Snowflake Luminary [Candle] Jar
Wednesday, November 04, 2009 | By sharonlacouture
This is an easy craft to create and after you make a few, the process is very simple with a beautiful end result. You can freely play around with the crafting technique and theme to make this luminary for any occasion.
SUPPLIES:
1 quart size jar [no cover needed]
Frosted glass spray paint
Assorted stickers [I used snowflakes for this project]
1 24-inch pc. 14 gauge wire [silver or copper]
Hole punch
Small pair of craft pliers
Votive candle holder and votive candle [I prefer clear candle holders, you can use colored/scented candles as desired]
Rubber gloves/surgical gloves if desired
PREPARING THE LUMINARY
Lay jar on newspaper in well ventilated work space.
Use your gloves.
Spray the jar with two coats of frosted glass spray paint. Allow the jar to dry between coats.
**paint appears clear but will take on a frosted effect after it dries.
Randomly apply stickers to jar
IF your jar has a band, use the hole punch to evenly place a hole on opposite sides of the band.
IF your jar has no band you can easily wrap the 14 gauge wire around the mouth of the jar, you may need a pair of small pliers to tighten the wire around the mouth of the jar.
Place one end of your 14 gauge wire through the hole and twist to secure, half loop the wire and feed the other end through the opposite hole and secure it the same way, creating a handle/hanger.
IF a band was used, screw the band back on to the jar
Place votive candle holder into mouth of jar
Place votive candle into candle holder
VOILA!! Your luminary is done
You can embellish this jar with festive ribbon around the mouth and create a tie-on gift tag if it is intended to be a gift.
FUN IDEAS:
Before spraying on the frosted glass paint, paint your jar a base color to match the theme [orange for halloween votive, blue for snowflake votive etc.]
Then match the votive candle color to the base color
ENJOY!
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Tis the Season...to get an early start on Christmas!
Saturday, October 10, 2009 | By traceteach
I have been out of school this week for our annual fall break. Each year, I use this week to get a head start on all of my holiday planning. For example, this year, I have made all of my Halloween cards and one sample of my Thanksgiving and Christmas cards. For me, the hardest part about my holiday cards is getting all of my ideas to work cohesively, so by doing a template, all I have to do is crank more out as the time draws near to send them. I have also used this week to do some holiday shopping. I was at our local Michael's store, and to my suprise, their ENTIRE dollar aisle was 50% off. SO...I bought all of my cousins' children's gifts as well as some of my sister's presents...for $22!! That is 8 people that I can mark off my list! I also found JanSport tote bags for my two best friends for $2.95 each at a local closeout store. AND...I found oh-so-cute gift wrap at the Dollar Tree. I am THRILLED that I have found so much in so little time!
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Beach Christmas Ornaments
Monday, August 24, 2009 | By Rockcandy248
Last week I was in Florida and checked out how cute all the starfish ornaments were. I was too cheap to buy any so I bought plain starfish and sanddollars for $.49 each. I came home and found some ribbon to glue on the back and I am going to find a ponseitta pick and take it apart and glue to the front of the shells. Much less than the $5.99 asking price at the gift shops.
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Went nuts at the Thrift and discounted Christmas displays...
Monday, January 05, 2009 | By DorrieBelle
My, oh, my. I've gone all year (grin) not buying anything for my crafts or more doll stuff, but I blew it big time today. Luckily, I didn't spend more than $25. total - and that included some groceries !
Stopped by Mal-Wart today, and got the water jugs refilled. We often buy their house-brand water for cooking - the well water is a bit worrisome. When the jugs are emptied, I have them refilled, for 33c each. Versus 67c new, it's not a bad savings.
The Christmas stuff was 75% off, so I got two Cars photo frame ornaments for Dearest Son ($5.88, down to $1.47 !), two Disney Princess ornament frames for me ($7.50, now $1.87), a pack of egg nog mix mostly for the tiny attached whisk ($1.25, down from $5.), and a package of unbreakable copper-colored ornaments, also at $1.25. Beloved Hubby's favorite color is orange, and he's complained before that there's never any orange ornaments. Wait 'til he sees these babies next year ! I'm thinking of customizing a few, too.
From there, I hit the thrift. Found a beanie-style American Airlines airplane toy for 50c, and a near-new Sparkle Gem Princess Belle doll, packaged with a Ken in a Beast costume, $3.99. I bought Sparkle Gem Snow White there last month ! Both dolls had their hair still in the factory set, with the clear elastics still in place. On the shelves, they were about $14. each !
After that, I visited Dollar Tree. They finally had the emergency candles back in stock, so I got a box - 10 for a buck, and they're great ! Each winter my feet resemble hooves, so I got a sander. Ick. I also scored a set of 6" by 9" magnetic sheets and some glass 'Accent Gems'. One of the magnet sheets and the glass gems are for a craft project. If it works, I'll write it up here ! The other magnet sheet is gonna block the rusted-open vent over my sewing machine. Depending on the season, I either freeze or roast when I sew, so the magnet sheet should block the air flow somewhat.
From there, it was across the street to Walgreen's - they had milk and Progresso soup on sale, and I even had a coupon ! Also got a tiny, light up 'squish ball' snowglobe with a Cinderella figure inside. Also 75% off - for 50c, one of my doll's display shelves just got a new curio !
Came home to a lunch of leftovers, and finished the dishes. I let that job go waaaay too long ! Got the trash out, and I'll begin dinner soon. While it's cooking, I'll get the dishes put away. It's so nice to have a clean kitchen again !
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Playing with Fire
Saturday, December 27, 2008 | By pamphyila
By S.Californian standards our current weather is just glacial. We have been putting on the heaters and piling on the blankets and dragging out the sweaters. (On Xmas Eve I finally got to wear my find of a Norwegian sweater to church for the evening Xmas service...)
And - ugh - I have the start of a cold, which I am trying to squelch - Gargling with hot salt water for a scratch throat. So that precludes going up into the snow TODAY.
I have been enjoying taking out our stock of candles. Hubby unearthed a silver candelabra I had picked up as a potential prop at a yard sale - and it was perfect on the Xmas table for the hand-dipped red tapers I had found at the thrift shop. They do burn nicely and I started them early to burn off the slight drooping on top, which had made them bargains to begin with. Then, of course, no one could tell. And the candelabra looked so fancy with the great heirloom china plates and my Grandmother's silverplate (which somehow came out of the silver bags relatively free from tarnish - which I don't get, as the last time I looked at them, I recall they were on the black side - ??).
I have been grouping candles around the house - first for mini-"altars" to remind me to send good thoughts to an ill friend across the country...but they do generate heat, too.
As I have said before, I am fascinated by those candle heaters - and I have just rigged up an aluminum pie plate via a ceramic angel's wings against a brass lamp over a grouping of pillar candles - and it is heating up. And I put another tin behind a candle I have in a wrought iron holder - which is also radiating a bit of heat. (I am being very careful - none of these items is hot enough to be dangerous, I don't think - but I am watching them!) And all of the pillar candles are on glass plates which also catch the wax. And since matches seem to be in short supply - I am relighting the candles with old toothpicks!
Actually, I just turned off the heater!
What is it about playing with fire? a primitive instinct - just make sure if there are kiddies about that they don't get into it! We are all adults here, and no pets - so no problem.
It is like tending a group of little fires and as close to a fireplace as I will get in my little Hollywood apartment. By the end of the year and this season of light, I bet I will have burned all the candles on hand right up and will have to stock some more....
Trouble is that I have made our living room area enough like a ski lodge that I am quite happy to sit here in my comfy chair and read and listen to music. But haven't you noticed that the Xmas TV fare has run to the macabre? Either sugary kid's stuff or famous murders - are they all cynics or what?
It's hubby that's antsy - but he's off to the music store to spend the gift card he got unexpectedly - Oh, did I say that I WON a Macy's gift card from one of my bargain fashion sites? Hasn't come yet - but hope to get something now that post-Xmas prices have been slashed....
So I am very grateful for all - and content - incipient cold or no...
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No shopping today
Friday, December 26, 2008 | By SuperMom7000
Hi everyone! Since the weather here today was truly frightful, the kids and I stayed home all day. We built a Gingerbread house and did chores. After a supper of $3 pizza and 88 cent soda, we played Old Maid, Crazy Eights and Life. I am not sure if we can get out of the house tommorrow ,it really depends on the weather.
Everyone was out chasing bargains except me! I hope I can find some deals next week!
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so fun
Thursday, December 25, 2008 | By redcross17
so fun yo this christmas have fun present to get lol it is still the best hehe
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Wrapping & So On
Wednesday, December 24, 2008 | By pamphyila
Finally got to wrapping hubby's present(s). And had a little brain storm. I had the fairly plain paper from the liquor folks and I made big gift labels, cutting out portions of old Xmas cards that were in the Xmas box! Then I addressed them, glued them to the box, and voila! Gonna save the cards from next year for that!
And I reused boxes of the presents that had been sent to us via UPS to box up the things, if only to disguise the shape a bit! And when the gifts are open, I will try to save some of the paper and ribbons to use again! The great thing about gift bags is that they are practically immortal and can be used (carefully) over and over! I am actually using the stash of Xmas bags from last year.
I also put some of the small present s in a nice basket in our tree area - it organizes them and looks very nice, too.
Put the cards that came on a ribbon board shaped like a big Xmas stocking, that I got on sale last weekend ($2). It's red satin with a green top with green and red satin ribbons across - and you can slip the Xmas cards under the ribbons. (That's something you could make yourself at home.) I like ribbon boards. It also has a loop, so I have hung it like a stocking on the bureau in the livingroom (with a heavy paper clip) - which decorates a plain wood surface - and helps, because we have so little room here & and the wall space is almost taken over already.
Husband says that it's real cozy here - and I am happy to have achieved that. Taking out the good china and such from storage for Xmas dinner at home. I want to make it very special.
Men don't get the "good china" bit - but it does make it festive! I have some I inherited from my godmother and items from my grandmother - it makes me feel connected and with family, somehow. My mother used to do that and take out the things in the china cabinet for special times- no china cabinet here - but we have a credenza of sorts - and with a little trouble can unearth things. My domestic treasures.
Feel close to my mother this season - with all the practical skills she taught me resonating in my head - perhaps it's because I saw snippits of "Grey Gardens" last night - about the aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy on the Bouvier side who slipped into living in squalor in a manse in the Hamptons.
The film and the resulting musical revel in their excentricity - but somehow I found them so helpless. I mean, they had a great house and land and some nice things left over - couldn't they have been more resourceful? The house looked great, with a lovely staircase...but they let it go to rack and ruin. Is that marvelous excentricity? I just saw them as cats who had been domesticated, the claws cut, raised on Fancy Feast and delicacies who when left in the wild went slightly feral.
It's my Scandinavian background - my grandmother's place was neat as a pin until she died in her 90's. My houskeeping is nowhere as good! But I can sew and cook and just make DO, and I take pride in that. If those ladies were so clever, why couldn't they have done a bit better and lived at least in gentile poverty? They say there was no madness there, but I do think I see it. Squalor is a madness of sorts in and unto itself. But enough of that - I think it's the bag lady specter that looms in the shadows for many women as an ultimate dire fate....Again - Basta! Let's be grateful for our domestic blessings.
Here's to a warm, tidy and comfy Xmas everyone!
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Killing Time At work! Happy Holidays!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008 | By freya1970
First of all i'd like to wish everyone a Happy Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Channukah, Christmas or anything you do celebrate! Even if you do not celebrate anything I do hope you have a peaceful and stress free holiday season! :)
I had to come into work this morning to babysit the office just in case. There is no one here and I am sipping on apple cider that is much to expensive...I had a craving for it and the coffee shop downstairs has Starbucks prices..yikes! I also had my ipod on, dancing around here (it's a HUGE office). Figure I might as well enjoy myself if I'm going to be stuck here all morning!
I will head home in about 90mins and probably do some writing. My partner won't be home till 2ish. When he gets home we'll light a fire and chat, perhaps have a relaxed dinner eating on the couch and sip on a few martinis (his idea!). Apparently he has made me a gift (or at least something he was working on). It's unlike him to do things like that so I'm thinking he is trying to be sweet since this is my first holiday without my dad and I wasn't able to get home. I'm actually curious as to what he's come up with! I will hand him his two Gap thermal long sleeve shirts and call it a night :) I think he wanted to finish installing the new sink and toilet too! can't wait!
Tomorrow is Baklava making day, followed by our usual drive around the city to see what's open. We'll try to find a chinese place to have lunch (as many chinese are Buddhists and open their restaurants..YAY!) and we know of one coffee chain that will also be open. Nothing in store for the evening, I'm thinking just a downloaded movie and microwave popcorn!
Unlike for most people, this is a VERY quiet and boring time for me. I usually have nothing to do and no one to see. The only friend I have here is out of town though i do expect to see another friend this weekend who has come to town to see his family. :)
I received a special surprise from a woman i never met but we've communicated online alot as we have many of the same interests. It was a $25 Ebay gift certificate delivered to my email! WOW! LAst year she was out of work and i gave her a box of organic fruits and veggies delivered from a local place where she lives. She told me not to feel bad and not to feel like i have to give back. I guess that's the spirit...giving!
I think I'll do some more dancing, followed by more writing :)
Peace and blessings to all during this holiday season!
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 | By bigbug
I wish all members and all the people merry Christmas and a prsperous New Year. May we all live in harmony!
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