Paint’s Chips

January 24, 2015 By Linda 2 Comments

I still have some remnants of Christmas in … and outside … our home.

A Santa head here. A red pillow there.

But my biggest .. most shameful … and most visible indiscretion is right outside our front door. For all our neighbors and passerby’s to see …

Green garland still adorns the fence. And porch railing. Complete with big, bright red bows.

Not to mention the wreath on the door.

And when I drive through the neighborhood and see a scattering of others, like I, who are still fully decorated on the outside, I give a little air fist bump of solidarity.

Plus, they make me feel better about myself.

I mean, at least our lights and tree are down …

At first I justified our lingering Christmas outdoor décor on the weather. I mean, it was just too darn cold that first week of January. Why risk snow bitten fingers and toes?

Right?

Then the snow came. And who wants to wrestle with snow covered greens? Plus, they looked very sweet covered in snow.

Right?

Those excuses covered weeks one and two. Weeks three and four are just sheer laziness. Forgetfulness. Procrastination combined with an overwhelming amount of Etsy shop Valentine jar orders …

Right?

So while you sit inside … nice and warm with a cup of coffee or tea in hand … and visit the links of things that caught my eye this week, I’ll be bundled up outside unraveling green garland from our fence and porch railings.

Although, maybe I can delegate this task to my husband and two able-bodied teenagers …

On to the links!

Let’s start with my addictions. Some in my family may even call them obsessions. Starting with Buzzfeed. And Harry Potter. And when the two collided, I was over the moon. Especially when a reporter at Buzzfeed started to watch the Harry Potter movies for the first time in his 30’s. I devoured his series of articles recapping his reactions. Starting here with his first movie viewing experience.

My friend Kim is so darn creative. And original. Can you guess what she made for Valentine’s Day?

Click here to find out. You won’t be disappointed.

I have food on the mind this week. Like this decadent chocolate creation. And this amazing cake I would never in a million years think to create. And now I can’t stop thinking about it!

And this amazing tip on how to perfectly cook bacon. Who knew?

This story makes me want to stay far, far away from the ocean.

And last, but not least, I’m sharing a tutorial on how I made those Mr. & Mrs. etched mugs on the other blog, Mason Jar Crafts Love. Just click here …

Have a fabulous weekend!

Linda

Mason Jar Art & A Free Printable

January 12, 2015 By Linda 13 Comments

I realize I should be talking about the picture above. The mason jar art I’ve “framed” and hung on clipboards in my basement work space. But I have other things on my mind this Monday morning.

More pressing things.

You see, I fear Chicago is beginning to lose some of its street cred.

I don’t think it comes as a surprise that Chicago gets cold in the winter. I remember my first winter here. My mother insisted I take her mink coat when I moved. She had already relocated to Florida, after all. And, apparently, I was moving to the arctic …

or so it seemed; that was everyone’s reaction when I told them I was going to live in Chicago.

Which surprised me. I mean, I lived in New Jersey. Worked in New York City. Equally as north of the equator as Chicago. Situated near a large body of water. I figured it would be about the same.

Oh, how naïve I was.

Especially since my first winter here was one of the coldest in Chicago’s history. I remember watching the morning news on January 18, 1994, only to learn the temperature outside was -21 F. One degree colder than the South Pole. Or North Pole? I can’t remember. All I knew is colder than a Pole couldn’t be good.

Not to mention the -60 F wind chill.

Brrrr.

But the city didn’t shut down. I still went to work.

Thankful for my mom’s mink coat.

Chicago Public Schools made a rare move that day and gave students a day off. Mayor Daley was famously reluctant to close schools. But faced with -60 wind chills, he buckled.

And I understand his decision. Fully agree with his decision. Because I was out in that bone-chilling cold. We even got a flat tire in that cold. Which Mike changed while I sat a a nearby bar, sipping on a Margarita. In between running out to give him hot cups of coffee and cocoa.

But that’s a story for another day …

Last week, our newest Mayor (Rahm Emmanuel) decided to close the schools on Wednesday. At the mere mention of possible -1 air temps and -30 wind chills.

Small potatoes compared to January 18, 1994.

He also set a pretty low standard, Chicago wise, for school closures. Because Thursday called for more of the same. And schools were closed again.

So when the forecast for Friday rolled around … and it looked like it could be the coldest day yet … what was the Mayor Rahm Emmanuel to do? He had backed himself into a corner with the Wednesday and Thursday closures. So he took the only logical direction.

And declared schools would be open.

What?

Perhaps he had finally come to his senses. Remembered that we Chicagoans are a hardy bunch …

especially those of us who survived January 18, 1994.

Or maybe he realized if he kept up with the practice of closing our schools at the mere mention of -1 air temps and -30 wind chills, our children would end up spending half their summer break in school.

And here is where I should have a clever segue to the subject at hand. Mason jar digital art. Two free. One free printable I created. And one purchased through and ETsy shop. All hung on clipboards. In my craft & Etsy shop work space.

In my basement craft & work space nook under the stairs.

But I’m at a complete loss.

Maybe my segue could be about my new mason jar 2015 calendar digital art …

… and how I wonder how many days during the first few months of 2015 our schools will be closed for cold and/or snow days?

But what I should probably tell you is where I found that calendar. I ordered it from an Etsy shop, Corissa Nelson Art, for $4.00. You can order your own by clicking here …

I found the vintage mason jar art at The Graphics Fairy …

… just click here to download your own mason jar art free printable.

The cool mason jar photo art is from Redfly Creations. I did crop mine using the free PicMonkey photo editing site to make it a vertical image.

Click here to download.

Finally, I tried my hand at making my very own mason jar clipart for Valentine’s day …

This is new to me, so don’t judge me too harshly …

You can download the free printable by clicking here: Mason Jar Valentine’s Day Free Printable

Oh, and as for the clipboard “frames,” they are so easy to hang. You just need to put a nail in the wall and you’re done …

Linda

You can find out more about my new craft & Etsy shop work space nook under the basement stairs by clicking here …

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Paint’s Chips

January 10, 2015 By Linda 17 Comments

Good morning to you all from a very chilly Chicago!

And when I say chilly, I mean bone-crushing-25-degree-below-wind-chill chilly.

I’ve had something on my mind this week. Something I need to share with you.

And get your input.

You see, as I was wishing someone a ‘Happy New Year’ in an email yesterday, I couldn’t help but wonder what the statute of limitations is for extending 2015 New Year’s wishes?

Of course, the day of is obviously accepted. Expected, really. As is the 2nd and the 3rd …

but after that it starts to get fuzzy.

I know, depending on the day of the week January 1 lands, it’s still appropriate … expected … to use a ‘Happy New Year’ salutation on the first day back to work. Or school. Or whatever.

And then what?

Can we continue to express, and share, our wishes for a happy new year throughout the first week of said new year? And if so, what’s the cut-off date?

Was my use of a ‘Happy New Year’ at the end of an email on January 9th a violation?

Perhaps an abomination?

Isn’t it funny how the Christmas and New Year holiday feels like it was so long ago …

Sigh.

But onwards and upwards!

Here are some things that caught my eye this week. Staring with something I created for my other blog, Mason Jar Crafts Love. A $20-a-week mason jar money saving challenge idea …

… that you can find by clicking here. I even offer a free printable for that label.

In addition to saving money, I’m all over girl power and positive reinforcement this new year. As is my amazing blog friend Bliss Ranch (who I am determined to meet in person one day; even if I have to get in my car and drive around the state of Minnesota calling out here name!).

She made an amazing Positive Affirmation sign for her granddaughter to hang above her new bed in her new room in her new house {click here} ….

That is one lucky 4-year-old girl!

Speaking of girls, if I was still 7-years-old, I would want my bedroom to look exactly like this …

Speaking of not girls — but powerful and intelligent zillionaires — I know Bill Gates is a genius and all, but I’m not sure I can get behind this idea …

Speaking of my selfish needs and wants, I really, really, really want to win this ..

Speaking of furniture, I think this might just be my favorite IKEA hack ever ….

And speaking of you, I hope you have an amazing weekend!

Linda

P.S. Lastly – but definitely not leastly — I’m in the Saturday Spotlight over at Junk Chic Cottage today. Stop by and check it out here …

Groupon Date Night for Christmas

December 4, 2014 By Linda 8 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Groupon Gift Shop. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s time to reinstate date night.

There was a time when we went out every Saturday night. Friday nights too. With a Thursday night thrown in here and there. Dinner and drinks. Sometimes solo. Sometimes with friends.

In fact, at some restaurants we were bona fide regulars who magically moved up waiting lists and were given the best seats in the house.

Then came child number one. At first we maintained a semi-regular date night schedule. Not every Saturday, but a few times a month. That came crashing down after child number two. The babysitting fees – combined with the dinner and drinks – became an unaffordable luxury. So we settled into a new routine of family dinner night on Saturday night.

And then … somehow … in the blink of an eye our sittees became sitters.

Which is when it dawned on me that maybe we could reinstate date night.

So when Groupon approached me with a great opportunity to do some holiday shopping to find the perfect experiences for family and friends, date night with my husband topped the list.

It seemed the perfect choice. Because buying for someone you’ve loved and lived with for 20+ years is challenging. He doesn’t ask for much, if anything. And my gift giving at the holidays has been reduced to a new wallet. And socks.

I know. Pretty sad. And boring …

But with the gift of Groupon date nights out, I was able to give him the gift of experiences that I know he’ll enjoy …

… with the added bonus that I get to experience and enjoy those experiences too!

The folks at Groupon asked us to package our gifts in creative ways. So, to present this date night gift to my husband, I wrapped it all up in this clever date night mason jar printable I found here on Etsy. It’s filled with creative date night ideas. And on the blank scraps offered, I was able to add my own “Groupon nite out” coupons.

My husband’s first “Groupon nite out” pick was dinner at Monastero’s.

It’s an old-school Italian restaurant located in the Sauganash neighborhood (found on the North West side of Chicago) …

But instead of me telling you about Monastero’s, I thought I’d let the gift recipient share his experience with you. In his own words. Take it away Mike …

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Earlier in November, we turned the clocks back an hour to frustratingly get back to Central Standard Time. On Friday night, we turned back the clock to 1967 and visited Monastero’s Ristorante and Banquets in the far north Sauganash neighborhood of Chicago.

Key to the trip is the “…and Banquets” of the name.

Nothing wrong with that, but it marks a style. I have read that if you are true to the Yelp! experience, you should talk about what you feel the restaurant is setting out to do, and whether it hits those goals.

To me, Monastero’s lived up to its offering of late-60s red-sauce Chicago dining and hospitality. The bartender in the darkened cove bar was an older guy with swept-back gray hair so used to his clientele and the occasional stranger. The young hostess was eager and neighborly. The waitress was accented and helpful and chatty. All good.

In the brighter dining room, Linda ordered and loved the pumpkin ravioli and I had tortelloni alla Bolognese, good and more than I could eat, given we were forced to have really good bread and breadsticks and salad and minestrone. Oh yes, we also had wine.

Yet the best came at us unexpectedly – young men who sang Italian opera from the upright piano at the edge of the dining room. Unabashedly. Wonderfully. At 9:00 pm the Friday after Thanksgiving, the room was not busy, but they stood proudly and voiced out music that filled the room and took the evening to a new level.

Afterward, we met the owner and his daughter in the bar on our way out. They were genuinely happy we had visited. Nice. The way it used to be, and the way it ought to be.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I think we can chalk this one up to date night success!

Up next is Fiorentino’s.

Another Italian eatery, but this one is much closer to our home. In fact, it’s a place I’ve passed again and again over the years but have yet to venture inside. I’m tempted to go next week, but that might be too much too soon. We still want to enjoy Saturday family dinner nights, after all …

and after 20+ years of marriage, we may need to ease back into the dating scene.

P.S. I totally forgot to get a picture of Mike and I at the restaurant, so instead I’ll share this one of our very first ever date night …

I like to think we look exactly the same!

Pin It!

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Mason Jar Lid Ornament

November 18, 2014 By Linda 7 Comments

It was only a matter of time before I made a mason jar related ornament, wasn’t it?

In fact, you’re probably wondering what took so long. I mean, we’re already 7 days into the 12 Days of Christmas ornament crafting, after all. So I won’t make you wait even a second longer …

Ta da!

Mason jar lid ornaments!

This has to be the easiest one to date.

Pick out some really cool red and white paper.

Trace the around the mason jar lid.

Cut out your circle.

Apply some glue inside the band.

Insert circles and press along edges. Let dry.

Thread bakers twine through a large eye needle.

Poke through your paper.

Tie off to make a loop to hang.

See? So simple to make!

Now it’s time to check out what my crafty friends have up there sleeves on this 7th Day of Christmas …

Polar Express Bell Quote Ornament | Serendipity Refined

Merry Christmas Jute Garland | Thrifty and Chic

Silver Painted Ornaments | Mom 4 Real

Cinnamon Dough Ornaments | The Happier Homemaker

Yarn Snowball Ornaments | May Richer Fuller Be

Paper Owl Ornaments | Remodelando la Casa

Scrapbook Paper Ornaments | Lovely Etc.

Mason Jar Lid Ornaments | It All Started With Paint

Marbles Ornament | Whats Ur Home Story

Antler Wood Slice Ornament | Cherished Bliss

Simple Fabric Ornament | Bigger Than The Three of Us

DIY Princess Anna Ornament | All Things G&D

Linda

P.S. For even more holiday inspiration, you can find more handmade ornaments by clicking here …

P.P.S. All 12 days – and all 144 ornaments – can be found by clicking here …

Want to keep up with my projects? It’s easy. Get it all started with paint delivered to your email inbox:

* Some of the products used in this post were purchased with a gift card provided by Michaels *

A Snow Globe, A Screen Door & The Abyss

November 3, 2014 By Linda 12 Comments

We took the screen door off the front of the house this weekend.

I realize that doesn’t sound like a big deal. A monumental event. Something worthy of a blog post.

But it was …

We’ve had a screen door on the front of the house since the day we moved in. And it’s not the fancy aluminum kind with the interchangeable glass panel. Nope. It was a $15 wood frame screen door from the local hardware store.

We loved the sound it made when it closed. A sound that brought back memories of our youth. And hot summer days. Running in and out of the house with our friends …

Whack. Whack. Whack.

A sound that drove our parents crazy. Eliciting yells of “in or out, in or out” …

That was in the days before laptops and iphones and we only had four channels on TV to choose from. Back when our days were driven by our imagination …

Sigh.

But we took the screen door off because it no longer made that lovely sound. It wasn’t hung correctly. And it just dragged along the landing of the porch (scratching up my beautiful new painted on porch rug). It was a burden to open and close.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

That wasn’t the welcoming sound we wanted to hear. So off it came.

And it’s weird.

Opening up the front door with no screen door barrier feels odd. Exposed. And standing on the abyss of a cliff. A very high and scary cliff. And stepping over the threshold feels like you’re falling ….

It will take some getting used to.

And what does the screen have to do with a car in a mason jar snow globe? Absolutely nothing.

I just wanted you to know that I’ve stocked some of those cute snow globe kits in my Etsy shop here …

Right alongside my mason jar snow globe kids with the vintage sea-foam green car. And quantities are limited. I only have 10. For now …

Linda

P.S. You can find my tutorial on how to make these by clicking here …

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Halloween in Mason Jars

October 18, 2014 By Linda 5 Comments

Tis the season for sponsored blog posts …

There. I said it. I put it out there. Because it’s true. And I’m not going to apologize for it.

This is the time of year consumer brands are looking for exposure. This quarter is crucial to their bottom line. And, quite honestly, it helps my bottom line as well. Especially this year, when my bottom line took a few hits. First the basement flooding debacle. Followed by what is shaping up to be a series of dental sagas. Cavities filled. Braces affixed. Root canals canaled. Not to mention the crown that costs as much as a real a jewel-encrusted crown …

All of which took funds earmarked for home improvements and décor.

So there will be an increase in sponsored posts over the next few months as I try to replenish that home improvement and décor fund. But I’ll make some promises to you. I promise to blog with integrity. I promise to try my hardest to make those sponsored posts fun. And interesting. And I promise to choose opportunities that truly interest me – which, in turn, should interest you as well.

So please bear with me. January will be here before you know it, and all those sponsored post opportunities will dry up. Then it’ll be just you and me again …

depleting that home improvement and decor fund.

😉

But today’s post isn’t a sponsored one. I thought I’d take a moment to share some Halloween crafts I created for the other blog, Mason Jar Crafts Love. Like these spiders (you can find the tutorial here).

And then there are my walking dead zombie jars (tutorial here) …

And then I put together a round-up of 30+ Halloween mason jars ideas that you can find here …

Wishing you a fabulous weekend!

Linda

You can find even more mason jar ideas in my project gallery here …

Mason Jar Crafts for Kids Book

September 30, 2014 By Linda 17 Comments

I cannot even begin to express how surreal it is for me to see my name in print. On the cover of a book. A real book that is currently for sale on sites like Amazon.com and BN.com and Indiebound.org and Books a Million.

Wow. WOW!!!

When I started blogging, never in my wildest of dreams did I think I would become a published author. Of a kids craft book. Using mason jars. MASON JARS, OF ALL THINGS!!!!

Two years ago, I knew nothing about mason jars. I had never used them. I had never purchased them. They intimidated me.

And now? Now they have taken over my life.

Literally.

My dining room table is overflowing with mason jars in various stages of painting and distressing.

Somewhere along the line mason jars have become my legacy. I mean, just take a look at my new book cover up there. My name burnished on the cover of a mason jar craft book. For kids …

It’s available at Amazon.com and BN.com and Indiebound.org and Books a Million.

All I can say is wow. WOW!!!

The Etsy Shop: Car in Jar Kit

September 8, 2014 By Linda 10 Comments

I’m sitting here watching a Sex and the City repeat as I pack up painted mason jar orders. It’s the series finale and Carrie is in Paris with Mikhail Baryshnikov. And it dawns on me (once again) that Carrie is a self-involved whiner.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love, love SATC. It’s an all-time favorite. I watched the original series on HBO in all it’s swear-word-and-boob-filled glory. I watch the repeats constantly on E! Entertainment. And when the movies are on TV? Yep, I tune in each and every time. Even the insipid SATC 2.

Speaking of SATC 2, what was that? Who were those people up on the screen? I mean, when did Miranda become a woo girl? I’m thinking Cynthia Dixon threw up a little in her mouth every time the director directed her to yell woo.

But I digress. Back to the episode at hand: An American Girl in Paris. Part Deux. Carrie is all mopey and whiney because her boyfriend won’t spend any time with her in Paris. Huh? I mean, he’s a world-renowned artist who hasn’t had an exhibit in a long, long time. This is his comeback. He’s nervous and worried and doubting himself at every turn – and rightly so. An artist is the most subjective of careers out there. Second only to writing …

Oh, wait, Carrie’s a writer. Shouldn’t she,of all people, be more understanding of his time commitments leading up to the big reveal? Shouldn’t she, of all people, understand his fears and anxieties? His self doubts? I mean, it’s a risky proposition. A light installation, whatever that is (because they never do show us, do they?!?). It’s one stop short of performance art.

And with all that said, I would still dole out my hard-earned cash for a Sex and the City 3. As long as it’s smart and sexy. Like It’s Complicated. And Something’s Gotta Give. Which means Nancy Meyer’s should take the lead.

So what does this all have to do with the car in a mason jar snow globe, you may be asking yourself?

Nothing except the fact that I wanted to let you all know my Etsy shop is open. After an extended hiatus. Hence the start of this post where I’m wrapping up Etsy shop orders as I watch SATC …

Oh, and I’m also stocking a limited number of car in jar snow globe kits this year:

Just 10 for the time being. I want to see if how they sell before making a bigger commitment.

Here’s the link to the listing (click here).

And now I must leave you so I can rent SATC the movie On Demand …

Sharing: Link Party Palooza * Between Naps on the Porch * A Bowl Full of Lemons *

Union Jack Flag Mason Jar

March 5, 2014 By Linda 20 Comments

Step-by-step tutorial on how to make painted and distressed Union Jack flag mason jar.

I’m not going to sugar coat this. I’m not going to pretend this repurposing of a mason jar into a Union Jack Flag vase was easy.

It’s not.

I’m not going to pretend that each step was executed flawlessly the first time out.

It wasn’t.

I’m not going to pretend this project was completed in a single day. Or two days. Or three …

… more like six.

Yes, you read that right.

Six days.

Six days to creation a Union Jack flag mason jar.

Don’t believe me? Let me count the days …

How To Make Union Jack Flag Mason Jar

Day 1

Apply base coat of acrylic white paint. Give it 24 hours to fully cure.

Day 2

Tape off the Union Jack flag mason jar design. I used Washi tape and included a flag design on the front and back of the jar.

Paint with blue. Let dry for 24 hours.

Day 3

Remove tape. Cry a little at all the mistakes.

Pull it together and touch up with white paint. Let dry for 24 hours.

Day 4

Tape off area for center red. Make sure tape leaves a band of white around the red.

Paint with red paint. Let dry for 24 hours.

Day 5

Remove tape. Cry a little when the tape pulls off your white paint.

Touch up mistakes with white paint. Let dry 24 hours.

Day 6

Distress with sandpaper. My choice is 80 grit coarse.

Seal with matte spray clear sealer (found mine at the craft store).

And there you have it. Six days later your plain, boring, clear class mason jars can be turned into red, white, and blue Union Jack flag mason jar dazzlers …

Here’s a view of the back …

… and a view of the side.

Now if you’re looking for a project that takes, say, less than a week, my fabulously talented blogging friends have some really great creative ideas for you …

You have to check them out …

Bigger Than The Three of Us – DIY Bamboo Shades

Thrifty and Chic – Ikea Hack: Hamper into Side Table

Lovely Etc.

Life as a Thrifter- Quick & Easy Candle Holders

All Things G&D: DIY Boot Socks from Old Sweater Sleeves

Yeah, all those projects don’t require six days to complete …

🙂

P.S. I’m now selling these jars on my Etsy shop. Click here for the listing …

PIN IT!

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For more mason jar project ideas, check out my mason jar project gallery by clicking here …

And for even more inspiration, check out my mason jar blog …

Get it all started with paint delivered to your email inbox:

Holiday Mason Jar Party

November 14, 2013 By Linda 4 Comments

It’s here …

The moment we’ve been waiting for …

The culmination of many weeks of hard labor. And creativity ….

It’s time for our Mason Jar Holiday Extravaganaza! That’s right, we all shared our mason jar creations with you …

and now it’s time for you to share your mason jar creations here with us.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out my co-hosts AMAZING mason jar projects too …

1. Free Pretty Things For You 2. The Cottage Market 3. The Shabby Creek Cottage 4. The Country Chic Cottage 5. The Gunny Sack 6. The New York Melrose Family 7. Cupcakes and Crinoline 8. It All Started with Paint 9. Mason Jar Crafts Love 10. Yesterday on Tuesday 11. Two Shades of Pink 12. A Pumpkin and a Princess 13. Crafts with Jars 14. Lolly Jane

Let’s see what you got …

Car in Jar Snow Globe

November 14, 2013 By Linda 114 Comments

How To Make Car in Jar Snow Globe. Easy Kids Craft for Christmas!

I was so confident that this project would come together easily …

easily and peasily, if you will …

And, truth be told, once I had my supplies it was a breeze …

Hot To Make Car In Jar Snow Globe

Materials*

Ball Collection Elite Wide Mouth 16 oz Mason Jar

Small Bottle Brush Trees (mine measure about 2″ tall from base to tip; here are a few buying options from Amazon. Click here and click here and click here …)

Faux Snow

Red & White Baker’s Twine

20mm red jingle bells

1:64 (or 1/64) vintage car (here are some buying choices on Amazon; unfortunately, the car featured in this post is no longer available)

*includes affiliate links

The biggest challenge was finding the vintage car.

I mistakenly thought I would find one among my son’s collection of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. A collection he just can’t seem to part with. Even though he’s now 16. And even though the old car cases are shoved deep under the TV armoire …

And as I rummaged through the remnants of his childhood, I came to realize that he was always attracted to the raciest of cars. Souped up with lots of flames …

nothing that inspired the homey, Norman Rockwell feel I was after.

I guess, when it comes down to it, what kid wants to push around mini vans and wood sided station wagons?

But I wasn’t deterred. My great white hope was the thrift store. Surely I’d find a giant box of vintage cars there …

Um. No.

It was at this point that I started to question my plan …

and questioning why I hadn’t even bothered to come up with a Plan B.

My next (and final) stop was Toys R Us. And I’ll be honest with you, it wasn’t looking good. I was faced with an aisle filled with race cars in neon colors and monster trucks.

But then there … there at the very end of the aisle … tucked behind three other cars, I found it.

The perfect car. The perfect vintage car to use in my snow globe scene …

{The name of the company that makes this car is called GreenLight Collectibles. Here’s a link to their website: http://www.greenlighttoys.com/home.html}

Now for the easy part. I started by cutting off the base from my bottle brush tree …

… and then tied to the tree to the top of the car using baker’s twine.

The final step: Put the car in the jar on a small bed of faux snow.

And voila.

My picture perfect Norman Rockwell Christmas scene …

… captured as a car in jar snow globe. 🙂

This Car in Jar Snow Globe project is part of a collective mason jar holiday extravaganza. So be sure to stop by and check out my co-hosts projects today …