Gumball Lamp

To those who know me, it's no secret I love candy. I believe one of the major perks of adulthood is being able to buy and eat candy whenever you want; it almost makes up for the stress, bills, and lame jobs that come with growing up. (I said almost). I do try to exercise some restraint when it comes to candy, but it's just so good and so pretty (witness: my candy button quilt).

I'm sure my love of candy started very early on in life, probably sometime in toddlerhood, but it was definitely spurred on in elementary school by the gift of a gumball machine one Christmas. The machine was awesome, it looked just like this one, except it was aqua instead of black. I loved it, even toted it off to college with me. The summer between freshman and sophomore year I stored a bunch of stuff on campus; upon returning in the fall I was told there had been a freak fire that had hit only one room in the whole dorm--the room where my stuff was stored. My easily replaceable box of desk supplies somehow survived. The gumball machine? Melted beyond use :(

Despite better intentions, I never got around to replacing it until last year, when my trusty aunt (a fellow candy lover) saw a gumball machine at a garage sale for $5. A *classic* red one with a stand. It sits at the top of my stairs, the first thing you see when you enter my apartment. As my mom says "It sets a good tone -- let's people know: 'This is a fun place!'" (Actually, no one ever visits...but if anyone ever did, it would set that tone!)

So when I recently found yet another classic red gumball machine at a garage sale (this time for just $2), I had to buy it, but I needed to come up with a different way of using it. Thus was born: the gumball machine lamp. My mom came up with the adorable idea of making it "healthy" by filling it with fake berries. We used a retro cherry-print fabric for the shade, and edged it with some vintage green rickrack. The result is adorable. And delectable. But I'm not sure what I'll do if I happen upon another bargain gumball machine at a garage sale...