Meet the Maker: Heather Wood from Red Door Shades

April 07, 2015 4 Comments

Meet the Maker: Heather Wood from Red Door Shades

 

 

We’re delighted to not only help hobbyist crafters and makers learn how to make their own lighting but help everyday people turn pro with their DIY Lighting endeavors too!

Heather Wood from Red Door Shades had a hunch that she might enjoy lampshade making, so she ordered one of our DIY Lampshade Making Supplies to give it a try. A few months later, Heather has launched an online business selling her handmade creations! We were lucky enough to catch up and find out a bit more about her journey.

  

Tell me about how you got into the business - what made you think about making lamps and lighting products as a business? 

 

I had several basic builder grade light fixtures in my kitchen and dining room and I was on a DIY mission to make them more beautiful. I found a great tutorial to make drum shades using giant quilting hoops. Boy it was a lot of work, but they turned out great. Then I realized there was no way to hang them. A few fishing hooks and some fishing line solved that problem, but it always bugged me that after all my efforts, the shades still looked DIY. That is when I dug into the world of lamp shade making and found the lampshade making kit on your site.  I told myself if it was easy to do and I had fun making the shade, then I would move forward with starting a shade business.

 

How are you currently selling your products?

 

 I spent several weeks getting my Etsy shop up and running and didn’t open it until every shade I created was listed. I did this because I use my Etsy site like my own personal website to share my work with shops and designers as I approach them.  I sent personal e-mails to 6 décor and design shops in my local area and sent additional e-mails to the designers who worked at those shops.  Out of those e-mails, two shops responded that they were interested in my shades and would like to meet in person.

 

Tell me about how you collaborate with other makers and why that's important to you.

 

 

 

Seahorse print lampshade home decor sea ocean theme with gold, metallic accent. High quality, artistic lampshades hand-made in the USA by Red Door Shades. Each lampshade is unique and made only for you.

I am collaborating with a number of companies, which makes my designs even more original. The quest for fabric that is on trend, yet one-of-a-kind, and also feels rich, led me to learn more about the art of screen printing. That is when I found two textile designers who hand-make prints for their handbags and scarves they sell in their Etsy shops.

I also found a wonderful vinyl decal designer on Etsy who turns any image I send to her, into a vinyl decal that I can iron onto the fabric that goes on a shade. 

All the collaborations help with advertising as well, because we cross post our work on social media.

  

What tips & tricks do you have for beginners regarding lampshade-making techniques?

  

  • Set up a nice kit of glue, double sided tape, bullnose clips, the fabric tucking tool, scissors, a rotary cutter and measuring tape, so it is within reach when you are creating your shades.
  • When ironing your fabric, be sure your iron has no water in it if it has a steam function.  If by chance the iron has rusted inside, the rust will come out onto your fabric when the steam loosens it up.  Instead, keep a bottle of water next to the iron.
  • Fabrics that fray after cutting, like linen or thin cotton, work best if you smooth a “fray stop” glue along the edges before or after cutting.
  • If you have pets, be sure to wipe off both sides of your polystyrene before peeling off the tape or the pet hair will be drawn right to the sticky side!
  • I like to affix the polystyrene onto the fabric and smooth it out first, then cut the fabric with a rotary cutter lined up against a large ruler to get a straight edge.  I’ve found that a ½ inch of fabric on each of the long sides and one of the short sides of the polystyrene, is just the right amount for tucking into the shade rings.
  • Line the edge of the polystyrene so it is flush with the wire ring.  This makes the shade stronger and ensures the color of the ring does not show through your fabric.

 

Wow - such great practical tips from Heather. And we love the fact that she's collaborating with other small-scale Makers to create unique lampshades for her customers. You can purchase Red Door Lampshades and Finials on Etsy.

Thank you, Heather for sharing your journey with us - as well as some inspiration for unique lampshade designs!

 Are you interested in building a business around your love of lampshades? Check out our Professional Lampshade Makers e-course which teaches you how to get started selling your lampshades online (and offline), advanced techniques, finding suppliers, and how to market your products. 

 

 

 

 

Meet The Shade Maker: Heather Wood



4 Responses

quatisha brown
quatisha brown

January 29, 2025

I just want the whole world to know about this spell caster I met two weeks ago,I cannot say everything he has done for me and my family I was going through online when I meant this wonderful man’s testimony online how he won a lottery through the help of dr Ose I decided to just give it a try and my life is back to me now after i lost my job due to covid he gave me a winning numbers to play lottery and i won 5000usd for my first play since then i have been working with him and he has been giving me numbers to play my lottery i can not write everything he has done for me if you need a lottery spell today contact him on

Https://drosetemple.com
oseremenspelltemple@gmail.com

Hailey Garcia
Hailey Garcia

December 02, 2024

My name is Hailey Garcia and I am from New Jersey. My herpes virus turned to war after 2 years of living with it. I have tried different medical procedures to cure my herpes but to no avail. Most people think herpes is only a minor skin irritation of which herpes has long term effects on health and passes through the bloodstream and can be easily contracted through sexual intercourse. I knew I had herpes from the first day I started feeling itchy in my pubic area and the pain was very unbearable. I couldn’t stand it anymore. After 2 years of trying other means to get rid of it, I had to contact Doctor Odunga to help me with a permanent cure. I saw his email and whats-app number from a testimony I read online from a lady who was also helped by him in curing infertility problems, I had faith and contacted him. He assured me of his work and I ordered his herbal medicine. Within 5 days, I didn’t feel any pain anymore and within 2 weeks, my skin was all cleared and smooth. I am very grateful to you sir and I write this testimony as others have done to bring those having faith to you sir. If you have herpes or other similar disease and you want it cured, kindly contact Doctor Odunga, Whats-App (wa.me/+2348167159012) OR Email odungaspelltemple@gmail.com

quatisha brown
quatisha brown

August 18, 2024

I just want the whole world to know about this spell caster I met two weeks ago,I cannot say everything he has done for me and my family I was going through online when I meant this wonderful man’s testimony online how he won a lottery through the help of dr Ose I decided to just give it a try and my life is back to me now after i lost my job due to covid  he gave me a winning numbers to play lottery and i won 5000usd for my first play since then i have been working with him and he has been giving me numbers to play my lottery i can not write everything he has done for me if you need a lottery spell today contact him on oseremenspelltemple@gmail.com       www.facebook.com/Dr-odion-spell-temple-110513923938220
whatsapp +2348136482342

Cindy Jason
Cindy Jason

August 17, 2024

HOW TO GET YOUR EX HUSBAND BACK HELP OF DR KACHI CALL NUMBER +1 (209) 893-8075

God did it for me again with the help of Dr Kachi with his love spell to get my husband back. we divorce 3months ago and since things become so hard for me because I love my husband so much, But he was chatting on me with another woman and he always goes to party every night my husband doesn’t care about me whenever he get back at night he will be beating me up with no reason, I cry every night and day to get my husband back to his normal love and affection that he give to me before. but nothing was working out for me I try my best I left him with my kids but I couldn’t sleep at night without thinking about my husband, then one day I was reading a new online about our politics and I see a comment about Dr Kachi how he restored broken relationship back and marriage, i didn’t believe in love spell at the first place, then i have to make further research about Dr Kachi I opened his website I can’t believe what I saw a great man helping people return their lover back and being happy in relationship again. I went fast and contacted Dr Kachi to help me restore my marriage back, after I provided the required needed to cast the love spell, the next day my husband come back to me and apologies for him leaving me and the kids Dr Kachi made me the happiest woman on earth I am so happy, I do appreciate your kind help bring my husband home, you can also contact him and seek for help in break up in married Via Text Number Call: +1 (209) 893-8075 Website: https://drkachispellcaster.wixsite.com/my-site Email drkachispellcast@gmail.com

Leave a comment