Going With The Flow

Earlier this year I was so happy to be contacted by Flow Magazine in The Netherlands. They were preparing their Flow Holiday book and wanted to feature my Memory Jar project.

 This week the Editor, Ellen, sent me a copy so I could see my feature!

The magazine is beautiful. There's some lovely items in it including paper photo frames, stickers, a holiday journal, pretty papers and paper bunting...

This is my first feature in print and you'll have to forgive me showing it off - I am over the moon!

Why not create your own Memory Jar?

Perhaps you have some bits and pieces you have collected from your holiday this year?

See how I created mine here

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Get Knotted

Another use for old coffee jars ... 

This knotted twine lantern has a nautical feel and is a great upcycle craft.

Craftberry Bush's tutorial is fantastic and I used it as a guide to create my lantern.

I did a trial run with some wool and once I got the hang of the knotting, I got out the twine. 

Rather than use a separate piece of twine around the top of the jar (as in point 1 of the tutorial), I just cut one of my 6 pieces a little longer and looped it around the top of the jar before knotting.

Once my knots had reached the bottom of the jar, I simply tied opposite strands tightly together. As most jar bottoms are concaved, these knots wouldn't impede the lantern should it be standing.

A doubled-up piece of twine tied to the top of the jar gave my lantern its handle.

Looking forward to making more and hanging them around the garden this Summer. Though they're beautiful lit indoors too.

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Forever Autumn

The Japanese Maple in our garden is shedding beautiful leaves - creating a colourful blanket on our patio.

I had to do something with these - such a shame to allow them to decay.

A tea light holder ... using the trusty jar

I used PVA glue to paste the leaves around the jar 

Once dry, I simply wrapped and tied some raffia around the neck of the jar

I've been wanting to use this raffia for sometime and the gold and bronze were perfect for this project

A simple autumn decoration; preserving the beauty of season and helping to add warmth to the home on these increasingly cooler evenings

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More jar upcycling (and no twine in sight!)

After the success of my napkin covered pickle jar tea light holder, I decided to use the same idea to recycle what was left from a Christmas candle... the glass jar ... to create a faux stained glass effect.

I simply punched out different sized circles of red and purple tissue paper (sandwiched in between normal paper, so it wouldn't tear when punched). 

Then using a brush, I randomly applied the circles to the glass with PVA, covering all four sides.

It took a couple of hours to dry (I got a little brush-happy with the PVA!), but it was worth the wait.

And not only can it be used as a vase, it also works well as a tealight holder...

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Memory Jar

Last week we spent a few amazing days staying in a decommissioned lighthouse.

Belle Tout Lighthouse lies on the cliffs of Beachy Head in East Sussex.

We stayed in the Beach Hut themed room and enjoyed daily walks along the cliffs. On the evenings we relaxed sipping wine in the Lamp Room at the top of the lighthouse.

When we came home, I realised we hadn't bought a keepsake to remind us of our time down there. So using some bits I collected from the beach below the cliffs, I made a Memory Jar.

I used PicMonkey to add effect to a photograph I took of the working lighthouse at Beachy Head (our room overlooked it).

By adapting a paper clip, I came up with a stand for my picture to attach to.

I then put some sand, pebbles and shells into the jar along with the photo stand. I also put some sand into the lid of the coffee jar.

Finally I designed and printed a date tag, attached it to the jar with twine - I love (t)wine! - and added a shell with some thin craft wire.

A decorative keepsake to remind us of our fab break at Belle Tout Lighthouse, Beachy Head.

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**UPDATE: Memory Jar featured in Flow Magazine**

British Enlightenment

This year is a biggie for Britain.

The 2012 Olympics in London and our Queen's Diamond Jubilee. 

I have decided to do a few (eek! few is more than 2, best get some ideas... fast!!!) patriotic craft creations over the next month. 

Now being a lover of pickled onions and gherkins, I always have glass jars destined for the bi-weekly recycle collection. Surely they have a life post pickle??!

After the success of my crochet tealight cosies, I thought the jars could be used to light up our Jubilee celebrations.

Union Jack merchandise is everywhere and the cheapest is the paper napkin.

And so this tale begins...

Pickle jar, Union Jack napkins and some garden twine

I cut the napkin to size (enough to wrap around the jar) and split the printed area of the napkin from the plain piece.

Then the fun began! PVA! Lashings of it!!!

I gradually rolled the jar across the napkin, dabbing gently as I went along, to make sure all parts of the napkin stuck. (I didn't worry about the creases... they add to the textured effect)

I then let it dry - the napkin wet with PVA was delicate, so best to let it set before moving on to the next step.

The finishing touch; Garden twine, wrapped around the top of the jar to hide the lid thread.

Indoors

Outdoors...

I'm sure our Queen Liz and Prince Phil are busy making some already ;)

*** NEVER LEAVE LIT TEALIGHTS UNATTENDED ***

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