Red Black Mason Jar

A few months ago I started painting and distressing old mason jars. This is the lastest technique I tried.

• Mason Jars in the size of your choice
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Cotton ball
• Hot water
• Paint Brush
• 80 grit sandpaper
• Chalk Based Paint 
• Paste wax or Clear spray paint

You would be surprised how much natural oils are in our hands.The jar must be completely free of oil, grit, dust or soap build-up. A single fingerprint can cause paint to not adhere properly to your jar.
Saturate a cotton ball and rub the entire outside of the mason jar, including the rim and the bottom. Immediately rinse the outside of the jar with very hot water and let air dry.

Remember, the painting doesn’t need to be perfect. One thin coat on the exterior. Let dry completely. Then add a second coat and let it dry for twenty-four hours. 

Now for some fun - using a small piece of 80 grit sandpaper, start sanding all of the raised edges around the mason jar including the rim. And then a couple of spots to give the appearance of being worn.

I use black chalk paint and a foam brush. I generally use a regular brush I like that finish much better.

2 coats black paint I allowed 24 hours to dry then added 2 coats of red and another 24 hours to dry.

It's 4 coats of paint!  So be careful sanding don't rub to hard or you will see glass and not black paint.

I decided to use this as a soap dispenser - so rather than use a wax I used a satin clear coat. It's a little shiner but will stand up to water. Then purchased a pump in satin chrome.

A gray and white - 1 coat of gray and 1 coat of white - with a matte spray finish.

I'm going to try the red and black again, but next time 1 coat of black paint and 2 thin coats of red then dark wax on the lettering and a clear wax for the final finish. I may try using the new spray chalk paint!!

Jasmine and Vanilla Lotion BBW Retired

I absolutely love Bath & Body Works Jasmine Vanilla lotion. The body lotion is lightweight and absorbs almost instantly into my skin. I use it after my shower it has a very uplifting scent and it lingers around for 7-8 hours. It is ultra-creamy, nourishing body lotion and formulated to give skin long-lasting moisture while an aromatherapy blend of natural ingredients and essential oils benefits body, mind & mood. 
Several years ago my husband used to buy out the store at Christmas. I had to stop him as I was running out of room too store. (yes, I'm a lucky girl)
My supply is running low and I'm down to just 2 shelves. Many of these lotions I don't care for the scent but on occasion, I use them.

Now that I'm down to 1/4 of the bottle in my search for my all-time favorite lotion online I found now that it has been 'retired.'


I did find some still available - Holy Cow check the prices.

Then I thought now what? I'm looking for something comparable in scent and creaminess. I ordered Jasmine and Vanilla essential oils to see if I can mix together and get something close to the scent. Then I'll try to find a creamy lotion without a scent already available. I don't want to get into making my own lotion.

My favorite perfume was Charles of the Ritz (by Charles of the Ritz)

also 'retired' more than a decade ago. Once is a while I find a bottle online. I made the mistake of buying one and I learned that scents degrade over time. This was very expensive when first produced and now because it's vintage it is out of control. Don't be fooled - vintage perfume 'stinks.'



Another fun favorite of mine and not to expensive for daytime
was Masumi (by Coty) also 'retired.' A cologne not perfume.

Sometime in the 90's it was just gone from the shelves. Again, don't be fooled into buying 'vintage' cologne.







And finally, my current favorite - a gal's gotta' move on is Obsession (by Calvin Klein) perfume and I do mean the perfume but it's very hard to find.

You can purchase Obsession women Eau De Parfum Spray - it's watered down. You can buy knockoffs and they are not bad - but not the same.  

Maybe someday I'll try the scentmasters - they copy vintage perfumes. But for now I'm going to work on my Jasmine Vanilla lotion.

Stay tuned - I'll update if my idea works out - or not. 

Vintage Advertising DIY Wall Art

Several years ago they razed the build that abutted this building. This awesome hand-painted 1950ish advertising was revealed.  So, of course, I took many pictures and turned it a project.

I cropped this picture and did a little photo editing.  I purchased a black frame with a white matte and glass insert - from Walmart.

I now have this hanging in my living room. It's got that industrial modern look. And I love it.
I really love the cost - the frame was on sale and included the matte for $9.99.

Feel free to use this photo - It's mine and not copyrighted. 1600 X 1200 pixels so you can scale down. I have 11X17 frame 8X10 photo. Printed on Kodak gloss photo paper. 
Let the ink completely dry before placing in the frame. I waited patiently for 2 hours!!!

Can LED Tube Cause A Fire?

Luckily, I was home.

We've replaced every light bulb in our home with new LED bulbs. They are brighter, use less wattage and yes, I have seen my electric bill it's a lot lower.

We have a basement full of 4-foot fluorescent tubes and were waiting for the prices to drop. Last week Lowes had a sale - so we replaced every tube. I still don't like the look but it's a dropped ceiling in the basement and I don't want to replace the entire ceiling. As to lighting the way they are great, it's a whole lot brighter.

I had just come home from work and went to the basement to throw a load of clothes in the washer when I heard a crackling sound - kinda' like when you slowly open a bottle of soda you dropped. I'm standing there with my head spinning -WTH is that?  I look up and see a small amount of smoke emitting from the glass panel covering the tubes and then I smell it. Electrical fire! No panic, I call my son down because I'm not sure exactly what happened. Then it starts again. Just a puff but enough to send me running and shut the lights off. We do a little investigating and are happy there is no fire - just a really bad smell and we can see the burnt plastic tube. The tube is all plastic, not glass.

Around this time my husband comes home and investigates - he removes the tube. And is quite angry. They are brand new tubes, he replaced all himself. Since this just happened we will be returning that tube back to Lowes. The tubes themselves do not get hot as the CFL, halogen or incandescent bulbs. High quality LED bulbs produce light at significantly lower running temperatures than traditional or “previous generation” bulbs. Traditional 'tungsten' bulbs use a filament to heat up, which loses lots of power through heat emissions. Furthermore, LEDs do not generate heat as infrared radiation like incandescent bulbs. But they can still potentially cause an electrical fire and totally fry the ballast.


The outcome could have been worse had I not been standing directly under that light fixture. We have a rule now - don't leave the lights on in the basement unless someone is down there.

My Christmas Attic Creations

I was up in the attic a few days ago looking for my Christmas tablecloth - which of course I could not find. And why I have started cleaning the attic and throwing stuff out - 1 bag a week is all I can do. I found a bag old silk flowers and a grapevine swag. This stuff was from the 80's.

Of course, I didn't throw it out!!!

These flowers were all in great condition and so pretty.
I dug out my old vintage mason jars - real vintage that I had distressed and was intending to sell. I did a quick arrangement. And now I have a true vintage Christmas decoration.

And here's the 1980's grapevine swag - recycled.

Just a little hot glue and I love this!  Oh, and that nail holding this piece up is real cooper -also found in the attic.

And I'm still looking for that tablecloth.

Hollow Core Door Makeover

Yup, I have those cheap ugly flat panel hollow doors. And the worst part is the shellac/varnish. We sanded and sanded and then we painted.

And they look good, but kinda' boring and they still look like hollow core doors.
So I headed to the internet - and google how to improve this look. Because I just knew someone hated hollow core door as much as I do.
Here's a small selection of what I found.

Credit Pretty Handy Girl

I like the beadboard but it's too country for me.

Credit Home Talk

I really like the after - but I'm thinking there would be issues with the hinges. I don't want to have to change or adjust or rig anything.

This might be the one - but still too fancy. I'm looking for simple, clean lines


And then I found this!!! Moulding Kits

Luxe Architectural

I don't really need a kit - I can go to my local home improvement store and by the molding... but if the price is right!!!

Right after the holidays - then next project.

Credit Thrifty Artsy Girl

Gifts for Him - Candles

When it comes to creating cozy home environments I love candles and burn them often. This is a perfect gift for him!!

Handcrafted in Maine using the highest quality wax and the finest fragrance oils available. Their Candle Collections offer a range of fragrances and styles. Discover a complete selection of fragrances and styles to meet your home decorating and personal needs.

Leather Bound – is a rich warm and exotic scent. This fragrance will bring you to another place – soft leather, a grand library layered with opulence.

Fragrance notes of bamboo Leaf, oak, brushed suede, vanilla Bourbon
Pure, rich, Gray vibrantly colored food-grade paraffin wax fragranced by the world's finest scented oils
Village Candle pioneered dual wick technology provides greater, consistent fragrance release, longer burn time and even wax burn with less soot
Premium glass jar provides up to 105 hours of burn time
Every scented jar candle is designed, sourced, poured and tested at Village Candle to ensure the highest Quality (Made in Maine, USA)

Pumpkin Bread  – Do you love the smell of Pumpkin Bread baking in the oven? Then this one is for you! It is a made-from-scratch pumpkin bread with fresh ginger and spices that will fill your home with a luscious scent without using your oven!

Spiced Noir - In this delicious fragrance, Autumn spices compliment cedar and blend into this one of a kind scent explosion.

Check them out Village Candles you won't be sorry. I know my husband loves Leather Bound. 

Yellow Distressed Vintage Jewelry Display Stand

Pretty Yellow Distressed Vintage Jewelry Display Stand 
Another one-of-a-kind. 
Made from lamp parts dating back to the 1950's.
This has been painted in Vintage Mustard Chalk paint, then distressed and coated in paste wax to protect the finish.
Standing 13" tall X 7" and weighs over 4.5 pounds.
Brass, steel, metals and plaster cast. 
Great jewelry display for earrings, necklaces, 
and bracelets.
Be sure to check the details in the pictures. 
Super sturdy - super chic'. !!! 
A great statement to the past with a new twist. 
Props (tray or jewelry) are not included for sale
 

CG

Buying Eyeglasses Online

Have you tried buying eyeglasses online? It can be a little intimidating. But also fun and you can take your time and do it all in sweatpants. However, if you've worn glasses for a long period of time - you already know what style you like, what lens coating you need etc. There are some sites that allow you to upload a photo of yourself and do a virtual try-on. And yes, you can buy brand name frames.  But if you do make a mistake style wise - you won't break the bank. Some online store accept returns and some do not.

After you have had your eyes examined and have your prescription in hand you're ready to go. They only thing I was missing was the PD (pupil distance) on my prescription. Most sites explain how to figure out that measurement.  I recommend you ask someone to measure it for you. All you need is the ruler.

No longer am I paying literally hundreds of dollars for stylish glasses. Some sites sell as inexpensive as $6.95 and other sites that sell at premium prices. I have used 3 different sites and while I was happy with the $6.95 pair they didn't hold up to my negligence. Believe me, I am hard on glasses. They mostly end up with paint I can't remove from the lens.

This is my third year buying online and each year I have tried a different online site. My recommendation for quality, great deals, a large selection of styles and lenses and the most important - FAST shipping is the Glass Shop

~CG

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed 
1 cup butter or margarine 
1 cup creamy peanut butter 
2 eggs 
1/4 cup milk 
2 teaspoons vanilla 
3 1/2 cups flour 
2 teaspoons baking soda 
1 teaspoon salt 
2 (6 1/2 ounce) packages chocolate kisses, unwrapped 
additional sugar, for rolling 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into egg mixture.
4. Shape into balls and roll in additional granulated sugar.
5. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Immediately press 1 kiss into each cookie, allow to cool completely.

Reverse Image Transfer on Wood

I found this image on the Internet and decided to play around with an old wooden tray I had.

It's a battered tray with horrible painting but I really didn't care I was interested in the technique.  I did do a little sanding just to make the surface smooth.

                                                     I reversed the image on my computer. 

 I use Picasa for file storage and simple on the fly photo editing. To reverse the image CTRL > Shift > H. Then save and print. I have a laser printer that I find works best - it dries fast and is not saturated with ink. I set to print a 5X7 photo using regular printer paper - not photo paper.

I trimmed the photo and then...

I coated the ink side with 1 coat of Mod Podge. And carefully placed in the tray ink side down. Make sure there are no bubbles. Let dry a few hours.

Here's the hardest part - using a spray bottle with water I wet the entire label. And using only my fingers I took off the label. Just keep moving your fingers and keep the label wet. You can see in this picture...

                                                         And here's the end result.

I like the technique and I'll try this again. This tray I'll keep just for storage because like I said - horrible painting. But now that I have tried this, I'm ready to have some fun.

Vintage Sunburst Clock DIY

I have always wanted a sunburst clock a real vintage one. But they are very costly if you can find one. The newer modern ones can run as high as $300.00.  So I decided to make one for myself. 
And I was able to customize to match my decor'. 

I found this clock at Wal-Mart for $10.00. It has the silvery and coppery colors I was hoping to find. Kind of an industrial look. I purchased wooden dowels from Home Depot. I think I purchased about 17 and cuts them to various lengths. The length or the number is determined by the style you want. I cut 12", 9" and 6" lengths for this pattern. I 'borrowed' my husbands saw and wooden jig. 
I laid the dowels out then used my trusty glue gun. 

 After all the dowels were glued and had set firm - I taped off the clock and spray painted the dowels in a copper finish. 
Total cost for this was about $17.00 - I already had the copper paint.

And the finished clock. 

Maybe I'll make a sunburst mirror next!!

DIY Jewelry Kits Sale

A treasure trove of beads and findings all on SALE.  I've decided that in 2018 I will no longer be making any jewelry for sale on Etsy. I loved making and selling jewelry but I no longer have the time to devote. I've decided to follow my real passion is in selling home decor items, that are vintage items and DIY. I'm more about restoring or making over items, recycling, reusing and reinventing.  I'd like to start making videos and I hope to make this blog reach more people - and have some fun. In January any items that have not sold I intend to use them as giveaways on this blog, facebook and twitter or donate to a school or some children. You can follow me by clicking the links on the sidebar.  

Check this sale out now - 6 days left. All of my jewelry (not just what is pictured) is now on sale in my Etsy shop.  Click the links for details on each item. 

 Click here for > Seed beads

Click here for > Large Beads

Click here for > Small and Medium Beads

 Click here for > Findings, Clips,Clasps and More