project leg lamp

objective:
it was xmas ’04, and we had all just came back from copake the week prior. My friends and I participate in a secret santa gift exchange. I was the santa to Vicki. Not really knowing what she would want, but having a hunch that a leg lamp would totally be a great idea being that we all had just watched “a christmas story” while we were up at copake, ny, I decided to make one.

challenges:
there was a challenge around every bend. The first and foremost was trying to get a 5” stiletto…and I only needed one. I sent out mass emails to all my friends, but not trying to say much cos I didn’t want to give anything away. I only received harsh replies in return, accusing me of being wrong. Then, I decided to hit up some vintage shops all around manhattan. One owner in the village gave me a funny look when I asked him, “sir, would you happen to have any 5” stilettos?” After a small smirk with a flirting eye, he replies, “at home I might.” Hmmm…yea, thanks, but no thanks.
My second challenge was to get a leg, and hopefully not look like I have some sick fetish. This actually was not hard at all, since I work in the heart of the fashion district, things like this are a norm. I walked in the store, said I want that leg, and they had them all in stock. It just felt a little funny carrying it back to work. I had it double bagged.
I had 5 days to do it, and a tight budget, which I pretty much blew away on the leg alone. So everything from this point on was to salvage any junk in my basement, and also $1 stores.

procedures:
got all the leg wear at $1 stores. Reached deep into the feminine side of me and got tanned shade leggings, and also fish net stockings. What a turn on!
Salvaged old lamps in my basement and tore them apart for parts. I was able to salvage a pedestal, some wire, and all of the hardware. I also purchased a 3-way switch from a hardware store.
A cookie can served as the base pedestal and housed all the wires and the on/off switch.
The lamp shade was probably the next costliest thing, but was less than $10. I just couldn’t find anything that looked “gypsy” enough anywhere, so I had to just splurge.
I never found a 5” stiletto, so I just scraped the footwear altogether.
Heck, I’m running out of time!!!
Ok, so, run the wire through the leg, drill a hole thru the feet, run it thru that and into the cookie can. Wire it to the 3-way switch. Spray the cookie can, sprinkle with glitter for some flamboyant effects. Place the bulb inside the leg. Another one on top of the leg. Place the lamp shade holder, then finally, the lamp shade atop all.

features:
the most awesome feature is the 3-way switch. Click once for the leg to turn on. Click again for that to turn off, and the lamp shade to turn on. Click again, then both turns on. Awesome, eh?

summary:
the reveal says it all. It was our xmas dinner where the gifts were to be exchanged. We were in a restaurant, and when my gift was revealed, heads were turned to our table. We plugged it in, and the first switch brought on a wave of “oooh”. the 2nd switch had the crowd going, “ahhhh”. Then the 3rd switch just exploded into a mixture of laughs and applause. Vicki was happy. The table was happy. And the crowd well entertained.
Project leg lamp: pass!