DIY record lampshade...... with the ability to relieve muscle tension

DIY mancave or nursery DIY, unconventional vinyl record upcycling idea for a nostalgic vintage lamp

Do you have old records at home and want to do something with them? Or are you looking for a creative idea to bring old records back to life? Or are you simply a DIY and vintage lover?

With this in mind, I have a brilliant, very easy-to-implement upcycling idea for you: a lampshade made from an old vinyl record that will conjure up fabulous lighting effects in your room.

When you read the title, you're probably wondering what a lamp made from a vinyl record has to do with muscle tension or muscle relaxation... At first it sounds rather far-fetched. But in fact, an old record can symbolize the release of muscle tension - read on to find out more.

All you need is

• an old vinyl record in the size you want

• an electric cable, perhaps a colored textile cable like the one in the photo

• a large vintage light bulb

• a vintage-style lamp socket

• ... and a little time.

Vinyl is a very versatile and changeable material: just heat it up and you can work it with your hands or spread it over a bowl, a glass or a geometric shape at a low temperature in the oven to make it take on this shape. This is how we did it: we chose a small glass bowl that served as a "framework" for this triangular "hat" shape. We placed the record on this bowl in the oven at 75°C and waited until the material was so soft that it conformed to the desired shape. When the record has taken on the desired shape and bend, the oven can be switched off. Allow to cool briefly and remove the resulting lampshade. The record already has a hole in the middle, which is ideal for pulling the lamp cable through. Simply thread the cable through before fitting the lamp holder and the lampshade will sit on the holder. Gravity does the rest.

A creative variation of this project is to paint the record with one or more colors as you like - with patterns, polka dots, lace on the edge or lettering. I recommend acrylic paints for this.

If you don't have an oven but have patience, you can also use a hairdryer to heat the vinyl and then carefully shape the record into the desired shape. With a little dexterity, you can also cut or trim the record with scissors when it is warm and soft. In this way, you can give your lampshade even more creative and whimsical shapes or recreate a flower, star or any other shape you have in mind. Have fun!

As already mentioned, I will now also tell you what the connection between our record softening through heat and muscle relaxation through heat can be. Well? Heat can do a lot to relax sore or cramped muscles. Because of the fascinating way our brains work, not only does getting into a bathtub of hot water help, but actually, with a little practice, just imagining sitting in a tub of pleasantly hot water can help you relax. Our imagination can do a lot - often much more than we give it credit for. And it's worth using it for ourselves! For example, while you watch the vinyl disc in the oven getting softer and softer, you can imagine that your muscles are relaxing and softening at the same time. This imagination may take a little practice to work effectively. If it does not have a sufficient effect for you, any form of physical heat has a (muscle) relaxing effect. The application of heat to our body causes the blood vessels to dilate, which improves the blood supply and increases the supply of oxygen to the tissue, which boosts cell metabolism and cell regeneration. You can find more information and safety instructions on this under this or this link, for example. The heat can come from a cherry stone bag, a hot water bottle, hot bath water, a heated blanket or a heat lamp - you are sure to find something that has a beneficial effect for you.

A hug and see you soon! I wish you lots of fun and good relaxation :-)