Driftwood Sailboat Place Setting DIY

August 4, 2017 By Linda 3 Comments

Driftwood Sailboat Place Setting DIY – How To Make Driftwood Sailboats.

Is it just me, or does August feel like one really looooooooooooong Sunday?

I’m not sure why. It’s not like I’m going back to school come September …

and it’s not like getting the kids prepared for back-to-school has that same ominous feeling like it did back in elementary school days. A time when teachers handed out very specific pages-long supply lists and tracking down the right size white tops and blue bottoms for the school uniform at Target was like trying to find a needle in a haystack …

especially since just about every Chicago public school requires elementary aged students to wear white tops and blue bottoms.

And yet …

and yet that looming back-to-school deadline continues to … well … loom.

And I find myself paralyzed. Putting things off until September. And making August one looooooooooong Sunday procrastination session. 😉

Sigh.

And here is the part of this post where I confidently (and exclamation-filled) say,

“This is the year I’m taking back August!”

“No more loooooong Sunday’s for me.! No sirree.”

“August 2017 is going to the most productive month of the year!!!”

Which, basically, will set me up for failure. Right? And that failure will just lead to even more procrastination.

Double sigh.

So instead I’ll set no expectations. I’ll work on truly enjoying August. With a family vacation. And a family trip to take Sam back to college. And a family trip to start looking at colleges with Molly. And a few “staycation” day trips in and around IL and IN …

and I’ll even work to squeeze in a few fun projects and crafts. Like this driftwood sailboat place setting DIY:

How To Make A Driftwood Sailboat Place Setting DIY

Materials*

Driftwood (I found mine here on Etsy; I also found some here on Amazon)

Drill (I love my Ryobi drill)

Glue (I used Weldbond)

Small Dowel

Fabric

*some affiliate links included

Start by drilling a hole in your driftwood about a quarter a way from end.

Cut dowels to size.

I used a bit of sandpaper to smooth out edges of dowel where cut.

Cut a rectangle of fabric to size (I left a little room at top and bottom of dowel.

Fold fabric in half.

Using a rule, draw a triangular cut line

Pin fabric and cut along cut line.

Add some Weldbond glue to dowel and position in middle of triangle.

Add glue to fabric.

Fold in half. Let dry.

Add glue to hole in driftwood.

Insert dowel. Let dry.

To make flag, just cut from a piece of cardboard. Punch a hole. Write a name. Loop hole a piece of baker’s twine and tie to top of dowel.

Rinse and repeat.

These little driftwood sailboat place settings are my first step at fighting the Sunday blues. And blahs. 🙂

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Geranium Monogram Wreath & My Secret Pinterest Boards

May 9, 2017 By Linda 4 Comments

Geranium Monogram Wreath – Monogram Wreath DIY.

I have a “TV Shows to Watch” secret Pinterest board. You know, one of those boards that you can hide from public view.

That’s normal, right? Or is it a sign I have an excessive television viewing problem?

In my defense, between regular old network TV, 500+ cable channels, Comcast On Demand, and premium channel subscriptions (I’m HBO and HBO Go) it’s hard to keep up with what’s new and what’s watchable. Add in Amazon Prime and Netflix memberships and my head starts spinning like Linda Blair in The Exorcist.

I do balance it out with a Books board. Which isn’t a secret Pinterest board because it’s so much more respectable to share with the world that I read.

Or, more accurately, want to read …

if only I could find the time that doesn’t cut into my television viewing. 😉

I have another secret board called Retirement. We are a decade away from that “official” word. Maybe less. Maybe more. But we really have no retirement plans. So I started the board to pin potential warm, beachy places we may want to live. I also pin house plans from Southern Living on that board. Sweet cottages with wrap around porches and sun rooms and bright, airy, large and open kitchens …

hey, a girl can dream, right? Maybe in retirement I’ll finally get my dream kitchen.

Then there’s the New York trip secret board. Molly and I plan to spend a week (or very long weekend) in New York next Spring. Just the two of us exploring the big city. So I pin things we may want to see and places we may want to eat and tours we may want take …

would it be wrong for a 50+ year old woman and 17+ year old young adult to take the Sex and The City tour?

The hardest secret board to fess up to is the one labeled “movie.” It’s not where I pin movies to watch. It’s where I pin actresses who I would like to star in the Nancy Meyer-esque movie I will (or more likely won’t) write one day in the future.

Cart, can I introduce you to horse? 🙂

On the not so secret board end of things, I have your typical home design and crafts and kitchen boards. They all start with “it all started with (FILL IN THE BLANK).” You know, in an attempt to be clever and play off the blog name. Though, honestly, it’s probably not the smartest Pinterest strategy. Then again, I’ve never really had a Pinterest strategy.

Ah well ….

And then there’s the “it all started with DOOR DECOR” board where I pin wreath design ideas.

You know, decor for the door. 🙂

This Spring, I added a some of geranium and monogram wreath ideas. Which is where I found my inspiration for this Geranium Monogram Wreath …

Geranium Monogram Wreath DIY

Materials*

Grapevine Wreath (mine is 14″)

Faux Geraniums

Monogram Letter (I found mine at Joann’s)

Burlap Ribbon (found mine at Michaels)

Jewelry Wire

Wire Cutters

*some affiliate links included.

Start with your grapevine wreath (mine is 14″) and some faux geraniums.

Cut the geranium stems with wire cutters.

Insert the cut stems through the grapevines.

Continue to add flowers.

Also, pull off (or cut) leaves and insert behind flowers along edges of wreath.

Fill about half of wreath with flowers.

Add ribbon and monogram.

For ribbon, measure a length that fits around wreath. Cut and staple to secure.

For monogram, I attached a thumbtack to back of letter. Then I cut long length of jewelry wire and wrapped one end twice around the thumbtack.

I then fed the wire through the burlap ribbon and grapevine wreath and then back through to the front.

Then I pulled tight and wrapped the wire around the thumbtack a few times to secure.

The last step was to hang your geranium monogram wreath on the door. As decor.

Oh, and then be sure to pin it to your Pinterest board …

🙂

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Painted Rose Mason Jars

May 4, 2017 By Linda 6 Comments

Painted Rose Mason Jars – How To Paint A Rose Tutorial (Easy).

Dear Mollys,

Plural.

There are two of you in my life. My mother Molly and the daughter Molly to whom I am the mother. And while Molly is not my mother’s “Christian” name — it’s a childhood nickname that has endured eight-plus decades — it is the “Christian” name I bestowed upon my daughter; my mother Molly’s granddaughter.

Sadly, both my Mollys are facing challenges these days.

Challenges that come with age.

For mother Molly, reaching the eight-decade-plus-three-year milestone brings with it some physiological obstacles. An operation that, for her namesake Molly, would be a breezy out-patient procedure has turned into post-operative inpatient rehab and an assist from her now-grown children as she makes the transition from hospital to rehab to home life. Luckily the assist includes simple things like making a cup of hot tea, getting pillows for her back, and standing by the ready to catch her if she falls.

For the daughter Molly to whom I am the mother, her challenges are of the emotional kind. Those that rear their ugly heads in the tween and now teen years. Challenges that can’t be helped with an easy assist. I wish I had words of comfort. Wisdom. I wish I could help ease the transition from tween to teen to young adult with a cup of hot tea. Or a pillow for her back …

but I am standing at the ready to catch her if she falls.

As I stand here between my two Mollys — one 30 years my senior, the other 37 years my junior — I find myself feeling helpless. Wishing I could take the physical and emotional pain away.

But life.

I must resign myself to life. This is all part life.

Growing up.

Growing old.

And all I can do is just be. And be here for you …

with an assist …

my Mollys. 🙂

When I was making these painted rose mason jars, I had Mother’s Day in mind. Not even realizing, at the time, that my mother Molly’s “Christian” name is Rose.

How apropos! 😉

Painted Rose Mason Jars DIY – How To Paint A Rose

Materials*

Rust-Oleum Chalked Paint in Serenity Blue (you can also use acrylic craft paint in the color of your choice)

Americana Baby Pink Paint

Americana Pistachio Paint

Americana White Paint

Paint Brush

80-grit Sandpaper

Clear Coat Sealant in Matte Finish (this is my preferred brand)

*some affiliate links included.

Step 1: Give your jar two coats of paint. Let dry between coats.

Step 2: Once completely dry, distress raised areas with 80-grit sandpaper.

Step 3: Paint rough circles on the jar using a paint brush. They don’t have to be perfect. After they dry, give them a second coat.

Let dry.

Step 4: Using thin tipped brush, add leaves.

Step 5: Mix the pink paint with white to create a light pink. Using a thin-tipped brush, add a rough line of light pink paint to outer rim of the circle. Again, it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Step 6: Then add a few curved lines inside circle. Again, rough not perfect.

Step 7: Add a small line (or two) to center of circle.

Step 8 (Optional): Add white dots.

Step 9 (Optional): You can also add some white highlights to the light pink lines if you’d like.

Step 10: Once completely dry, seal with matte clear coat finish (this is my preferred brand).

I also made a version with roses on the clear glass jars that the Molly whom I am the mother to declared her favorite …

and requested a version with lavender roses.

It may not solve her current challenges, but if it will make her happy, it makes mom happy. 🙂

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Bath Bomb Easter Egg DIY

April 4, 2017 By Linda 2 Comments

Bath Bomb Easter Egg DIY

In today’s teenage girl news, I have some interesting new updates.

You see, I’ve been carefully observing the inner — and outer — workings of a real teenage girl up close and personal. This all started during the Christmas holiday break when we were confined to close quarters. But my fascination with the modern-day teen girl continues to this day … 🙂

Now, I won’t divulge personal details because … well … they’re personal. And not my details to share.

So names, locations, and dates will be ‘masked’ to protect the innocent.

However, I can share a few interesting observations …

First off, contrary to popular belief that teenage girls only text — or snapchat — their friends, they don’t. In fact, some (my unnamed teenager included) are going old school with their iPhones and (gasp) using them for their primary intended purpose …

as phones.

I know, right? Crazy.

Over the past few months, my unnamed daughter’s iPhone has been used as a phone. All day. All night.

She’s been talking …

and talking …

and talking.

It catches me off guard. Because I keep thinking she’s talking to me as she moves through the house with her earphones in and phone in hand.

Now granted, most of these conversations are via Face time. But that’s okay. Because the take-away here is conversations. As in real person-to-person-real-time conversations.

Perhaps inter-personal skills and socialization are not a thing of the past? Perhaps there’s still hope for this technology-dependent generation?

My second observation is that teenage love continues to be a fickle and fleeting thing. And the life of teen love can blossom and fizzle in the course of a week-and-a-half. There wasn’t even enough time to make a friendship bracelet … 🙂

Finally, I’ve discovered that (among unnamed teenage girls) bath bombs are da bomb.

And, yes, my unnamed teenage daughter would absolutely cringe at the “da bomb” mention. I’m pretty confident it would be accompanied by a dramatic eye roll. 😉

So, what are bath bombs you may ask?

They are highly scented colorful balls of Epsom salt and citric acid and baking soda and corn starch (all head together with a splash of water and teaspoon of oil) that create fizzing, colorful bathtub “fireworks.”

My unnamed teenage daughter purchased some at Lush as holiday gifts for her friends. They don’t come cheap. Well, they don’t come cheap on a teenage girl budget …

so I thought I’d try my hand at making some DIY bath bombs. For future gifts. And thought they could make a fun Easter basket stuffer when made using those plastic Easter eggs as bath bomb molds …

Bath Bomb Easter Egg DIY

Materials/Ingredients*

Baking soda (1 cup)

Citric acid (1/2 cup)

Corn starch (1/2 cup)

Epsom salts (1/2 cup)

Water (3/4 tsp.)

Scent of Choice (2 tsp.)

Oil (I used olive oil but you can also use coconut oil) (2 tsp.)

Food coloring (or soap colorant)

Round, plastic, snap together molds (I used plastic Easter eggs, but you can also find round molds at this link)

Whisk & Bowl

Optional: Clear Cellophane Gift Bags

*includes affiliate links

Instructions

Whisk together dry ingredients.

Mix together wet ingredients in separate bowl or mason jar.

Pour in wet ingredients a little at a time; whisk thoroughly after each addition.

Whisk until color evenly distributed.

Pack mixture into half of Easter egg or mold.

Pack mixture into second half of mold.

Squeeze two halves together tightly.

Carefully separate each half from mold. Let dry overnight.

Pack in cellophane bags and add to your unnamed teenage girl’s Easter basket.

In the interest of disclosure, I have to admit (despite the very neat looking tutorial photos) this Easter Egg Bath Bomb DIY was messy. Very, very messy. Bits of bath bomb ‘crumbs’ were everywhere. My kitchen counter tops were a mess. And since I food coloring dye for some of the bath bombs, my palms were stained. As were my counter tops. So my advice would be to cover everything … every surface … with newspaper or wax paper. And wear gloves.

🙂

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Valentine Day Gift Idea. Heart Mug.

February 14, 2017 By Linda 8 Comments

Valentine Day Gift Idea – Heart Mug.

Love.

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling like the world could use a little more love these days.

I’ll be honest, my heart has been feeling a bit raw these past few weeks. And I’ve been having a hard time getting my heart into crafting and decorating as the things seem to blow up left and right around me.

But I’ve come to realize I need to add beauty back into my life. To open my heart …

and let creating be a much needed diversion and distraction.

So I’m starting with baby steps. With a dollar store mug and Sharpie paint pens …

Valentine Gift Idea – Heart Mug DIY

Materials*

Dollar Store Mugs

Gold Oil-Based Paint Pen

Pink Oil-Based Paint Pen

Red Oil-Based Paint Pen

Heart Stickers

Clear Gift Bags

Hot Chocolate Mix

Mini Marshmallows

Pink Ribbon

*some affiliate links included

Attach heart sticker to mug. Using paint pens (I used three colors) start adding dots around the sticker. Concentrate them more densely closer to the sticker and then space out as move farther away.

Once dry, remove sticker.

Let dry overnight. To set paint, bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Make sure you put the mug in the cold oven and then turn on. Then let mug stay in oven to cool off after you turn off the oven.

For a Valentine’s Day gift idea (or even a teacher’s gift idea) add a little packet of hot cocoa and mini marshmallows.

And that’s it!

Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends! And I promise to create more …

and stress less!

🙂

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Free Calendar Page for January 2017

January 9, 2017 By Linda 2 Comments

Free Calendar Page – January 2017 Calendar Page Printable.

Click here to download & print this free calendar page.

Here I am …

arriving late to the New Year’s party.

But am I really late? Or maybe the problem is I’ve been in a perpetual party state?

I mean, I didn’t take down the decorations until Monday, January 2. And I didn’t even take them all down …

one tree in the dining room remains. And the wreaths on the pictures in the living room. And the Christmas in the City village in the family room ….

We weren’t ready to give up all the twinkle lights in one fell swoop.

So we have dubbed the tree and wreaths and Christmas in the City village “winter” decor. 🙂

Which means they are still standing. Even today. On Monday, January 9.

Sigh.

But I am easing into the New Year. Mike’s back to work. Molly’s back in school. And we have just one child still on break …

but that all comes crashing down for him this weekend.

So I’m easing into the New Year with a free calendar page printable. Simple. With a touch of sparkle.

A little bit like me. 🙂

You can download and print out your own here …

Oh, and if you’d prefer a calendar page with mason jars, I’ve created this one too …

You can find the download links on my Mason Jar Crafts Love blog. Just click here …

Happy New Year …

nine days late! 🙂

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Merry Christmas Countdown Calendar

December 26, 2016 By Linda 2 Comments

Merry Christmas Countdown Calendar – DIY Christmas Calendar.

Merry Christmas …

a day late.

And a dollar short.

I had the best of intentions to share this post with you yesterday. The 25th of December. On Christmas day.

But then …

well …

there was the annual Christmas Eve day brunch at Butch McGuire’s. It’s a tradition we started with our friends 20 years ago.

And let’s just say a Bloody Mary (or two) were involved.

But then …

well ….

my friend and neighbor marked a milestone 50th birthday on Christmas eve day.

There was an open house party.

And wine.

And when I tried to leave …

well …

they plied me with more wine.

But then …

well …

there was the linguine with shrimp dinner Mike made for us.

And wine.

But then …

well …

there was the annual viewing of It’s A Wonderful Life.

And tears.

So many tears.

And wine.

But then …

well …

it was time for Santa to put the presents under the tree.

And sleep. Much needed sleep after a day filled with friends, family, fun, food …

and Bloody Mary’s and wine.

😉

Merry Christmas Countdown Calendar DIY

Materials*

Natural & White 5/8″ Jute Ribbon

Thumbtacks

Wired Faux Green Pine Garland

Tan & White Baker’s Twine

Small Pine Cones

Assorted Mini Ornaments (I found mine at Michael’s)

Mini Wreaths DIY

For the mini wreaths, I simple cut off a length of the faux pine wired garland and created a circle. I tucked the ends in and added a length of baker’s twine.

I first painted the pine cones (click here) and then tied a length of baker’s twine.

*some affiliate links are included in this post.

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Christmas in the Kitchen with Mini Wreaths

December 23, 2016 By Linda 7 Comments

Christmas in the Kitchen with Mini Wreaths on Cabinet Doors.

In the years B.B. (Before Blogging) I would put up my holiday decor 7-10 days before Christmas day. I’d shoot for the 15th of December (give or take a few days to account for a weekend day) to get the tree.

And if you told me that A.B. (After Blogging) I would have my Christmas decor up the first week of December, I would have laughed …

and laughed and laughed. A long, hard, guttural laugh.

And yet, there I was. Decking the halls on December 1.

Well, the truth is, I only decorated some of the halls on December 1.

Other halls have been a little bit slower in coming together …

… and this past weekend I found myself on my old B.B. blogging schedule.

Which now, A.B., feels like I’m so, so, so very behind. 😉

Which is weird. Because in my B.B. world, it would’ve been normal … natural … expected … for me to spend the 17th of December adding Christmas in the kitchen with mini wreaths hung on the kitchen cabinet doors …

… and putting painted pine cones in my two-tiered wired basket …

… and hanging the Christmas advent-less countdown calendar on the chalkboard door.

Okay, I’ll give. The Christmas advent-less countdown calendar should have been up by December 1st.

My bad. 🙂

Christmas In The Kitchen: How I Hung The Mini Wreaths

You may be asking, Linda, why would I need a tutorial on how to hang mini wreaths in the kitchen? Well, let me tell you. You see, starting in September and extending through December my Christmas in the Kitchen post from last year drew a lot of new visitors to the blog (welcome!). And these new visitors came armed with many, many questions about the mini wreaths on the cabinets. Like where I got them. And what are the dimensions. And what size ribbon. And how did I hang them …

Materials*

Mini Wreaths

(I purchased my mini faux pine wreaths many, many years ago. But here are the details: The inner diameter measures 3″ and the outer diameter is 5″; similar ones I found on Amazon sold out, but I did find this set of 6 mini boxwood wreaths (click here). Though, they are a bit pricey. Another idea is to make your own using wired faux greenery. Click here and click here for some options)

Jute Ribbon – Natural & White

(the ribbon is 5/8″ and I found mine at Michael’s; last year I used 5/8″ red & white grosgrain, which you can click here for the link)

Painter’s Tape

(You could also use thumbtacks or Command hooks hung upside down)

Stapler

*some affiliate links included.

Cut a length of ribbon and loop it through the mini wreath.

Staple the ends.

Attach to back of cabinet using painter’s tape.

And you’re done!

And regardless if you get these mini wreaths up on my A.B. or B.B. schedule, they still look fabulous! 🙂

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Christmas Sweater Mason Jars

December 22, 2016 By Linda 9 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Hershey Company for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you ever get an idea in your head that you just can’t shake?

It just keeps popping up again and again and again.

You’re driving to the grocery store and bam it hits you. You’re working out at the gym and bam. There it is again. You’re walking the dog and bam …

you get the idea. 🙂

And you know exactly what you need to do to turn that idea into reality.

You know what it will look like. You know the steps needed to make it look like that. You even sketch it out on a piece of paper …

and then keep putting it off until tomorrow.

That is …

that is until you get the much-needed nudge you need to turn your idea into reality.

My nudge came from The Hershey Company. And their invitation to “Celebrate with Hershey’s” with their new, festive foils (sold exclusively at Walmart) this holiday season.

You see, my can’t-shake-it-idea was to create these cute sweater mason jars.

It’s an idea that swirled around in my head since Halloween.

So when The Hershey Company asked me to share with you their festive and fun “ugly” sweater Hershey’s Kisses Kissmas Sweater Chocolates I knew exactly how they should be displayed …

In Christmas sweater mason jar “candy dishes.”

How To Make Christmas Sweater Mason Jars

Materials

Pint Size Mason Jars

Red, Blue, Green, White Acrylic Craft Paint (Matte Finish)

Fine Tipped White Paint Pen

Primer (white)

Paint Brush

80 Grit Sandpaper

Hershey’s Kisses Kissmas Sweater Chocolates (available exclusively at Walmart)

Give your mason jars two coats of primer. For best results, I let mine dry overnight between coats.

After the second coat of primer has dried overnight, use Washi tape to create two stripes on the jars.

Paint jars in Hershey’s Kisses Kissmas Sweater Chocolates colors. I color matched mine at the craft store. And you only need one coat of paint.

Once dry, remove tape. Touch up as needed.

After drying overnight, distress around the rim and along raised letters.

Use a white paint pen to make snowflakes. Start with a vertical line.

Next you’ll make an “X” shape.

Once you have your “X” add dots to the center and about a third of the way from the center along each branch.

Add … um, not sure what to call them … but add little lines at the ends of the vertical and X shaped lines.

Finish snowflake by adding dots at the ends of the vertical and X shaped lines.

Now it’s time to add dots …

lots and lots of dots …

including dots between the snowflakes …

And you’re done!

All that’s left is to pick up some Hershey’s Kisses Kissmas Sweater Chocolates at Walmart an fill those Christmas mason jar sweater “candy dishes” with “ugly sweater” Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolates …

which, by the way, there is absolutely nothing ugly about those festive foils!

Oh, and I need to give a shout out to The Hershey Company for lighting that spark and motivating me to make these fun and festive Christmas sweater mason jars! 🙂

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Celebrate with Hershey’s at Walmart his holiday season where you’ll find a selection of festively packaged holiday treats that will inspire you with new ways to deck the halls. In addition to the limited edition “ugly sweater” foils on the classic Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolates, you can also find fun and festive holiday foils on Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures, a three-pound Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, giant Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolates and a one-pound Reese’s Peanut Butter Santa. All available exclusively at Walmart.

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For my complete mason jar project gallery, click here …

Pine Cone Christmas Tree Place Card Holders

December 21, 2016 By Linda Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gallo Family Vineyards for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I thought I was all that and a bag of chips this holiday season.

Seriously, I was patting myself on the back. Taking a second curtain call as the crowd cheered on.

I had my trees up. I had three whole rooms — three main living spaces — all spruced up for the holidays by the first of December …

which, by the way, sent my next door neighbor into a tailspin since we tend to decorate on the same schedule.

I thought this was my year.

The year I finally conquered Christmas.

So when Gallo came a knocking on my perfectly-decorated-for-Christmas front door asking if I’d like to collaborate on a blog post taking a light-hearted, fun and funny take on the stresses around the holiday season, I was like …

hmmm ...

I’m not sure I can do that. I’m not feeling the stress.

This year, that is.

I mean, I finally conquered Christmas after all.

Then I thought I could talk about year’s past. And pick from one of the many years Christmas conquered me.

Like when I was first married and Mike and I would spend the holidays flying to New Jersey on Christmas Eve. Fighting our way into O’Hare and out of Newark.

And how we were constantly on the road between New Jersey and Rochester and Westchester Counties in New York. Back and forth across the Tappan Zee Bridge. Picking up bottles of Gallo Family Vineyard Wines along the way — specifically the Cabernet Sauvignon — as we visited a revolving door of my New Jersey friends and family. Packing and unpacking as we shuffled between the homes of my two sisters and brother. All taking place in the course of 2-4 days.

Those were stressful times. And flat tires always seemed to be involved. Usually on the most deserted of streets. On the coldest of days …

But then last week happened. Last week …

more like last weak.

Sigh.

Let’s just say things hit the fan. And it wasn’t just any fan …

It was one of the supersized, super fast spinning fans. Spinning at warp speed.

And the things that hit the fan? They were big …

really, really big.

Let’s just say, deadlines converged. And last minute Etsy orders for Christmas presents poured in.

And, to use one of my mother’s most-used phrases, I was ‘running around like a chicken with its head cut off.’

Sigh again.

On the bright side of “the week-that-shall-not-be-named,” I did manage to pull together a simple holiday table setting idea. Featuring the cutest ever pine cone Christmas tree place card holders …

How to Make a Pine Cone Christmas Tree Place Card Holder

Materials

Pine Cones (I painted mine first)

Star Tags

Jewelry or Picture Wire

Pencil

Wrap wire around pencil.

Wrap other end around your finger two times.

This is what it looks like when you’re done.

Attach to pine cone using spirals created by wrapping wire around pencil.

Add star tag by inserting through two loops created by wrapping wire around finger.

Let’s just hope this week calms down. And the fans slow down. But I still have the kitchen to decorate, after all. And the family room …

and all those Etsy customers waiting to get their orders delivered in time for Christmas.

Gulp!

Time to take a deep breath. And count down. 10 … 9 … 8 … 7 …

eek.

Next year. Next year is definitely the year I will conquer Christmas! 😉

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To find out more about Gallo Family Vineyard Wines and where to buy Gallo Cabernet Sauvignon visit the Gallo Family Vineyards Facebook page.

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Christmas Sweater Mason Jar

2016 Holiday House Tour

For my complete DIY & Crafts project gallery, click here …

Homemade Holiday Gift Bags and Tags

December 19, 2016 By Linda Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Duck® Brand for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret …

I like wrapping presents.

And it’s not just a like like. It’s more of a love like.

When I was younger, my love-like of wrapping presents made me the family’s gift wrapper in residence.

I loved it!

Okay, more like loved liked it. 🙂

And after I was clued in to the whole Santa situation, I became the official Christmas gift wrapper. I even wrapped my own gifts (and, no, I never peeked).

In hindsight, wrapping gifts was my creative outlet. We weren’t a crafting family, but at Christmas time I could exercise my creativity with gift wrap and bows and ribbons.

No two gifts looked alike.

As I got older, I started spending a ridiculous amount of money on Christmas wrap and ribbons and bows. I always needed at least 3-4 different types of paper. And there was always, always a complimentary color story and theme …

And then I had kids. And became a stay-at-home mom. And spending ridiculous amounts of money on 3-4 different types of color-and-theme-coordinated papers and ribbons and bows was out of the budget.

That’s when the real creativity kicked in. 🙂

I love the idea of making your own homemade wrapping. And I especially love the simplicity of dressing up dollar store gift bags with some glamorous Duck Tape® . So easy. All you need is Duck Glitter® tape and inexpensive brown bags. That’s it. Two ingredients and you’re done!

How To Make Homemade Holiday Gift Bags and Tags

Materials

Duck Glitter® Tape

Dollar Store Paper Bags

Scissors

Ruler

Dollar Store Tissue Paper

White Embroidery Thread (or String)

For the mini tree bags (1) Start by cutting a 1/2″ length of Duck Glitter tape in white. Then cut that 1/2″ piece in half. (2) & (3) Cut into triangle shapes. (4) Attach to bag.

Repeat.

For the white, silver, and gold Duck Glitter tree bag …

Start with a 3 1/2″ strip of gold Duck Glitter tape. Fold in half to find center point. Using the center point guide, cut out triangle.

Repeat steps above with silver and white Duck Glitter tape, cutting strips 1/2″ smaller each time. That’s 3″ for the silver triangle and 2 1/2″ for the white.

Start with the gold triangle, and stack each one on top of the other. I left about a 1 1/4″ inch or so between each layer.

For the trunk, cut a 1/2″ piece from the Duck Glitter in black.

And that’s it. For the bags.

For the gift tags …

(1) Cut a gift bag in half.

(2) Overlap three strips of Duck Glitter in gold, silver and white.

(3) Cut in half.

(4) & (5) Fold in half to find center point.

(6) & (7) Using center point as guide, cut out triangle shape.

(8) Trim bottom.

All you need now is a hole punch to cut a hole to thread a piece of string through. The back side is perfect for writing your gift tag message.

I made one more design that uses a mix of triangle trees and the black DUCK glitter tape strips.

Easy. Peasy …

and oh so glamorous! 🙂

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You can find even more creative – and glamorous – holiday craft ideas on the Duck Tape holiday Pinterest board

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2016 Holiday House Tour

For my complete DIY & Crafts project gallery, click here …

Snowflake Mason Jars

December 13, 2016 By Linda 7 Comments

Snowflake Mason Jars – Stamped Snowflake Mason Jars.

Snowflake Mason Jars @It All Started With Paint

I’ve been on an American Pickers kick these past few weeks.

I mean, how can you not love Mike and Frank as they criss-cross the country picking through people’s stuff?

There’s always the drama of the deal. The ice breaker. Frank’s love of “smalls” and oil cans. Mike’s obsession with bicycles and folk art …

and speaking of folk art …

I was working on some mason jars orders last week and it hit me: Could my painted jars — especially those with intricate designs — one day be considered folk art?

Or, is it folk art right now?

And then I imagine a day in the future when I’m long gone (but somehow, mysteriously, Mike and Frank have not aged a day) and, accompanied by the American Pickers camera crew, they’re picking through some barn in the Midwest and come across one of my painted mason jars.

Maybe even one of these snowflake mason jars?

snowflake-mason-jar-it-all-started-with-paint-2-of-14

And Mike-the-folk-art-aficionado will tell the story of mason jar folk artist Linda Braden. About how she had a blog and an Etsy shop. How all her jars were hand-painted so no two jars were exactly alike. And how her mason jar crafting helped her send her two children to college.

He could then talk about the whole surge in mason jar crafts in the twenty teens …

and he might even say I was at the forefront of the movement. 🙂

And he would pick up this snowflake mason jar and look at the markings. He would share a story about how Ball Canning introduced smooth sided mason jars in 2016. And how Linda was able to use a stamp on the jar to create the design …

snowflake-mason-jar-it-all-started-with-paint-12-of-14

because of it’s unique smooth sides.

How To Make Snowflake Mason Jars

Materials

Smooth Sided Mason Jars (Pint & Quarts)

Snowflake Stamp (I found mine at the craft store)

Paint (I used chalking paint for the surface and white craft paint for the snowflakes)

Paint Brush

80 Grit Sandpaper

Paint jars. I gave mine two coats. Let dry.

snowflake-mason-jar-how-to-it-all-started-with-paint

Distress lightly around rim and along small Ball words.

snowflake-painted-mason-jar-it-all-started-with-paint-8-of-10

Dip stamp in white paint. I dabbed the stamp on time on a paper plate before stamping on jar. You can get maybe two snowflakes from one dip.

snowflake-painted-mason-jar-it-all-started-with-paint-10-of-10

Use a paint brush to add dots. And you’re done.

And who knows, if you follow my tutorial and make your very own snowflake mason jars maybe Mike and Frank will dig your creation out of a barn some day in the future and share your story as a mason jar folk artist …

🙂

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Snowflake Mason Jars - Stamped Snowflake Painted Mason Jars @It All Started With Paint blog

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Today’s post is a sponsored post brought to you by Ball Canning. However, any and all opinions about Ball Canning and smooth sided mason jars are 100% my own.

Oh, and Ball canning is offering a $3 off holiday coupon on the purchase of mason jars. Just click here to print out your coupon.