One of the good things about growing older is how your taste in style changes. I can remember a set of http://home-and-garden.become.com/purple-table-lamp that a friend of mine had when I was younger. The large butterflies were made in the ceramics studio that her grandmother owned.
The bottom line is that a ceramics show was coming up. We were close in age and always competed against each other. Her lamps were pretty and made me nervous. It was a relief when we both brought home blue ribbons.
I can laugh about this because when my daughter was about the same age she found a purple lamp that she liked. Fortunately, she grew out of that notion before Hubby could get involved.
Hubby enjoys working with his hands. If we had access to reconditioned table saws he might have made the lamps for her. Wiring them is easy. Creating the bases and the lamps themselves are what's difficult. However, a new saw is out of our budget and without the right tools any job is impossible.
It goes without saying that Hubby rarely fails to mention that a reconditioned table saw would be just as useful as a new one. I saw this great cabinet at the craft store a couple of days ago. It's just the thing for my kitchen. Hubby pointed out that a saw would mean that he could build a cabinet at the fraction of the cost of buying one. This is an ongoing exchange that we have.
One day, I'll probably come home to the cheerful buzzing of his new toy. That buzzing could indicate that my cabinet won't be too far behind. If so, I just hope that it won't be painted purple.