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January 26, 2006

What's your price?......

Ok, I can spend money with the best of them. I have no problem buying good clothes but I also have my cheap stuff for yard work, cleaning and general mucking around. Yeah yeah...I obviously don't wear them much but I have them. I buy the food I want these days, Lord knows we don't skimp on coffee and when it comes to the high price of gas for the cars, I didn't curtail my driving very much..I did what I had to (wanted to) do. I'd say we are technologically current and spend what we want on what we want.....

...BUT (you knew it was coming, there are just some things I don't consider worth the money they charge for, ya know? For instance, I like my car, a lot...but I'd never buy it brand new for $45K and it's not just because GM now owns Saab and the new Saabs are glorified Subarus..ahem close. ...and those expensive washing machines? hello, I don't even own 16 pairs of jeans, much less need the ability to wash them all at once. I don't want to spend mega bucks for those kinds of appliances. Furniture? Please....I have good taste, all the couches I like are in the $3-4000 range and I'd just not feel right slurping up my spaghetti while sitting on it. See that green loveseat in the entry below..I bought $68 worth of material and recovered it, the couch and a chair 3-4 years ago...those things owe us nothing! I just think some things are over priced for my needs and I just resent having to spend the money on them. (sort of like some underwear and it's not all that fancy!)

So this is leading somewher, Fran..right? Right. The latest thing I needed to replace drove me crazy. Have you priced lamp shades recently? I guess maybe they have always been pricey in my book which is why I never replaced any before BUT I did want to get my mother's old floor lamps out of the cellar and use them. I went to the lamp repair shop and found the old glass funnel shaped things that hold the shades for a mere $16..not bad for 1950s type stuff. The shades in the size I needed? $68 for plain non-descript..now, a lamp shade shouldn't cost a lot...it's a lmap shade for Pete's sake! Even going around to the big "discount" places, lamp shades aren't cheap and they don't have the sizes I need either.

So what's a resourceful woman to do? Riiiight...she takes the old shades and spends money on materials to fix them up. Yep, they have their flaws, they won't pass intense scrutiny...I won't be quitting my day job ( um, this IS my day job, so I guess I won't be going into business, then?) but for the price (ok, a little more) of one plain shade, I have 3 unique shades and I had fun making them. Hey, the entertainment factor alone was worth it!

So here they are:

Ok, it was really all about the entertainment but I also did other non-entertainment type things, like remove 30 year old paint oopps off the woodwork (Goof-off is great) Oh yeah, I also solved that pesky can't keep plants alive because I don't water them problem, I bought water plants and put them in glass containers. I may still have to add water to them from time to time, but they have a better shot of living than the air dirt I've had before.

So, at the moment, I think I'm done fussing with the living room. I still have to direct my attention toward year end and tax stuff...roast some coffee beans...clear out the upstairs bedrooms of the stuff I cleared out of the living room and landing and haven't put back yet. uuummm....

Maybe there is more entertainment in my future......

Posted by frani at January 26, 2006 08:59 AM

Comments

Wow, Fran, they look great. I know what you mean about the price of lamp shades. I have two shades I want replaced but I can't stand the thought of paying that kind of money for them. I thought I paid too much for them 25 years ago.

Posted by: Gail at February 4, 2006 02:34 PM

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