Mason Jar Mugs

I know everyone has seen these by now as they have been all over the internet so they are not new but, I tell ya, I had the hardest time finding the instructions for them.  By instructions I mean, I needed to know what size grommet and drill bit I would have to locate or purchase.  I wanted this to be a one and done type of project.

So, I’ll share my supplies with you in case you have been wanting to make these fun jars to keep your drinks bug free while outdoors this summer.

I picked up the blue Ball Mason Jars which are a limited edition.  They were too pretty to pass up even though they cost a little more than regular jars.  You’ll need a 3/8” drill bit, a drill and rubber grommets sized 9/16” outer diameter and 1/4” inner diameter.  The grommets were the most difficult thing to locate but I found them at Lowe’s in the hard to find hardware drawers in the same aisle as the screws, nuts, bolts, etc.  There are 2 grommets in each pack for a $1.04. 

Then you simply drill a hole, carefully snip off any hanging pieces of metal and then fit the grommet down into it.  Such a quick and easy project and would make a fun hostess or even housewarming gift.   

Halloween Décor Project

I love Halloween and for some reason I make more Halloween décor crafts than any other holiday.  Last week my mom and I were in Pier One and saw an adorable witches hat wall decoration and we were inspired to make our own. 

We went to Michael’s where we found paper mache witches hats.  We split it in half with a craft knife so it would hang flat against the wall.  We painted the hat purple and then covered it on Mod Podge before dumping a lot of Martha Stewart glitter all over it.  After the purple glitter had set a bit we tapped off the rest of the loose glitter and used a one inch foam brush dipped in Mod Podge and added a strip of glue around the base.  I had some fabulous green glitter from Stampin’ Up! in my stash and poured it on the glue. We did this carefully and with the hat on its side to keep the green from sticking in the purple. 
After it dried we added some bling swirls rather than try to freehand a web design.  This has been the most difficult part as I have had to add craft Glue Dots to the back to keep it stuck as the adhesive on the swirls didn’t stick once it was covered with the glitter.  I had a DUH moment here and I should have added a finishing spray of some sorts over the glitter but I didn’t have one on hand and decided to skip it.  So, if you are inspired to give this project a try, I would seal the glitter somehow.
We picked up a plain pine board from Michael’s for the signs and painted them black.  The Martha Stewart black paint is pretty nice and covered well with just one coat!  I had the great green, glittery alpha stickers from Doodlebug Designs in my stash and they were a near perfect match in color.  I went over the board with the Sparkle Mod Podge to seal it. 
We used black wire we found in the jewelry section at Michael’s to attach the sign after I drilled small holes in the wood and the hat.  It is hard to see in the photo but I also picked up some pretty purple diamond shaped beads and added them to the bottom corners of the sign. I wrapped the wire around a plastic spider before attaching it to the hat.  Finally, I used some green glitter ribbon I also picked up at Michael’s to make the loop for hanging it.
This was really a quick project and I love the finished product so much.  I cannot wait to hang it on my front door in a few weeks.  If you are interested in checking out some more of my Halloween projects you can look here for a cute upcycled jar, here for a easy, sparkly framed print, and here for a paper wreath.
Do you have a holiday that you love crafting for? 

I’m sharing my idea on The Celebration Shoppe’s What I Made Wednesday link party and Tip Junkie's Tip Me Tuesday!

Five for Friday

I haven’t shared a Five for Friday post in for.ever so I have browsed my sewing board on Pinterest to share the 5 projects on my to do list.

1.  Cute fabric luggage tags!  What a fun way to identify your bags quickly and use up a bunch of scraps in the process.  Tutorial is here.

2.  Another travel item on my list is this cute little travel document pouch.  I have something that works now to hold our passports but it is plain and not attractive at all.  Tutorial can be found here.

 

3.  A cute little tote for my girls to carry while we travel, especially since we won’t always have the DVD player in the car with us.  Tutorial can be found here.

 

4.  This toilet paper holder is cute and looks easy.  No tutorial since it was for sale on Etsy but looks easy enough to figure out.  And since this one costs $45 it can stay there (no offense meant to the seller here as I am sure she is lovely and that hand embroidery took her a long time) because I can make it with fabric I have on hand.

 

5.  This one should be first on the list since it is the first project I plan on making ASAP for my new camera.  I hope to find some cute new fabric for this tomorrow  but if I don’t I will pull some from my stash.  You can find a tutorial here.  I have made one before and I learned that a darker fabric is better than a light blue and pink one since it won’t show dirt as quickly.  I am thinking maybe a black or gray base with a bright, feminine ruffle! 

 

Do you have any projects on your to do list?  I would love to hear about them.  Stay tuned next week for a fun Valentine blog hop and since February is my blog anniversary I will have a giveaway or two!

Have a great weekend!