Signal Mountain resident Cheryl Roberson loves to collect antique parts, from old fuses to vacuum tubes to old spark plugs, headlight bulbs and fuel injectors.
One night, while perusing one of her favorite decorating catologs, she saw a lamp incorporating similar types of antique parts. The only problem was the cost: $1,400.
"I thought I could make something similar," Roberson said.
Her mother had recently passed away, and she often had trouble sleeping as she thought about her father at home alone. She began using her sleepless nights to create lamps using the antique parts she sources from estate and garage sales.
"I look for things that would be interesting and neat paired together," she said.
Roberson's creations can be viewed on her Facebook page and are available in stores located in Dalton, Ga., Cleveland, Tenn., and Seaside, Fla.
She said she started out making lamps for herself last April, and a neighbor liked one so much that she gave it to him for his birthday.
"People started seeing them, and it caught on through word of mouth and Facebook pictures," said Roberson, who has now created about 60-70 lamps total.
She has been selling Premier Designs jewelry for the past 16 years, and making lamps is something she does to wind down and take a break from her busy life, she said.
"I've always loved art - it's therapeutic," she said. "Now that my kids are a little older, I have more time at night."
Roberson said she also likes the recycling aspect of her lamp creations, which often make use of items such as old projectors, watches and Polaroid cameras.
"I like taking junk and turning it into something pretty and functional," said Roberson, who does all the wiring for the lamps herself.
Prices for the lamps range from $75 to $250, with the best-selling size going for $125.