Give a plain lampshade a shining new lease of life with elegant and vibrant silk painted motifs

What you need...

• Paint: silk, blue, raspberry, red, violet, yellow; gutta, silver, pearl
  white; 3-D relief, crimson, white
  Card, cream, purple, mauve
  Paper, patterned
  Pen, fine, black, burgundy
  Ribbon, orange,
  pink
  Buttons
  Brush, small
  Spray adhesive
  Hole punch

instructions

1. Silk Lampshade - 1 Use silver gutta to draw the design onto a silk lampshade, moving swiftly to avoid blobs. If you're not comfortable working freehand, use a pencil to very lightly sketch the shapes, bearing in mind that some marks may stay visible after painting. Practise first on some paper to get used to the medium. Move the shade round as you work.
   
   2 Make sure each section is completely surrounded by gutta with no gaps, otherwise the colour will run into other areas. Allow to dry. On a white saucer or pallette, place a few drops of raspberry, red and yellow silk paint. Load up a small brush, then fill one segment at a time by flooding in the colour. It will spread to the barrier lines of the gutta but not beyond.
   
   3 Introduce pink or red to the brush, creating orange hues. While the paint is still wet, add other colours to alter the depth of tone and mix in different shades. Work your way around the lampshade until finished, then leave to dry completely.
   
   4 Cut orange and pink ribbon to fit around the top and the bottom of the shade. Glue on the underside, then position around the outer edges. Use the same trimming to decorate the lamp base. Add adhesive to the reverse and fix in place. Adhere a small button for the eye of the fish to finish.