DIY Painted Jars & Tags



I got the idea to make painted jars from Anthropologie.  I was in their store one day and saw a display on a table and loved it!  I had a friend that had a birthday coming up and thought I could make one for her and use it as the wrapping for her gift.  The picture above is the finished product.  It was so easy to make.  I decided to use two paint colors for the gift and I used three for the last two I made.  I loved the way they came out!  The colors mix and swirl together beautifully.  I may use them again for gifts. 

I have a collection of jars that I have a hard time trowing away.  Do you have the same problem?  I wish our city recycled them.  I decided to used pink, yellow, and blue acrylic paint. 

1. I poured one color into the jar and swirled it around and let it drip down the sides. 
2. Then, I poured another color and repeated step 1.
3. And again with the third color.
4. I then turned the jar upside down onto wax paper and let the paint drip to the end of the jar for a few minutes.
5. Last, I let the jars sit upright overnight to dry and tada they were ready!

 In the last picture above, I made some tags by cutting scraps of paper and gluing onto the tag.  I changed my mind when I had left over acrylic paint from the jars.  I wasn't ready to throw it away so I painted the tags.  I love how the acrylic paint combined to make new pretty colors.  I now have a beautiful collection of tags to use for different occasions! :)

I now want to paint some sort of abstract painting.  I need to buy supplies for this next little project. 

I am no artist but I do come from a family who is.  My mother is a beautiful painter and so was my grandmother.



Grandmother's painting.




My mom's painting.



It's never too late to learn how to paint!

♥ Esther

DIY Ampersand

I was inspired to make this Kate Spade inspired ampersand when I saw it here at Caitlin Wilson Design.  That was a while ago.  I did get around to doing this a few weeks ago and am now posting it.  I want to put it on a wall in the living room.  I am not very good at accessorizing but I will give it a try soon.  I followed this tutorial at High-Heeled Foot in the Door and tweaked it a bit.  Instead of using the craft knife to cut the whole ampersand out I simply used scissors to cut the outside part of it and used the craft knife to cut the inside.  I originally bought acrylic craft paint.  I later realized that it may not withstand the exposure to light for too long so I bought some acrylic paint for paintings in Permanent Rose and filled the white part with Titanium White.  Instead of using a paint brush to paint the pink part I used a sponge brush.  This turned out to be a very easy project.  I am quite pleased with it. :)

 

♥ Esther



Catching up...

Mother's Day

My computer went out for a while and I have yet to post about Mother's Day.  It was sweet.  The boys took me out to a brunch at the Iron Cactus and it was delicious.  The boys loved it so much they want to eat there every weekend.  Ethan made me a domino M for Mother's Day and had me knock it down.  See...

I also made a strawberry tart to please my sweet tooth.  A recipe I found on Canelle et Vanille.

See the blue high chair in the back ground.  I finally got rid of it.  It is no longer in our home.  All the boys used it and I had a hard time letting it go.  So I took a picture of it and that will be a reminder.  I am a pretty good at getting rid of our things as we outgrow them but this for some reason lingered longer than anything else in my home.  So long, farewell, it's time to say adieu...

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Coen's First Swimming Bday Party this Summer

Coen was invited to a swimming party.  I wish I could do one for my boys but I have a fall and two winter babies so I cannot.  I do plan on doing a half birthday party at the pool next year.  Back to my story...Coen did not want to swim.  We arrived at the YMCA with clothes on and swim trunks tucked away in a bag.  He wanted to play with his DS there and he wanted to take his hula hoop.  He was out of luck and I called him a boring kid for not participating.  Well after seeing all the fun he was missing out on he finally decided to join in the fun.  Thank goodness...

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Kindergarten Celebration

My last baby has graduated from kindergarten.

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Pinewood Derby

Ethan and dad made a car for his pinewood derby.  It wasn't very fast but it was fun to make and a pretty cool car.  It's the blue one.

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Organizing

I also found time to organize my closet finally.  I love looking in there to find a neatly organized clean closet.  It also motivates me to keep it that way.  I placed a rolled up magazine into my boots to keep them up right.  I love it.

Devan is out at camp this week and I plan on cleaning his room.  I will show you a picture of the mess later(maybe I shouldn't).

Oh and don't mind the full hamper.

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Mexican Wedding Cookies

Have I mentioned that I love to bake.  I made some of my favorite cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies last weekend and they were so good.  The boys could not stop eating.  I think I ate most of them though.

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End of Year Teacher's Gift

I made these fabric flower pencil bouquets for the teacher's end of year gifts.  I used this tutorial from Dana-made-it.  She used craft sticks and I used pencils.  I think it would be nice to have something pretty to look at while writing a note or grading papers.  I also changed up the base of the flower, instead of using felt I used the same fabric to give it a more uniform look.

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Last Day of School, June 3, 2011

Coen's class picture on the last day of school.

 Devan's school had a talent show the last day of school.  Devan played his guitar while Izzy sang a song by Never Shout Never (Devan isn't here to tell me the name of the song.  I tell you later.)  They did a great job.  Boy was I a proud momma.  He played really well and Izzy has a great voice.  The pictures below are not very good due to lack of lighting.

 That is it in a nutshell.  I'll post more regularly so as not to "Catch up" again.

♥

Esther