
Since I had hooked up all the spoons to the lampshade rings utilizing soar rings, and I had loads of these left over, I had the concept to make use of tiny jewellery chain and soar rings to connect the rings to one another.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-1-900x1200.jpg)
That appeared like an excellent concept, besides that I’d get just a few chains/rings hooked up, after which a sequence would slip out of a soar ring and the entire thing would go askew. I’d get that one put again on, just for one other chain to slide out of one other soar ring, and the entire thing would go askew once more. The issue was clearly that the chain was too skinny, and I couldn’t get the soar rings closed sufficient for the chain to cease slipping by the break within the soar ring. So I wanted a brand new concept.
Concept #3
I wanted one thing easy, and my thoughts instantly went to S-hooks. How straightforward would that be?! I couldn’t think about something being simpler or sooner! Or so I believed. I headed to Residence Depot and purchased sufficient of those 1.25-inch S-hooks to assemble the entire thing. I had such excessive hopes.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-2-900x1200.jpg)
I imply, simply take a look at how straightforward! Slip an S-hook onto two lampshade rings, use pliers to crimp the hooks in order that they’d clamp across the lampshade ring wire, and taa-daa! Executed! Proper? It’s fast and easy!
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-3-900x1200.jpg)
Besides that it was too brief. It made every row of spoons cowl over the following row of spoons means an excessive amount of in order that solely about half (or perhaps much less) of the spoons on the following row confirmed.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-4-900x1200.jpg)
And I obtained at about 5 lampshade rings assembled, second-guessing my determination the complete time, earlier than making the choice that they had been simply too brief. So I then needed to disassemble all of these rings. And eradicating these S-hooks as soon as they had been crimped onto the lampshade rings wasn’t straightforward!
Concept #4
I simply wanted to provide you with a method to prolong the S-hook a bit bit, so then I attempted extending it with a soar ring. And I may have used a soar ring on high and on backside to increase it even additional.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-5-900x1200.jpg)
However earlier than I obtained too far with that, I made a decision to desert the concept of soar rings altogether. They’re nice for jewellery, and so they’re nice for holding every particular person (and really light-weight) spoon to the lampshade ring. However they’re simply not made for holding an excessive amount of weight. And I didn’t really feel assured sufficient in them to belief the meeting of the complete pendant gentle to small soar rings made for jewellery making.
Concept #5
So I moved on to my subsequent concept — smaller S-hooks. I believed that these can be simpler to work with, and simpler to crimp onto the lampshade rings, than the larger 1.25-inch S-hooks.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-6-900x1200.jpg)
So I put two of them collectively, and…
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-7-900x1200.jpg)
…not solely was it ugly, nevertheless it was too brief. After all, I ought to have identified that. If the 1.25-inch S-hook was too brief, then two 3/4-inch S-hooks put collectively are going to be too brief since that’s actually the identical size. 😀
Concept #6
Then I attempted utilizing one 1.25-inch S-hook and one .75-inch S-hook. The size was good. I’d say it was excellent. However getting these S-hooks crimped to one another, after which crimped onto the lampshade rings was not straightforward, and so they simply didn’t look good. It appeared massive and ponderous, and I wished one thing smaller that wouldn’t look so cumbersome.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-8-900x1200.jpg)
Concepts #7 and #8
So again to Residence Depot I went, and this time I purchased the smallest chain they’d with hyperlinks that may very well be pulled aside (i.e., I couldn’t use chain with the hyperlinks soldered closed). That is what they’d.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-9-900x1200.jpg)
I had excessive hopes. However the issue is that if I used three hyperlinks, it was too lengthy…
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-10-900x1200.jpg)
And if I used two hyperlinks, it was too brief.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-11-900x1200.jpg)
Two hyperlinks obtained me proper again to the identical size as one giant S-hook.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-12-900x1200.jpg)
I actually wanted 2.5 of these hyperlinks. That will be the right size, however I didn’t wish to lower these hyperlinks in half. Although it’s potential to chop them in half due to how they’re made, and simply use 1/2 of a hyperlink, chopping it in half appeared ugly. I simply didn’t wish to try this. So I headed again to the drafting board.
Concept #9
I headed again to Michael’s one final take a look at any choices they’d, and I bought these break up rings. Break up rings are like keychain rings, however these are for jewellery, so that they’re fairly small.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-13-900x1200.jpg)
I had the concept that I may principally create my very own chain out of break up rings. And since no soar rings can be used, and break up rings are rather more safe, I used to be positive this is able to work. So I purchased all they’d, and headed dwelling. However I rapidly realized that this concept was a bust. I sat there for a superb 5 minutes simply attempting to get two break up rings put collectively (and destroyed my fingernails within the course of), however the break up rings had been so tight that I by no means even obtained two put collectively, a lot much less sufficient to kind a sequence. So there’s no means I used to be going to sit down there and attempt to assemble sufficient to place the complete gentle collectively. I don’t suppose there’s any means I may have gotten a type of break up rings across the lampshade ring wire.
Concept #10 — THIS ONE WORKED!
Then it got here to me. The break up rings had been in regards to the measurement of 1/2 of a hyperlink of the small chain. And a couple of.5 hyperlinks of that chain can be the right size. So I took two particular person hyperlinks of the chain, and assembled them with a break up ring within the center, and that is what I had…
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-14-900x1200.jpg)
And…IT WORKED!!! Y’all, in case you heard the faint sound of somebody crying tears of pleasure and aid round 5:30pm yesterday, that was me. It took me ten tries, however I lastly…FINALLY…discovered one thing that might work. It was sturdy, so there was no means it was going to return aside on me. And it was the fitting size. It’s not the fitting shade, however that’s nothing {that a} small paint brush and a few liquid gold gilding can’t repair.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-15-900x1200.jpg)
So I obtained 9 rings assembled to one another earlier than I went to mattress final evening, and as an alternative of attaching every ring to the following ring in 4 locations, I made a decision to do eight. It makes the entire thing a lot extra steady. I don’t have them lined up but as a result of I’m nonetheless assembling every thing. However as soon as I get the entire thing assembled, I’ll return and line every thing up good, after which begin placing the spoons in place.
![](https://www.addicted2decorating.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/trial-and-error-16-900x1200.jpg)
In the case of DIY, I typically have fairly a little bit of stick-to-itiveness. However let me let you know, ten rounds of trial and error is sort of sufficient to interrupt me. Had I not spent all of these hours chopping, sanding, priming, portray, gilding, and attaching spoons to lampshade rings, I’d have given up round spherical 5 and tossed this within the rubbish. However after all of the work I had put into it already, I used to be decided to see it by. However the subsequent venture that takes me ten rounds of trial and error in all probability received’t be so fortunate.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
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