10 Things Tuesday: Glass Jars

I save almost every glass jar we use, from salsa and pasta sauce (which always stink a little inside no matter how many times you run them through the dishwasher) to applesauces and fruits (which smell DELISH).  I rarely, though, have anything in mind for these jars, and of course what they look like on the outside or how they smell on the inside will change what I do with them.  So I just have piles of glass jars sitting in the back room, waiting to be used.  Well, if you're in the same boat, here are a few ideas to get us started (in no particular order)!

10. Use as (party) glasses.  A lot of people reuse jars for drinking glasses; a Mexican restaurant we love does this, and it really does add a fun, rustic, festive ambiance to the dining experience!  You can also just decorate them pretty and fill them with a theme if you're doing a party.

9. STORAGE!  This is what I use almost all mine for--buttons, beads, pom poms, googly eyes, scrap ribbon off the spools, loose change SORTED BY COIN, etc.  You can store just about anything in glass jars, including bulk grocery items like spices or pastas...and they look gorgeous lined up on a shelf...plus, you always know exactly where everything is, 'cause you can see them!

8. Gifts-in-a-jar.  You know the kind--dry ingredients to various cookies or cakes or breads or cocoa, with a recipe or just-add-water directions taped all cutesy to the jar.  You can also make meals in a jar for when you and the family go camping. 

7. Make an "I Spy" jar (or treasure jar).  Using rice or mixed birdseed, and about 20-30 small items, make a nice toy for long car rides or rainy days!

6. Candles!  I've always wanted to make something like these for a deck or patio (can you imagine like 30 of these hanging above a picnic table?), but without a real patio or yard at the moment, it's on the backburner.  You can use glass etching paste to make just about any design permanent, like the first picture below, or just use some fabric scraps and rocks/gems for a muted but pretty effect, like the second photo.

5. Make a Journal Jar, or Sunday Activities Jar, or Conversation jar, etc!  Write writing prompts, Sabbath-appropriate activities, questions to answer (like what if?), or whatever you want, on small, colorful slips of paper, then put them in the jar and decorate the lid!

4. Make a cute jar pincushion that doubles as storage for buttons, safety pins, or spools of thread!

3. Use for sprouting/plant starters, or cover with fabric or crocheted cozies for something pretty.  Jars  can be used as-is for vases, or painted and ribboned and sequinned and beaded and fancy as all-get-out. :) But they're very IN right now, especially those mason jars, so use them!

2. Make a letter (for younger kids) or word (for older ones) game jar.  Cut out letters/words from magazine headlines (or just use magnet letters and a fridge), and while you're making dinner the kids can work on their spelling words or writing out silly sentences.  You can also use these for ransom notes (tee hee) or for fun storybook-making.  As a teacher, of course, I love this idea!  I also found another idea where, on a small shelf, there were 26 jars--one for each letter of the alphabet--and you filled them over time with small trinkets that started with that letter...which would be GREAT for preschool through first grade kids!  And they look pretty cool on a shelf!

1. Spooky Halloween decorations!  I found my inspiration HERE, and I must say, I love mine to pieces!

Other *INSPIRED* ideas (because 10 just isn't enough!):
* Terrariums & Aquariums: Terrariums are a great way to teach your kids about biology concepts, and aquariums...well, yeah.  Although, I don't think I'd put a live fish in any small jars, just because it's not a lot of space...but you can even make a fake aquarium using shells, toy fish, and fishing wire!  That would be cute as decor!

* Beach-in-a-jar: These are pretty popular around the home right now, too!

* Candy dispenser: If you have woodworking skills, this would be the craft for you!  There are a hundred variations, too...so go look around online for a style that's all YOU!

* Snowglobes: With a little water, glitter, glue, and something fun, you can make beautiful snowglobes.  But these don't only have to be for winter--you can make pretty spring snowglobes, too!

* Bookends: Just fill the jars with some sand or rocks, and put a little felt on the bottom so they don't slide too much.  Instant, possibly FREE bookends!

* Just reuse, of course!  You can store leftovers, soups, dips, etc. in jars, or use the canning ones again and again.  So reuse those jars in any way you can!

WHEW!  I hope SOMETHING on this list inspired you.  So, go to your boxes of empty jars and get started!

Linking up HERE, HERE, and HERE.

What's in a name?

One of the blogs I follow recently posted about her name and the lady she was named after, and it was a sweet post.  She's pregnant, with a girl due at the end of the summer, and she's sifting through the important people in her life so she can decide who to name her daughter after.

My name, though its literal meaning is profound to me, didn't come from anyone.  I wish I had the connection of being named after an ancestor...like my sister's middle name, Maggie, after my great grandmother.  I love my name, though.  It suits me.  Even though I'm far from heavenly 99% of the time, it reminds me of my ultimate goal, and I think it defines who/what I strive to be, even if I don't always measure up.  It paints the picture of my love of beautiful, heavenly things.  And I can't imagine being called anything else.

We've got two of our daughter's names picked out--Lillie Pearl, after my great grandmother that I feel very close to even though we never met, and Aeryn Lee, after my mom (Linda Lee, but her nickname is Aerie).  We thought we had another name, but I don't love it so much anymore.  Not that it matters, since we don't have kids and I'm not pregnant right now.  But it's fun to think about!  Our oldest son will likely be named Owen Michael, after the man that baptized Paul and, well, Paul...but, while not named after anyone, I also love the name Aiden, and Kendrick as a middle name, but not together...so we'll see. 

What is special about YOUR name?

Also, I've been married two years and I am still using "omadarland" as the name for this blog.  Well, I am going to change that...thinking about names being significant and all.   But, I'm not quite sure what to call it...should I stick with "simply the fernandezesez," or do you have a better suggestion?  I want it to be simple but kinda clever, like omadarland was...but Fernandez doesn't sound like any words I know.  :)  Help!  What do you think?  I will be changing it on September 1st, assuming I figure out how to do it and still keep everything I have posted so far.  Which I think I have.

Thanks!  Happy weekend!

4th of July Bandanna Skirt and Shirt (TUTORIAL)

I started out with (something like) this...

$3 shirt on clearance at Walmart.

$5 skirt on clearance at Walmart.

 Added some of these...

$1/each bandannas

 ...and came up with this!

4th of July outfit for GROWNUPS for under $20!

Hahaha, okay, it was a *little* more complicated than that...especially without a sewing machine.  But it was still an easy project, and if you have a sewing machine it'd take you like 2 hours, and I *LOVE* how it turned out.  Can't wait to wear it on Monday!  Here how you do it! (Disclaimer: I'm not a seamstress, so none of this is technical.)

YOU NEED: 1 skirt, 1 red-white-or-blue shirt, 8 red-white-or-blue bandanas for skirt (I did 2 blue, 3 red, 3 white), and 2 bandanas to rip up for shirt flowers--I used red and blue for my white shirt, but you could do blue and white for a red shirt, etc..  Also: scissors and measuring tape and chalk and pins.  And stuff to sew it up with.  And maybe some pin backings and a hot glue gun.


FOR SKIRT:
1. Using chalk and a measuring tape, measure out the circumference of the bottom of the skirt and divide it into 8ths (I used the seams as 4ths and just measured halfway between each of those).  Draw a vertical line up at that measurement.  (See picture below)
2. Measure halfway in between your vertical lines, and mark a notch at the hem with the chalk or safety pins (this is where my pins are).  Now measure half your bandana's width, and draw a diagonal line from the notch to your vertical line that is that length...when finished, you should have 8 "triangles" or wedges, like shown below.  NOTE: this skirt is very long on me...pretty much brushes the ground as I walk...so make sure however long your skirt and bandanas are together is only down to your ankles, and make adjustments as necessary!

 3. Cut out your wedges.

4. Starting at center wedge, pin right sides of bandana and wedge together, first one side...

 ...then the other.  (A little awkward to pin, but it should look like this:)

5. Do another one, alternating colors.

6. Pin the right sides of the other half/flowing parts of the bandanas together (you don't HAVE to if your original skirt was long enough, but the skirt was too short for me as it was, which was why I decided to do this in the first place!).

 7. Continue around, alternating colors as you go.

 8. Sew everywhere you pinned!  Be extra careful about not leaving holes between the denim and your bandana up at the corners.  (This is what took me two full days, because I sewed BY HAND...a sewing machine would have been really nice here!)  Your skirt is finished!

FOR THE SHIRT:

I wanted to keep my white shirt plain so I could keep using it as an undershirt, so I made my ripped-bandana-rag-flowers/rosettes into pins so I could rearrange them and take them off when I'm all done!  If you want something more permanent, you can just sew them on.

1. SO, take your extra bandanas and rip them into long strips about 1/2" to 1 1/2" wide (I did varying widths for a little visual appeal).  Make those strips into fabric flowers of your choosing (there are a million tutorials of how to do this online, but basically make a basting stitch along one side and pull the fabric together tightly into a raggedy flower).  Make as many flowers as you want to decorate your shirt.  (I only used about half of a red and blue bandana, and I made 5 of each color.)

2. Hot glue a pin backing on to the back of each flower.

3. Pin them in whatever shape/form you desire.  I would have LOVED to make a ton of red ones and turn these flowers into a flag shape...maybe next year!

That's it!  Now your 4th of July attire is all set and you will look FABULOUS!

If you do your own take on this, share the link so I can see it!  Linking up HERE and HERE!

Family Friday/Show Off Saturdays!

I'm feeling pretty good about these last two weeks:

• First of all, I finished transcribing my little brother's novel last week...here's a very recent (2 days ago, she got to visit him in prison!) picture of him and my beautiful (yes, we're biologically related, don't ask me how!) sister! 

Anyhow, yesterday was his 23rd birthday (yikes! How did THAT happen?) and I also made a cake for our family dinner to celebrate...even though he couldn't be with us.  That's how we roll.  :) 

Side note: HOLY COW is he tall now!  He must have had another growth spurt in the last few months...my sister is just over 5'10"!

• Secondly, we made the bold move of NOT moving, even though it's not what I wanted, because it felt right.  And I'm feeling much better about it...at least, today I am.  I'm counting that as a win!

• Thirdly, I made significant progress with Voodoo in her house training...we're back down to an accident every other day or so, if that!  Woohoo!

• Fourthly and finally, I'm very happy about my progress onfinishing my 4th of July bandana skirt--turns out that mini sewing machine Paul gave me doesn't do more than hem, if that, so I had to do it by hand.  Hopefully I can get a few pictures of me IN in on Monday!

What are YOU proud of this week?