Sunday, December 11, 2011

DIY~ Zorb Reveal.

Call us crazy but it's finished!

I honestly don't know if I've been this excited about a diy project. I am crazy in love with this amazing puffy ball that now resides in my living room!


So here is the story. I have a long, large living room and I've always felt that a standard light fixture would feel "lost" in the room. I need something big. Something with impact! I used a paper ball from Ikea for a bit. While the scale was perfect it felt a little like something from my university days. 



Enter coffee filters. Everyone was making these beautiful coffee filter wreaths so while not apply the same idea to a light fixture? A quick Google search confirmed that fact that I was, in fact, not crazy. It has been done and it knocked my socks off!

I started out innocently enough, vowing to finish by Christmas. After glued on just a few, I realized just how time consuming it was going to be... maybe I was crazy after all?


Stephane's mom is here visiting. Graciously, she took the project on. Spending time each day, filling a clothes basket with twisted filters then glueing them on. Then, refilling the basket several times (I at least helped with this part) and glueing them on. She has the glue gun burns to show for all her hard work!


It started to get heavy so she flipped it over and started down the other way. Yes, coffee filters and glue can get heavy in such great quantities. Speaking of quantities, we'll get to that soon...


Anxious to see what it was going to look like, we hung it up unfinished. I was terrified I would hate it, after all her work. Instead, it only fueled my excitement. I was completely smitten! Down it came, we were on the home stretch.


The last day, she worked steady to get the ball done. I was decorating the tree, she was glueing on the last of the filters and Steph was working away at the other fun project we have in the works. We were a great team! The tree was up and decorated and so was the puff ball. I was one ecstatic girl! I even called my mom and sister to come check it out asap!

Here she is, hanging in the living room, in all her glory!



Isn't it beautiful? We affectionately call Steph's mom Zizi so it's been nicknamed the Zorb (Zizi orb). My big ball of puff looks like a gigantic bouquet of carnations. (a flower I have grown to love)

Here is shot at night. All warm and glowy.

I almost let the cat out of the bag in my tree post by sharing this photo. 
No that's not the moon! I know someone would have pointed it out:)


Just for fun... Doesn't it look somewhat reminiscent of the light hanging over the bed in Sixx Design's Downtown Chic book? That one sell for lotsa money!

Source: amazon.com via Jane on Pinterest

So let's break it down for you. I know you're wondering!

Just how many coffee filters did we use?

Coffee filters: a grand total of 2600. Thank goodness for Dollarama!
Glue Sticks: around 100. We lost count.
Time: A lot. She didn't keep track and since she did a lot of it when I wasn't around I'm unsure. I'd be inclined to say upwards of 30 hours. The last day alone was from 1:30-6:15 steady!

I owe her a huge thank you for finishing it. I don't think I ever would have finished it on my own. She knew how much I wanted it and got it done. She was in her little routine. Aquafit and water biking in the morning, errands, cooking/baking/cleaning, then a couple of hours on the puff ball! She almost didn't know what to do with herself when it was done! (I secretly think she enjoyed it!)

Sincerely though... thanks so much!

I'm linking this post to:

Weekend Bloggy Reading

61 comments:

  1. Ahhmazing...... Wow! It looks incredible. That was so sweet of her to do that for you! It sounds like a great team! :) Your whole room looks gorgeous. Well done, ladies! :)

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  2. WOW!!! This is AMAZING. I love, love the finished product - so elegant and luxe looking. Definitely much better than the naked fixture. And it's so cute you named it the Zorb.

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  3. Jane - it looks great!! So sweet of Steph's Mom to finish the project for you :) can't wait to see it!!

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  4. Gorgeous! I've been playing around with doing a coffee filter light for my master bedroom, and if it came out half this pretty, I'd be thrilled. It's perfect!

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  5. Jane, that's amazing! Wow, what a statement it makes in your room, and your tree looks gorgeous too!
    xo
    Kate

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  6. Jane,

    I didn't realize you were so talented. Beautiful living room.

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  7. I bet there was a lot of tv watching whilst doing this project! Love the style of your living room and the light feature just adds the finishing touch :)

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  8. It looks fantastic - like a giant moon was strung up in your living room. What a wonderful MIL to work so hard on it for you.

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  9. Wow! I love it Jane. I can't believe it's 2600 filters. My oh my! really a fun and great statement.

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  10. Wow, Jane! It's amazing and looks perfect in your room!

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  11. It's gorgeous!!! I love how it looks like a snowball during the day, and a sun while lit up at night! And yes, it really does look like the magazine light... fabulous!

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  12. WOW! That's amazing! A lot of love went into making that and it was so worth it!!

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  13. It looks perfect in your living room!! It would look CRAZY in mine but it's like it was just meant to live in your house!!

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  14. Jane it is beautiful! Totally worth all the time and glue gun burns. ;) Your tree and the entire room is just stunning!

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  15. How pretty! I love the way it turned out! I both the love and hate the part when you step back to look at it before you're done and realize it's exactly what you want it to be, only not quite finished. Exciting, but daunting! I'm in the middle of a time consuming, but hopefully worthwhile project.

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  16. Love this fluffiness;)
    I know how many work you have done to get that pretty lamp, I did a similar but smaller one;)
    Love your Christmas tree!

    Lovely greetings...

    http://pudel-design.blogspot.com/

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  17. Wow, it looks awesome! Time well spent for sure. So I found the plumes print on etsy, there is a seller who has one listed as an 8x10 for $22. I posted the link on my blog too: http://www.etsy.com/listing/79748433/vintage-feather-print-plumes-natural?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=plumes+illustration+&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_ship_to=US&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

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  18. That looks REALLY amazing! I cannot believe how many coffee filters it took though. You definitely have a beautiful piece to show for it!

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  19. What a great impact your new light added to your room! I love it! And your Christmas decor is perfect as well!
    I'm your newest follower! Stop on by sometime! I have a weekly linky party called Terrific Under Ten Tuesday. It's for projects made for $10 or less. I would love for you to link up sometime!

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  20. I love it! Great job and idea!

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  21. Love it! It really looks fantastic! Coffee filters... wow.

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  22. It's so pretty! Big accomplishment...it looks great!

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  23. I LOVE it...worth every second of the time you spent!!

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  24. Jane, great job on this beautiful light fixture!

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  25. Stunning!!!!!! Love this DIY so much Jane. You're so clever ;)

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  26. Wow - love this! I would never have guessed in a million years that it's made from coffee filters! I hope Stephane's mom is getting a really good Christmas present ;)

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  27. It looks amazing. I had been thinking of doing this earlier this year until I heard how long it takes. Maybe you'll reinspire me to think about it again.

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  28. WOW - it looks fantastic, I totally love it and think the comparison to Sixx's design's cover is apt! I am also very blessed to have a Mother in law who would walk over coals if she thought I needed/really wanted something on the other side - such a blessing! Enjoy your beautiful home this holiday!

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  29. Looks awesome! And I'm sure you appreciate it so much more with all the work you guys put into it!

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  30. Freaking fantastic! Your rock and so does Zizi! As for your living room - gorgeous!

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  31. I wasn't sure if I left a comment on this post when I was here the other day. Your living room is magazine worthy! And that light is awesome! It makes your room so interesting. What kind of camera do you use? I'm crossing my fingers a big girl camera will be in my stocking.

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  32. Simply amazing! It really does look gorgeous. I'd never think something so beautiful could be made with coffee filters. Great job for both of you.

    Love,

    Ivana

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  33. LOVE! OMG - that is amazing!!! What more can I say? I think it's getting pinned to my DIY dream list :-)

    Your tree & living room are beautiful!

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  34. 2600 coffee filters - oh my! It's brilliant and looks exactly like the fixture on the cover of the book. Well done Zizi!

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  35. That is seriously amazing! I bet it would look cool done in unbleached coffee filters too.

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  36. Incredible project! I'm in love with the wallpaper in your living room!!! Who makes it?

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  37. Hi Jane! Yes, i'm commenting on this post for the second time. ;-) Just letting you know I shard this and linked to you on today's post. http://tinyurl.com/c7yzlev

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  38. I love is so much! I'll dream with your lamp. :D Thanks so much! :)

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  39. Wow this is awesome! I want to try it so bad. Ill need to do it on a long weekend. Great work!

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  40. Love it! Just don't show it to my boyfriend as this is much prettier than the $450 light fixtures that I bought and is still in the box.

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  41. holy wow! i found you via ikea hackers and OMG i love this idea. I may have to borrow it!!!
    thanks so much for sharing and merry christmas from Ottawa!

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  42. O. M. G. This is nothing short of amazing! It's absolutely gorgeous -- on or off! Who knew that coffee filters could make such a style statement?? I can imagine it must have been daunting once you were just getting started, but it was definitely worth all the hours put into it!

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  43. Gorgeous! But the Christmas tree even more!

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  44. It's gorgeous! How lucky you are to have such a crafty mother-in-law. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

    xx,

    Miss B.

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  45. Wow. wow. wow! Who knew coffee filters could look so beautiful? This is truly a "statement" piece. well done!

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  46. i know i'm late to this shindig, but i wanted to post and say i saw this on ikeahackers.net, and while i've been hemming and hawing about making my own with the smaller lantern i've had for a few years, i went through your ENTIRE site, all the way back to the beginning. you are so talented! i'm so impressed! and i am now making my own zorb. SO MANY COFFEE FILTERS! have a fantastic new year!

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  47. Jane-

    You did a fantastic job on your light! I love it! So worth the work, huh? Can you tell me the paint color of your living room? Mine is currently blue, which I absolutely love, but I want to change things up a bit. I want to go more neutral, and from your pictures, your neutral looks more cool than warm, which is what I want. Love your living room. It all looks fantastic! Can you click my name and email me back for the answer

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  48. found this on ikea hacker and so far i'm loving everything on your blog. i'm ridiculously new to the blogging world but i hope you don't mind i posted about your zorb reveal.
    =]

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  49. HOW did I miss this??
    I love it! And yes, total dead-ringer for the Novogratz version!

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  50. Did you have a particular way of twisting the filters? I'm just curious to see what the attached end looked like prior to being glued on. I definitely want to attempt this - just maybe on a smaller scale!!

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Love hearing from you! Thanks so much :)