Bling'd Bottles & Jars

I have a "thing" for bottles and jars. I'm not sure if its the glass, or the fact that its a container, but whatever it is, its an obsession, and I'm on my way to needing a 12-step program to get over it! My husband thinks they are multiplying and I can't say that he's mistaken?

The reason I collect so many bottles and jars, is because I can think of a gazillion things to make, using them as the foundation. I hate the idea of stuffing a land-fill with perfectly good jars! Not only do I feel guilty, but I feel as though I am wasting a genius product. Enter, the jar obsession! lol

So, when I made Chicken Picatta the other night, I used an entire miniature jar of capers...I hadn't even emptied the contents of the tiny jar before the crafting ideas started to flood my mind. "I have got to make something wonderful with this adorable tiny jar..." my mind began to conjure.

With a stash of rhinestone chain, and a full tube of E600 glue, I began to form a solid plan...

SUPPLIES:

Glass jar or container

Rhinestone Chain in various sizes and colors 

E6000 glue

UV resin 

(or ICE® resin, Glossy Accents® or other glaze)

Strong Scissors to cut rhinestone chain

1. Starting at the base of the jar, squeeze a small line of E600 glue around the base, all the way around the circumference of the jar, cut rhinestone chain to size when you get close to the end of the "round" and can estimate the ending point. Make sure that the first row is setting evenly on the bottom of the jar to assure the level lines up the jar as you go. You can rest the jar on a table and use the side of your scissor blades (or a straight edge of some sort) to gently press along the top of the rhinestone chain to make sure it is level with the table top).

*Tip: I use Dollar Store scissors that I purchased for $1.00 that cut through the chain backing easily, and I don't have to fret about ruining good scissors!

*Tip: Be sure to cap your glue asap so you don't lose too much...as you know if you use E6000, it likes to "ooze" out after you have squeezed your amount, so be quick!

2. Squeeze a thin line of E6000 above each row you have just completed, and carefully add the next line of rhinestone chain. I did the first two rows and then let it dry for 10 minutes to secure in place. (You can continue without allowing to dry, if you are very careful to keep the rows aligned straight)

3. Depending on the shape of your jar or bottle, you might encounter waves and dips in the shape of the glass. In my mini capers bottle there is an indent of the glass at the top before the screw neck top. I used smaller diameter rhinestone for this area to accent the shape even more. You will find yourself playing with colors and sizes to come up with the most pleasing results. There is no wrong way to do this! 

4. If you want to embellish the bottle even further, you can glue vintage brooches or earrings on top of the rhinestone chain to create lovely focal points. Use your imagination and let it run wild!!

5. My capers bottle had a nice small lid which I covered with rhinestone chain in the same way I did the jar, being careful to keep the bottom row level along the edge (you can place it on a flat surface to help, if necessary). I continued glueing more rows of rhinestone chain, leaving the very top of the lid empty, to add an image later. 

(bottom of jar)

5. Using a small scrap of velvet, cut a circle to the size of the glass base of the jar. (When I do this next time, I will trace the base onto the fabric BEFORE I glue the rhinestone chain in place!) I did the same thing with the inside of the lid.

(My circles aren't exact but are close enough to get the job done. Tracing before decorating the bottle would have been much easier!)

6. I used E6000 to glue the fabric circles to the jar base and lid, but you can use Fabric-Tac® or Aleene's® Tacky Glue for this part if you prefer. The E6000 has a tendency to bleed through the fabric, (which mine did slightly) so the other glue variations may work best for this application.

Tip: Don't be like me and forget to thoroughly de-stink your jar! I washed my caper jar, but didn't smell it to make sure it was fresh smelling...so I spent time carefully de-odorizing it with soap after it was finished...not exactly the best order to do things, so use your smarts better than I did!

7. I cut out a small image (lovers by a swan lake) that I found on the internet...(if you don't plan to sell your items you can "borrow" images by right-clicking on an image and "save as" to your computer)...if there are copyright images, you cannot sell them without permission from the image owner.

*Tip: I printed the image (from my computer) onto glossy photo paper, because it holds up best with the resin. Regular paper, cardstock, stationary & magazine print images need to be sealed with Mod Podge® (or another sealing medium) in order to protect the image from absorbing the resin and looking yucky! 

8. After gluing the image securely to the top of the jar lid, I added one more row of narrow rhinestone chain to the top of the lid, gluing it carefully in place to encircle the image and hide any irregular edges around the circle. 

9. If you haven't yet discovered UV Resin, here it is in all its glory! I absolutely love this stuff!! Lisa Pavelka's Magic Glos® is one option and in my opinion, it is a crafters dream come true! Though it can be a somewhat pricey, you don't need very much, and you can buy it in small quantities. It cures in direct sunlight or with a UV curing light in just a few minutes. (You can find UV resin here: Lisa Pavelka's Magic Glos available in various sizes). 

Using the Magic Glos, I carefully poured the UV resin onto the lid cavity with the rhinestone border holding it in place. I carefully added enough so that it began to mound up into a rounded semi-dome shape. Be very careful not to over fill the area or it will run down the sides of your lid! Its a delicate balance between not too little and not too much...you'll get a good feel for it after you do it, but be slow and careful, Goldilocks!!

I used my nail salon gel-polish drying unit (that I purchased in 1988 and only used twice for nail manicures)...I've kept it all these years...not sure why since my nails are crafter-short...but lookie here, now I am putting it to excellent use!! Using my dryer unit, I cured the jar lid for approx 6-8 minutes and it was hard as glass! You can find hand held UV resin curing tools on Amazon here: UV resin cure light

*Alternate Resin Glaze Options: 

If you don't have UV resin, you can also use ICE® resin, which is a regular air-dry resin that can also be used to create "dome" shaped finishes. You can find it in specialty craft stores or here: 

Another alternative medium to use to finish the top of the jar is Glossy Accents®. It is an air-dry textured medium that dries clear and hard. It doesn't create a dome shape but creates a very glossy shine and solid protection for your image. *Be careful not to shake the bottle or you will create air bubbles that are difficult to remove! Glossy Accents® is sold in the scrapbooking section of craft stores or you can find it here: Glossy Accents

Voila!

Such a fun and fabulous sparkly treasure to place on your dresser or bedside table to remind you how wonderful you are!!

Let me know what you think!

With Sugarplum Hugs!

Deanne

Let It Snow!!

Okay..I know I live in Phoenix, Arizona, where snow is reserved for snow-cones and not for sidewalks, but I can dream can't I?!! 

I'll just have to stick with glitter...and that's totally fine with me!

I love glitter. 
Reeeeally LOVE it...Like, I could probably find my bliss if I coated everything in my life in sparkly bright colorful flecks of metallic shimmeringness! 

(Is that even a word?!!) 

Yes, because I say it is...

So you can imagine the holidays at my house, I'm guessing? Yup, glitter EVERYWHERE!! Not necessarily on purpose, though...my hubby is getting a little annoyed at picking it off his own face...we aren't quite sure how it gets there, but it does! 

(Insert sinister "glittery" laugh here!)

I don't think I mentioned in my previous Snow Folk Jars post, how I made the arms, or in most cases they look more like "angel wings" making them "Snow Angels" instead of mere "folks"!!

I used a 1-inch wide strip of neutral or cream colored woven fabric to initially wrap around the jar neck, right where the head is glued on (after paper clay dries completely). I put a generous amount of tacky glue onto the glass, then started wrapping the fabric around, adding more glue as necessary. 

After the first few wraps, I glued and tightly attached "arms" with a tight wrapping several times around, adding glue to secure. I wrapped the various jars with different amounts of fabric, depending on the bottle shape. They told me when to stop! 

You can use any kind of (non-stretchy) fabric for the wrapping. You can even use burlap for a more "earthy" look, which would be adorable! Once you add the glittery "snow", even a colorful printed fabric would be fun and festive! 

For their "arms" (or Angel Wings), I used "crystal & pearl" beaded floral sprays and glittered fruit & leaf sprays, which I found at the craft store in the holiday floral trim section, but you could just as easily use small twigs and branches from your yard!

To add extra embellishments, I used "Eyelash" yarn (found in every craft store I've ever been in, at the crochet/knitting section), to wrap around the base of hats and at necks like "scarves" for an extra frilly look. I also tied jingle bells, tiny charms, and other trinkets 

around the necks, adding personalized name beads or words like "love", "peace", & "joy", for a special touch.

Today, it's time to "Snow" Glittery Wintern-ess onto my desert-born Snow Folks, and they are quite excited about it.

They're cute enough without the glitter...really they are...no one would even miss the glitter, I'm sure...but leaving off the sparkles is like giving someone a cupcake without frosting, and we certainly can't allow that, now can we? NO! Of course we can't!!

So, here is one last look at them before it "Snows"

(And if you are one of my "beloved's" and happen to see your name on a Snow Folk....it's just a figment of your imagination!!)

I used Liquitex Clear Matte Medium to paint onto the areas that I wanted the "snow" to stick. You can coat the entire head and body (leaving the glass jar clean for viewing contents), or you can just dab the stuff in random places, then sprinkle liberally with iridescent or white snowflake glitter. I like to use various types, colors, and sizes of glitter (as your imagination desires), to give a varied "snowflake" look. 

The "snow" becomes a way to unify the design, bringing all the kooky accessories and embellishments together into one cohesive design and display.

As you spend the next year gathering your doo-dads and accessories for next years Snow Folks, (and I promise you will not be able to get these cute guys out of your mind!)...don't limit yourself...think outside of the box...(toy blocks and tinker toys make great hats!)...check clearance aisles in craft stores, Party stores (for cheap kids toys and party favors), flea markets, garage sales, antique stores, hardware stores, your hubby's garage junk bins, Dollar stores, YOUR OWN CRAFT CLOSET!!

The embellishments can be anything you want or imagine...once you "glitter-ify" everything, you'll look like an Altered Art Genius to your friends!! There are no mistakes!

The ornate silver "hat" I used on one of my Snow a Folks, is actually the top of a perfume bottle that had long since been used and thrown away. But I kept the beautiful bottle top, thinking that some day I'd come up with a crafty way to use it...and I did! I absolutely lalalaLOVE the way it looks! 

(So this officially establishes me as a hoarding "enabler" as I encourage you to never ever throw out anything you might be able to use as crafting supplies....EVER!!)

But please don't tell your loved ones I'm to blame, okay?!! I have enough to deal with, just keeping my hubby from launching into orbit over my piles!!

I save anything and everything that has a remote possibility of being used in the future in one of my projects...the real problem is that I have NO LIMIT to the varied art forms, mediums, and avenues of creativity that I travel and explore, so my heaping piles of stashed supplies are growing endlessly...but it sure makes for great "shopping" in my own craft closet!

I hope you have enjoyed my adventure in "Snow Folk Jars" with me. You can find my original article on starting them HERE

With Big sugarplum Hugs!!
Deanne

Acorn, Acorn...Who's Got the Acorn?!!

I just LOVE these Polymer Clay covered glass jars that have been turned into Acorn lights!! 

(Made by Beth Petricoin)

Acorn Jar Lights

A small battery operated tea light provides the warm glow...

I could see these sitting on my dining room table for the holidays!!

Just thought I'd share this with you as inspiration!!

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!!

Mason Jar Crafting Extravaganza Bloggers Linky Party & Contest!!

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?!!)

Frosty Jar & Coupon by Shelly Hickox

Three Loveable Snowmen by Scrapin Kris

So...what'd 'ya say??

LET IT SNOW...LET IT SNOW...LET IT SNOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!

With Big Sugarplum Hugs!

Deenie