Shell Light - Shell Bright.

I picked up this Capiz & brass1960's lampshade a few weeks back at Value Village for something like $6.99. I about died when I saw a pendant version selling on Hunter's Alley for $450!! Who the flying fudging monkeys has $450 to spend on a light cover?! Not this poor girl broke bitch frugal señorita savvy thrifter cheapskate. If you like the look of the Capiz lampshades you can also find them on Etsy for far FAR less than $450. 

Thrifting Tip: Older Lampshades

First a little history on Capiz! Capiz, otherwise known as Windowpane Oysters, or more commonly known as Kapis in the Phillipenes, is an edible oyster but are more popular for their shells. They are used across Asia for decor such as the lampshade but also used in lieu of glass for windows as they are far cheaper & are extremely easy to come by. Now lampshades today can be pricey. A couple years ago my mom bought me two huge vintage lamps that needed equally huge lampshades. The largest I could find at the time were sold at Pottery Barn, which already tells you mucho dollars were spent. Not a week after I had bought them (on final sale & still bleeding my pocket dry) my Gramma came across two shades of the exact size at the thrift for $2.99. Throw her senior discount on top of that & insert my face palm x 10. My impatience got the best of me but never again. Now I pick up fun lampshades at the thrift whenever I can. Often the older ones will require you to use a harp. These can easily be picked up at a hardware store in varying sizes & are easy to add onto most lamps. I actually just snagged a whimsical daisy patterned shade from the Goodwill & need to go pick up a harp for it myself. Also, spritz your thrifted lampshade with a little Febreeze to eliminate any older oders that may linger. Xo.