My son got the idea of making a lamp. Actually, it’s not that difficult when you think about it. You basically need a bulb, a socket, a switch, a cord, and a base to mount it on. If you’re artistic you can decorate a glass bottle, flower vase, etc. and add a hand-made lamp shade. This would be a great science or craft project!
Here are some links to instructions on how to do it yourself:
How to Make a Homemade Lamp (Follow these instructions to make your own lamp. You can use almost anything for the base – a stack of old books, old crockery, a bottle, an old bobbin, even a stack of baseballs. The only criterion is that you have to be able to drill a hole through it. A wooden base makes it easy, but it’s also possible to drill through porcelain, ceramic, and glass with the correct drill bit.)
How to Build a Lamp (Ideas for making lamps out of bottles, pieces of wood, toys or figurines, and even a hollowed-out book, from WikiHow.)
How to Make a Lamp from a Vase (Instructions and a short video, from Bright Bold and Beautiful.)
Make a Lamp from a Thrift Store Vase (Rather than drilling a hole in the bottom of the vase to pull the wire through, this one has the wire coming out the side of the socket.)
How to Make a Bottle Lamp (The Inspired Room explains how to make a lamp out of an old glass water jug.)
How to Make a TRON Style Lamp (A homemade cube lamp with luminescent shapes representing electronic circuits. Or how about a Minecraft Glowstone Cube Lamp!)
How to Make a Lamp Out of Anything (The key to making a table lamp is finding the correct socket set-up, base, and shade. This one uses a basic globe shade attached to a wooden base.)
DIY Projects: 10 Lamps You Can Make (or Imitate) at Home (Whether it’s a start-from-scratch lamp, or a simple IKEA hack, there are lots of ways to make custom lamps that are fairly simple and straightforward, with just a little artsy-craftsy skill.)
Amazon offers an assortment of lamp-making kits:
Make a Unique Lamp With This Easy-To-Use Lamp Making Kit (Pkg/2)
Cork Stopper Lamp Kit Turns a Keepsake Wine Bottle Into An Instant Lamp! (Lot of 2)
Make a Flower Pot Lamp With This Easy-To-Use Lamp Making Kit