And so the time has come… I have enough materials left to make a handful of lampshades and when they’re gone, they really will not be coming back. My Bristol lampshades (below) have definitely been firm favourites, and I won’t be surprised if the last designs that go, are these.
I am a bit sentimental about my lampshades because it was the first Made by Ilze product I made, and the very first design was the funky fish lampshades, completely with beachy getaways in mind. I always love the first moment when a lampshade is lit and all the details are lit up, it’s so fun and exciting. So it’s by no means a light decision I have taken. (That pun really wasn’t intended.)
So why? Reasons are multiple… these take a long time to make and things can easily go wrong; it’s been increasingly expensive, and hard, to find reliable delivery services, and here I must congratulate Royal Mail for never damaging any of my lampshades (every other courier I have tried, has); materials have become more expensive and the quality is going down. At the end of the day one can only charge so much, even if it is an artisan lampshade, and accounting for materials and labour, it is just not viable.
I have truly enjoyed thinking of ‘the next lampshade design’ each time. The tropical lampshades (above) have been one of my favourite lines, and of course, I can’t not mention the marching guinea fowl – this design has traveled all around the world! Guinea fowl fans are strong fans. My colourful Cape Town Bo-kaap houses design adorns various hallways (including my own), bought by visitors to Cape Town of brave souls that can deal with all that colour – you are my people! And the cool blue and white Porto plates design that makes me think of cool breezes in hot places that smell of citrus and earthy herbs.
So it is with sadness that I will bid these farewell in the not too distant future, but also relief that I won’t have the stress of making these any more, as I said, it can go wrong so easily, and it has, on numerous occasions (pulling-hair-out-and-starting-again-bad).
So…. if you do want one of these, now is the time to order. And, if you do own a Made by Ilze lampshade, you can now be assured it really is a limited edition.
Here’s to keeping the light shining on, in other ways. 🙂 Ilze
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