Sunday, October 27, 2013


Its Time For Mason Jar MANIA!


I'm a bit obsessed with Mason Jar Crafts....(okay now, be nice!) 
Actually, my list of obsessions is lengthy, so we'll skip the psychoanalysis for now...

I LA-LA-LA-LOVE Mason Jars. For canning, for collecting, for crafting...they get me giddy! 
(Okay, please stop making fun of me, or I'll go home!)

So imagine my excitement this morning when I received my latest blog update...
Go check it out! There are some inspiring bloggers hosting it, 
and it looks to be a fun time to be had, for sure!!


As for my own jar crafts, it extends well beyond Mason jars....(think obsession!)
You probably won't be shocked to know that in my craft closet there is a big box of
old bottles and jars that I've recycled from my kitchen, instead of throwing them in the trash to eventually end up adding to the overburdened garbage dump! And YES, I might as well come clean right here...my husband thinks I've lost my ever-crafting mind!! Please don't remind him about the stacks and stacks of Mason Jar cases that top my kitchen cabinets up to the ceiling...I had hoped when I unearthed them from the storage unit, and stacked them on top of the cabinets,
that he wouldn't notice...but I was wrong...(Yes, I know...I've fallen off into the deep end!!)

But back to the important stuff...Mason Jars!!

So let me tell you....

Last Spring (2012), I hosted a "Happily Ever After" Luncheon for my Special Baseball Girls...
"What?!!" You say, "Baseball Girls?!! What's that?!!"
Well, it's this....

You see, I am very fortunate, although I have no daughters of my own, (My two amazing sons will have to do!). I live an extraordinary life that has brought many wonderful, brilliant, beautiful, generous, enlightened, inspiring young women into my life.

My husband is a pitching coach in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, and has been with them for 7 years, first as a scout, then as a minor league coach, and now, he has just completed his first season back in the Major Leagues as the bullpen coach. He pitched in MLB for many years, with the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, and California Angels
(NOT the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim...which is in Orange County, NOT Los Angeles SHEESH! Marketing "geniuses", right?!!)

Anywhoo...

The special bonds that we create in our unusual vagabond lifestyle, is not only important for emotional support and encouragement to survive the mayhem that professional sports can muster, but the "Baseball Family" that we become is invaluable in so many ways. And for that, I am grateful!

As a coaches wife, things are a bit different. It's more of a "side-line" view than a "participatory" one, but there is a great sense of mentorship, as I try to help the young wives, fiancés, and girlfriends, navigate their way through the minefield of stress, emotions,
and responsibilities that come with the
lifestyle commitment.

What I've found has been a personal treasure!
Though minor league relationships and girlfriends come and go,
they seem to live on forever in my heart!!
I've gathered them like precious charms on a bracelet that I will cherish for a lifetime!!
My Incredible "Daughters" are all adopted into my heart, instead of born through my womb!

And so....

To celebrate the half dozen weddings that had taken place that previous off- season, during Spring Training while our men were off playing on the grass, getting stinky like boys will do....
We had a lovely luncheon, and I made "Happily Ever After" Jars for each of the girls.






It was a great surprise for the girls, and a small token of my love for them to take with them.
To make them, I shaped a heart "stand" out of 16 gauge wire, forming a loop at the top center to hang a photo), then using 26gauge cream colored wire (from www.parawire.com) I crocheted a Lacey edging around the heart. I glued a circle of craft moss to the inside bottom, then simply placed the heart with double-sided cut-out photo hanging inside. I trimmed the jar lid with silk flowers, Crystal bead accents, and encircled the jar lid edge with 1/2" trim to decorate. I used my metal stamping alphabet, on tin circles (purchased at Joann Crafts) with each person's last name, to take the personalization over the top!

And now....

My current Jar Art Project for the holiday season, is a field of fabulous SNOWMEN!!!
(I'm posting some examples from other artists & hobbyists, to hold you over until mine are finished and ready to photograph, okay?!!)







So...what'd 'ya say??
LET IT SNOW...LET IT SNOW...LET IT SNOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!

With Big Sugarplum Hugs!

Deenie

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