Guest Post: Glass Insulator Pendant Lights

So you’ve all heard me mentioning my friend Amy lately. I found the claw feet for her powder room vanity in the new house she’s building with her beautiful family. She grew up with The Rock Star and she is literally one of the most beautiful people I know, inside and out. She has a flare for repurposing rustic things and a fabulous eye for the possibilities that lay in old wood beams and discarded materials. So, we’re swapping blogs today! You can find me over at her blog Buffalo Roam today unveiling a whole new project I’ve been working on. More details on that coming your way next month! Without further ado…

Hi, Grandma Great’s Treasures lovers! My name is Amy, and I blog over at Buffalo Roam. I’m thrilled that Erin was willing to swap blogs with me today, because I am a huge fan of hers. She has amazing taste, a great eye, and a real talent for giving vintage pieces new life. She’s got an Etsy shop you can find a link to right here on her blog if you want proof! She is one of the few bloggers I know in real life, and feel so lucky to have that privilege. She is one of the most genuine and sweet people I have ever known, and if you ever need a few words of encouragement, I highly suggest you get them from Erin!

My husband and I are currently in the process of building a home. When we decided to build, we knew we wanted something different, something that was “us”. We hoped to use as many reclaimed and reused items as possible, not because we’re all noble and green (though we try!), but just because we love the character that comes only from pieces with a history. We also wanted to DIY a few things to add our own fingerprint, and to save some money if possible. My husband, D, has been working on some lighting I’d like to share with you today.

Our kitchen is wired for six pendant lights to hang down between our island and the cabinets, in a sort of “L” shape. Lucky for us, D was an electrician in a former life and suggested making our own pendant lights out of some old glass insulators we got for a steal off Craigslist. My grandpa worked for the Santa Fe railroad, so I have a bit of a soft spot for these.

His first step was figuring out how to drill a hole through them without them shattering. I’m proud to report that he figured it out on the first try and we had no casualties. The trick was to put them in a bowl of water, end to be drilled down, then fill the insulator itself with water and drill through the middle.

We found these mini pendant kits at Menard’s for $8.

We went with a bronze finish, thinking that would look nice with both the clear and turquoise glass. The kits come with instructions, and are very simple and easy to wire. I might have even been able to figure it out on my own!

Find yourself a teeny little lightbulb with a flat bottom so the bulb itself doesn’t hang lower than the insulator. We got a 40 watt and were shocked by how much light it produced through the glass.

You may have noticed that it is plugged in to the wall with bare wires from the cord. Don’t be like us. Don’t try that at home. D is a trained professional, remember? Either that, or I just really wanted a picture of it lit up for this post since they won’t be installed in the new house for a while yet.

Total, we spent about $10 a piece for the glass insulators and the mini pendant kits. So $60 to light our whole kitchen. I’m so pleased with them! Not only because they turned out so well, but because each time I turn them on, I will see D’s fingerprint on our home.

Many thanks to Erin for having me today! I’ve loved being here, and if she’s not already in your reader, go on ahead and add her now. You can thank me later.