DIY Stained Mason Jar

There is nothing prettier than a vintage blue mason jar. Okay; maybe a vintage blush pink mason jar, but I was all out of that color. But purchasing those blue mason jars can make a hole in your pocket [this is why I only have one and I can't believe it was only $14!] when finding them at the antique shops. What if I told you that you can turn any regular ol' mason jar in to one of those pretty and popular vintage blue mason jars [or any other color you prefer!]?! Well, you can! 

Supplies:

Mod Podge

Food coloring

Mason jar [or any other label-free, clear jar]

Paper cup or plate

Plastic spoon

Paint brush

Wax paper

Procedure:

-Preheat oven to 200 degrees

-Mix 2 tablespoons of water with 4 tablespoons mod podge

-Put in about 5 or 6 drops food coloring and mix

-Pour mixture in to jar [a little bit at a time] and paint the mixture up the sides of the jar all the way to the lip

-Place jar upside down on wax paper and place on a baking sheet

-Bake in oven for about 3-4 minutes

-Pull out jar and wipe up excess mixture from lip and smooth out any drip streaks on the inside of jar [I didn't do this on the first three jars and you can tell in the photos that they streaked]

-Place right side up on wax paper and place back in oven

-Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until transparent

Let cool then use!

For a fraction of the cost you can have the pretty vintage blue mason jars all around your house!

Oven-Baked S'mores

The biggest and best thing you can have when camping is s'mores. The billowy marshmallow, the dripping chocolate, the crisp crunch of the graham cracker all with that smoky camp fire taste and smell. Literally the best invention dessert-wise ever. Hands down. But when I'm home I crave s'mores too, not just when camping. We have a fire pit in the backyard but it's just too hot most nights to sit out in the heat with the skeeters around a fire to roast a couple s'mores. So instead I stay inside my air conditioned home and bake them instead! They're super easy and take no more than 5 minutes to make. 

Gather up your s'mores essentials plus a baking sheet and set the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange your graham crackers on the baking sheet and top them with one marshmallow.

Once your oven is preheated, bake the s'mores for 3 minutes. Your marshmallows should be round and plump and very slightly browned on top.

Take the baking sheet out and place the chocolate on top of the marshmallow and put back in to the oven for a minute or less... we don't want the chocolate to melt entirely in the oven. The hot marshmallow will melt it the rest of the way.

 Place them on a plate and put another graham cracker on top and enjoy. 

 These come out almost as perfectly as the ones when camping, although they don't have that camp fire taste and smell to them. Who likes to light your marshmallow on fire and burn the outer layer? Me! I love that burnt, crispy taste and feel. But these s'mores are sure to tie you over until you get to enjoy them over the camp fire! 

DIY Garbage Disposal Fresheners

If you're using your garbage disposal as you should be then it wont take long before it gets a little stinky. But if you make these quick and easy little balls of freshness you can rid of the smell and have a fresh smelling disposal. With just a few ingredients [that you already have, I'm sure!] these can be whipped up in minutes.

[Note: these will need to dry out over night or all day]

Materials:

-baking soda

-salt

-lemon

-essential oil, any scent [optional. i used an orange scent]

-dish soap

-grater

-melon baller or spoon

-wax paper

-container

Procedure:

-Measure out 3/4 c. to 1 c. baking soda. Depending on how juicy your lemon is, I would start with 3/4 c. and add the rest if it's not the right consistency. Pour into mixing bowl.

-Measure 1/2 c. salt and add to baking soda

-Mix to make sure it isn't lumpy

-Grate lemon peel into the mixture

-Cut lemon in half and squeeze out all of the juice

-Measure 1 teaspoon dish soap and add to mixture

-Put a few drop of essential oil in [optional]

-Mix together until you get a coarse consistency, like wet sand. If it's too liquidy, add the other 1/4 c. baking soda. 

-Take your melon baller or spoon and scoop out little balls. Place them on a sheet of wax paper.

-Leave out over night or all day to dry

-Put them in a cute container and keep next to the sink or under the sink to save counter space.

When your disposal is smelling a little funky just drop one in and turn it on!

DIY Lip Balm

Many lip balms out there contain ingredients that can be harmful to your skin and lips causing more damage. Isn’t the reason you use lip balm is to help with chapped lips? Why cause more damage by using a product claiming to do just that?

You could go out and buy an all natural lip balm and lip balm that doesn’t contain phenol, menthol, salicylic acid, vitamin e or alcohol. Or you could just make your own!

It’s really easy and only takes a few ingredients. Ingredients you may already have!

Gather:

Coconut Oil

Petroleum Jelly

Beeswax

A pack of kool-aid {yes, Kool-aid!!} in any color {we used cherry}

Small container for the lip balm. I found mine at Forever21; they came in a beauty kit with some bottles in a cute bag. Even came with a funnel!

Shave one tablespoon of beeswax into a microwave safe bowl

Add 4 tablespoons coconut oil and 4 tablespoons of petroleum jelly

Heat in microwave for about 45 seconds or until melted

Mix in as little or as much of the kool-aid as youd like until dissolved. We used cherry, but as you can tell, it turned it a nice plum color. We got it for flavor purposes more-so than color preference.

Pour into the container and let set for a couple hours. Or put in the fridge for about an hour. Then use and enjoy!

The containers came with cute little spatulas too.

Loving the plum color too! When you apply the lip balm there is a slight hint of the color.

I added a cute little label to them

Pinspiration Friday

This weeks Pinspiration is super functional! And much needed in the bathroom or your camping supplies! I saw this over at The Burlap Bag and knew I needed to put this craft under my belt. I changed it up, using the entire lid, which made it easier to stick the sand paper on. 

To make this you will need:

a mason jar with lid

stick on fine sandpaper {not super fine}

strike anywhere matches

Put the matches in the jar

Trace the lid on the back of the sandpaper and cut out

Stick on to lid

Put lid on

So easy!

DIY 'Stay In' Date Jar

 Since baby has arrived, the man and I have had absolutely no time together alone. Oh, I am not complaining at all and I certainly knew that was going to happen, but baby is a bit older now and has more of a sleeping schedule. Also, big sister's bed time is pretty early still so after the kids go to bed we have a little bit of time 'alone' to enjoy before baby wakes up for a feeding and Richard has to go to bed. 

As with any couple, bringing home a baby can be a little straining on one's marriage and though we have managed okay, I still don't want to lose that closeness with him so for Valentine's I made him a 'Stay In' Date Jar. They're all dates we can do at home after the kids are in bed. 

There are several ways you can make one to fit your style and schedule, but this is how I made mine:

Materials:

Empty coffee can

Burlap ribbon {or other ribbon/material}

Popsicle sticks

Pen

Hot glue gun

How to:

Peel off the coffee can label

Wrap the ribbon/material around the can and hot glue at ends {I also added some heart bunting}

Write out dates on the popsicle sticks

Now go put those kiddies down for bed and get your date on! 

Some date ideas:

Rent a movie and snuggle under a blanket with popcorn

Make dessert together and enjoy

Play a board game

Put a puzzle together

Take silly photos

Prepare everything for the next day {ie: lists, lunches, outfits, etc}

Sit out on the porch and watch the stars

Do a cross word puzzle

Look up silly/funny YouTube vids

Really the list could go on and on. What stay in dates would you add to your jar? 

Pinspiration Friday

Happy Friday! How was everyone's week? Mine was super productive! I love weeks like that. It mostly has to do with blogging and some other awesome stuff that a bloggy friend and I are creating. I know, the suspense! You all will find out soon! Mostly because we are just SO EXCITED for this to happen and to get started and are becoming impatient! Soon. Soon.

Today I am sharing with you one of the first pins I had added to the Pinspiration Friday board months ago. I have been wanting to make it for the kids {mostly Bry right now} so we headed to Home Depot this week and got what we needed for it.

Here is the original Pinspiration:

{{Via}}

I took that concept and made it my own. I really wanted to use some big scraps of fabric I have had sitting for over a year now and found a pretty moss green piece screaming 'staple me, staple me!!'

In the original pin, she used duct tape, but I'm a cheapskate and all of the duct tape I have cost me a pretty penny so fabric was a much better option for me. My daughter and I took the fabric and stretched it around the board and stapled it.

I am not that good at this apparently, but it works. 

The dowel we had purchased for this purpose is a little too small so we need to head back and get a bigger dowel.

But Bry had fun trying to get herself balanced anyway. She has been on it for the past 30 minutes seeing how many times she can stay balanced and for how long. I wish everything entertained my kids this much all the time! Ha!

Do you have any Pinspirations brewing right now? Share with me!

Oh, and if you didn't know yet, I am hosting a Fabric Swap! Head on over to the post to read the rules and guidelines then email me to sign up! Going to be such a fun swap! 

{W.I.P} Wednesday

It's hump day, whoop whoop! I'm excited about today because I get to go visit one of my best bloggy friends Heidi from Antlers & Roses. So glad we live like 20 minutes from each other! 

If you've been following me on IG and Facebook, you've seen that I am now making infinity scarves. Can we say addicted? I love creating things, but it's even better when that thing takes less than 10 minutes to make when I run a household that consists of one adult child {I love him anyway} and two littles plus a doggie! I'm all for easy! {Okay, I do like a challenge now and again, too.}

So I've been pumping out infinity scarves like there is no tomorrow, but I have one I am currently working on that I can't finish quite yet. Why? This mama doesn't have any time! Hopefully I'll be able to get it done this weekend so I can wear it. Yep; this ones for me and me only! 

{Although the feather print reminds me of another dear bloggy friend of mine Torrie from Free Spirit Reigns}

Lovely fabric picked from the ladies at Picking Daisies in SLO

Eeeeeee, can't wait to get this one finished!

What are you currently working on?