Mason Jar Lanterns, Vases and Whatever You Can Think Of

We are still vacationing in South Carolina and having a wonderful time.  This project is nothing new, but rather a reminder of what beautiful things can be done with a simple jar.  I recently picked up three boxes of Mason jars at a Girl Scout sale.  I took 18-gauge wire and looped it around the jar tops and screwed the lid on without the sealed middle section.

They are so inviting just hanging on the side of my trellis with fresh flowers in them.

 They really added a little color coming up the walkway.

 I hung them on the patio with tea light candles in them.  They gave off a lovely evening glow.

 Sometimes the simplest things are the best.  Thanks for visiting.  We will be returning home on Saturday, tired and weary, but extremely happy from our wonderful adventures in the south.  What a beautiful part of our country!

Reynolds & Reynolds Vintage Typography

Happy Thursday everyone.  This week I am sharing another stationery invoice from Reynolds & Reynolds from 1904.  I am so smitten with these great specimens of history.  This one does not contain beautiful handwriting but I find the old typewriter font to be charming in and of itself.  This is clearly from a more gentile era harkening back to the days before form letters.  The writer of this message is so polite and personal.  Who would bother to write a note like this for a 9 1/2 cent credit today?  I love it!

 

Roses in Watering Can

I wanted to share these photos I snapped at the gift show in January.  They literally stopped me in my tracks and I asked the vendor if I could take a picture with my phone.  She graciously allowed me to do so and said everyone else was.  Seems her flowers were more the attraction than what she was pedaling.  I wanted to tell her nicely that we probably didn't notice her wares because we were so mezmerized by her props!  I think they are doubly gorgeous in this old watering can.  The sight of these sure made my day. 

Pure heaven!

I'm partying at...


Mondays          The House in the Roses       Debbie Doos         The Graphics Fairy
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Tutus and Tea Parties       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage   
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style           Primp         Faded Charm Cottage       
                                     Fine Craft Guild
Thursdays        Embracing Change     The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    At the Picket Fence     Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Old Mirrored Windows

These old windows are approximately 5 feet tall.  I wanted to use these for my daughter's wedding that we had in our backyard a couple of years ago.  I got as far as adding the applique and the mirror but that was it.  One of the window frames needed a little repair which was minor but it just got done recently.  I thought for the wedding they would be pretty propped against a tree reflecting the surrounding foliage and also the beautiful small white Christmas lights we used everywhere to light up the evening.  Since we did not use them for the wedding (I did put them away for the evening since they were not finished) I propped them up behind a baker's rack I have on the patio.  They have been out in the elements for two years.  The mirrors are still intact and so is the applique.  So if you want to do a project like this, I will tell you what I used.

For the mirrors, I simply measured the window panes.  I went to a glass place and had them cut the windows.  Then I went to OSH or anyplace like Lowe's or Home Depot and I bought adhesive that is suitable for automotive use.  I suspect that is why the mirrors are still attached to the regular glass panes that I started out with.  I purchased the appliques at The Bella Cottage click here.  I attached the appliques with two-part epoxy glue.

After Steve repaired the frame where there was slight damage, he painted everything in a deep gray.  Then we used a creamy white.  I wanted these to look old and chippy not new and fresh.   I made him resist the temptation to sand the windows before painting them.  This guaranteed the paint would not stick everywhere.

 After all the painting was done, I sanded all the wood back, then took a razor blade scraper and went to town.  I love the end result.  Using mirrored windows can really open a space and give it charm.  I recently wrote a post on our patio windows click here.  You can see how beautiful they made our patio.

I'm partying at...


Mondays          The House in the Roses       Debbie Doos         The Graphics Fairy
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Tutus and Tea Parties       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage   
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style           Primp         Faded Charm Cottage       
                                     Fine Craft Guild
Thursdays        Embracing Change     The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    At the Picket Fence     Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home   Decorating Insanity
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Easter Peat Cups

For this week's Graphics Fairy project, I chose three Easter images.  I printed them in wallet pic size and applied them to little peat cups  I picked up at Lowe's.  I attached the images with Tacky Glue.  I did some with wire handles and some with no handles.  I used 18 gauge wire and poked a small hole in the sides of the cups with a corn cob skewer.  It made a tiny hole that I threaded the wire through. 

 I took apart a silk flower that had small petaled flowers and just pulled of a little sprig and wound it around the basket handle.  I had some tiny little paper flowers that were on a wire that I picked up at a garage sale a while back and wound that around the wire as well.  You can improvise with any tiny flower sprig.

I used a glue gun to attach some tissue paper garland around the tops of each peat pot.  There are several sellers on Etsy that carry this.  I did this to all of them, even the ones with no handle.

 I got some paper Easter grass and stuffed the cups and then used little fuzzy Peeps I got at the 99 Cent store and some pastel glittered eggs I picked up at the craft store.  Easter stuff is already 40 percent off.

 The above picture is a tall lantern for candles.  I put my cupcake stand inside of it for a taller display.  I covered the bottom of the lantern with some moss to give it a natural look and also to give those little Peeps a soft place to nest.

I also arranged it on a two-tiered stand for a little different look.  I like both ways.  These were so much fun.  I might use them for place card cups at Easter and put some jelly beans in them for a treat.  Thanks for dropping by.  The Peeps and I loved having you.

Luck of the Irish

This week's tablescape theme is green and white for St. Patrick's Day which I know I am a week early, but we are getting ready for it.  Aren't these flowers to die for?  I stopped at Trader Joe's to see if they finally got in some spring bouquets and can you believe they were 3.99 a bunch?  Of course, if one is good, five must be better; right?  I filled my cart and off I went to mix and match.  I made three huge bouquets like this one.

Now I know you want to know what those martini glasses are filled with so I will just go ahead and share.  We mixed coffee ice cream and Bailey's Irish Cream, topped it with whipped cream and garnished it with a green candy stick dipped in chocolate.  Let me tell you it was sinfully delicious!  What could be more Irish than Bailey's Irish Cream?  The Belleek cup and saucer was a gift I had bought my mother before she passed away.  It is so beautifully translucent and delicate, I was almost afraid to use it.  If you are wondering how Stephanie got the chocolate to stick to the sides of the glass, it is Magic Shell swirled into a slightly frozen glass and then we filled it with the adult only milk shake.

The cake pops are even Bailey's Irish Cream flavored.  I think I like this Irish holiday more and more.  Look at this beautiful four-leaf clover plant.  I stopped in at Julie O'Keefe's Home and Garden in La Canada, California, and she gave me this beautiful plant to use in this photo shoot.  I just love it.  It is perfect!  I haven't seen these little plants anywhere else this year.

These cake pops are wonderful and so pretty too.

One last thing before I go.  I think by now you know I have a weakness for vintage textiles.  I only keep the best for myself and I wish I would have ironed this one a little better for you.  This is from an old toile drapery panel and this print is fabulous.  I use this every Christmas at the shop to dress a table.  The green and white is perfect for so many occasions.  It is one of the finest examples of antique toile I have come across and this piece is probably from the 1930s.  Well, it's almost an antique.  Thanks for visiting.  Hope you enjoyed today's tea.  Happy Sunday.