Fill 'Er Up! (Fillable Lamp Base)

For years, we've had this fillable lamp base.  In our last home, it was filled with seashells.  Most recently, it was filled with chunky potpourri.  No, you couldn't smell the potpourri -- but I liked the oversized pieces of bark, wood shavings, pods, and extra-large seeds and such.  It was tinted in a color complimentary to our living room.

One day recently, I became tired of it and decided we needed a change.  Yesterday, I finally emptied the base, and cleaned all the potpourri dust away.  My daughter came home from school, and the first thing she said was, "Whoa!  Empty lamp!"  It was sort of eye-catching.  The empty glass made for a brighter spot atop our entertainment center.

I thought about leaving it empty -- but this particular lamp has the electrical "guts" running through a tube that runs through the center of the base.  (Some of the newer styles do not.)  I wasn't sure if I liked that look.  So, I imagined what might fill the space, and I remembered MY ORNAMENT PROJECT.  I decided to use fallish colors of thick scrapbook paper, along with strips from my old hymnal.

I'm liking the results.  It's eye-catching in a different kind of way.  And since it was SO EASY to do, it'll be a cinch to change it out with new colors -- maybe for Christmas!

What do you think?  Have you ever had a fillable lamp base?  What did you fill it with?  I like the idea of multi-colored buttons or marbles, too, but think how many it would take!!!  For now, I'm happy with my FREE solution!