clip art for glass etching!

A reader asked if I had any templates for mustaches. Ask and you shall receive! I would love to see your finished projects! You can add pictures to Fan Photos on the Jar's Facebook page! Load 'em up! Hope you all are having a lovely week and I'll see you back here New Year's Day for a HUGE announcement!

winner of lala photospot photo session!!!!!

The winner of the photo shoot with Vonnie is......{drum roll please}

Julie W!

She wrote:

"I would love a free photo session to get my maternity pictures taken!"

Congratulations to Julie on both winning the photo session and on your baby boy coming in March!

Thank you to everybody who lent their INCREDIBLE talent to the Jar for the 12 Days of Christmas. I hope everybody had fun! Now, I'm off to finish putting together toys that came in a million pieces. I wish that every single one of you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy new year. Start counting down the days because on January 1, 2011 I have a VERY exciting announcement to share!

day 12 - peppermint bark and a paper bow by help me ronda!

I can't believe our 12 days of Christmas are already over at the Jar! It has really been fun for me and I hope you've found lots of holiday inspiration and had a lot of fun too! Don't forget to comment on yesterday's post for a chance to win a free photography session with Vonnie!

Today's guest post is brought to you by the most fabulous Help Me Ronda. Make sure you cozy up and sit and stay awhile at her blog! She's one of those people that everything she touches turns into something jaw dropping. A MacGyver...of crafting! Enjoy!

I love the holidays & gift giving. I made some peppermint bark to give out to friends. It was simple & easy to make. There are directions on my blog here on how to make the bark. I was trying to decide how to package it up when I found this cute little cans in my craftroom that used to hold paper flowers. After washing it out, I decorated the can with pattern paper and added a cute little bow on top. My friend emily showed me how to make that paper bow and now I am going to show you.

First cut 6 strips of pattern paper 6” x 5/8” and one strip 3” x 5/8”. Mark the 6” pieces in the center of the side you want to show. I like the green side so you will see an “X” on the 3” mark.


Add a drop of liquid glue to the center of the strip

Wrap the pattern paper end towards the center making a pointy loop. Repeat this with other end. It should look like a figure 8.

Once you have all 6 pieces complete you can start layering the pieces. I used a dab of glue in the center, then press & hold until dried.

First create a cross, then add in the next few layers changing the direction of the points.

Make a loop with the 3” strip and glue into the center of the bow. It is so simple & so cute to make. You can use pattern paper, Christmas magazines, brown paper bags. So completely adorable.

XoXo,
Ronda

day 11 - lala photospot GIVEAWAY!!!!

Hello!

My name is Vonnie and I am the lucky shutter bug that has been fortunate enough to work with Leslie over the past year. I have always loved the art behind creative photography and the idea that a single moment can be frozen in time. However, most people do not think of photography in this way and often opt for the traditional studio type portraits to document their family’s growth.

Traditional studio portraits can produce beautiful well-crafted photos but they can often lack the simple nuances that make your family uniquely wonderful. So, what is a busy gal to do you ask? Well the answer is simple-pick your camera and start clicking away! Step out of the box and away from the idea the pictures are suppose to be perfect. Start thinking about the simple moments that make of your family’s day and document them. Don’t be afraid to zoom in tight, not get everyone’s head in the frame, or to just take a picture of your child’s wacky socks. What you will find is that your pictures are filled with:

JOY

LOVE

LAUGHTER

...LIFE AS AN ART

Just try it! You won’t be disappointed and you may even get a good laugh or two.

So, in the spirit of, “The Jar’s” 12 days of Christmas and my passion for documenting families through the art of photography-I am giving away a free mini-session for the spring! As you have most likely guessed my photo style is non-traditional, which is not for everyone and that is okay! But make sure you visit my site, you never know you might be surprised by what you like.

For one entry visit Vonnie's share site at http://lalaphotospot.shutterfly.com/ and leave a comment on your favorite picture.

For an additional entry leave a comment about your favorite family moment that you have captured through your own lens either here on the blog or on the Jar's Facebook page.

For an additional entry, follow Jar of Vintage Buttons by clicking the "Follow" button to the left on the blog.

The giveaway is open to residents of the Greater Cincinnati area (or if you are willing to drive to a local spot here in the Greater Cincy area!) The contest begins now and comments will close at 9PM on Thursday, December 23rd. I will announce the winner shortly thereafter!

Good Luck!

day 10 - diy pom poms by susan!

As a kid I LOVED crafting. My poor parents' fridge fell victim to many, somewhat tacky, creations. After graduating I was lucky to work nights at a small scrapbook store where my love of paper, fabric and card making developed. Today, between work, potty training, and play dates, I still love having the opportunity to create and design party invitations or simple decorations.

Pom poms are a "warm and fuzzy" memory from my childhood. I can remember my mom creating yarn pom poms for Halloween costumes and projects. Last year,while trying to create a flower for my daughter's birthday invitation, a fabric version of the pom pom seemed to be a perfect fit! Enjoy and have a Happy Christmas!

Fabric Pom Poms Supplies:

Two Cardboard "Donuts" (mini lesson ahead...you will need two circular objects to trace, thin cardboard and a pencil)

Sharp Scissors

String

¼ inch Fabric Strips

"Donut" Directions

Trace two circular objects to create a set of "donuts" out of thin cardboard.
I used a measuring cup (approximately 3 inches) and a paint bottle (1 ¼inch).

Pom Pom Directions

Cut or tear multiple ¼ inch strips of fabric.

Place both "donuts" together.

Hold the end of the fabric on the outer edgeof the donut.

Wrap the fabric around the donut through the hole in the center.

When ending a strip of fabric, trim at the outer edge.

Wrap fabric around the donut until the inside circle is half its original diameter.

Using the sharp point of your scissors, burrow and snip between the two pieces of cardboard.

Cut half way around the circle.

Insert a piece of string between the two donuts.

Continue to trim around the circle.

Gently separate the donuts, pull string as tight as possible, and tie a double knot (I recommend leaving the string long if you want to hang the pompom. If not, trim away).

Over a trash can, fluff pom pom and trim any pieces that seem a bit too long.

Add your fabulous pom poms to a party hat, headband or make a festive garland.

winner - personalized plaque by wildcatgal!

I have a winner for the personalized plaque by wildcatgal!!! And the winner is...

RoseMamie!!!!

She said:

"So cute!! I'd gift this to a soon to be mother and dear baby boy, it would look adorable over his crib! Thanks for the chance to win!"

Congrats! I hope you enjoy your personalized plaque :) Give me a shout so I can forward you Jessica's email address!

day 9 - diy - glass etching 101 from yours truly...Jar of Vintage Buttons

It's just me, so don't get too excited :) I had a day to fill and thought I could entertain you with a great tutorial on glass etching. It's so easy to do and makes wonderful personalized gifts on any flat glass or mirrored surface.

Supplies:

your glass item - I'm using a beer glass

glass etching cream (found at any craft store)

paint brush

glass cleaner and paper towel

printed image

printable sticker sheet

x-acto knife

Step 1: clean your glass item well with glass cleaner ensuring there are no fingerprints

Step 2: print your image on the sticker sheet and cut around the image leaving plenty of room around the image

Step 3: Carefully stick your image on the glass making sure there aren't any air bubbles

Step 4: Using your x-acto knife VERY carefully cut out the outline of your image

Step 5: Peel the inside of your outlined image off the glass and wipe again with glass cleaner

Step 6: Paint a generous amount of the etching cream onto your stencil. Remember that whatever the etching cream touches it will frost that area so be careful that the cream does not drip.

Step 7: Let sit for 5 minutes

Step 8: Wash the etching cream off and remove the remaining sticker sheet from the glass.

Step 9: Wash the glass thoroughly and you are now ready to enjoy a funny frosty beverage :)

The etching is permanent and dishwasher safe! I've used this same technique to make monogrammed sets of glasses for gifts and even monogrammed small mirrors and glued ribbon on the back as an ornament. The possibilities are really endless and one small jar of etching cream will last through many projects. Have fun!

day 8 - diy ornament bud vase

Such a cute and quick fun DIY project from a crafty little momma, Tasha!

Supplies:

larger size glass or plastic ball ornament
tea cup size plate (any color that coordinates with your ornament)
hot glue gun
fresh or artificial flowers

Step one: remove the top from the ornament Step two: hot glue the ornament to the plate Step three: if you are using fresh flowers, fill the ornament with water and then add and arrange your flowers. If you are using artificial flowers, just add them and arrange and you're done!

Now you have a very unique and very cute flower vase and what a great way to reuse old ornaments!

I couldn't resist trying one of these myself! I changed it up a bit and instead of a flower I opted for a small branch I found in my backyard. I already had this large clear bulb ornament with our monogram etched on it. (Tutorial on glass etching TOMORROW!) Fun paper flowers are fashioned from and old book and a little pink glittery bird finish it off. It looks so cute in Kate's room :)

day 7 - holiday entertaining inspiration and recipes!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for the personalized plaque by wildcatgal! Giveaway entries close at 9PM EST on Thursday!

And now for a little holiday inspiration and recipes from my friend, Heather!

Hi! My name is Heather Walton and I just love to cook. I love all food (except beets & chicken liver!) and I enjoy trying different types of cuisines. I also have fun entertaining. I get a lot of satisfaction when I see others enjoying my creations. As for the food, I lean very strongly towards the healthier side of things, seeing as I’m always weight conscious and I try to stick with mostly whole foods. I just feel better when I eat balanced and whole and stay away from all the processed and packaged junk that has become "the norm" in our industrialized diets of today. So, my goal here is to give you some healthy appetizer options for entertaining this holiday season. They’re all fairly easy and have been road tested by me and my friends…and they’re good to go! Even if you have friends that are known "junkies", I guarantee most of them will still appreciate the taste of good, quality, clean food and will like these recipes. And they’ll be getting a health boost at the same time. Gosh, you’re such a good friend!!! ;)

As for the entertaining part, my motto is KISS – Keep It Simple Sweetie. Bright serving dishes will automatically make it a party! Prepare anything in advance that you can. Always use the freshest and best ingredients that you can afford. Your guests will give thanks with their compliments. So, I hope that you’re able to enjoy some of the following recipes with your friends and family this holiday season. A very happy and healthy one to you and yours!

Veggie Tray with dips

You can never go wrong with a veggie tray. It’s always good to have one for those who may want a healthier option. However, there is usually only one "dip"…Ranch. Although Ranch is tasty, it doesn’t have a lot of health benefits so you’re kind of wiping out the healthfulness of the veggies w/the saturated fat laden Ranch. So, try these other dipping options for your guests. Not only will they like them, they’ll likely appreciate your effort to provide the ‘not so average’ veggie tray. I did this recently and even my friend, who is a known "food junkie" (mozzarella sticks & french fries are her staple foods), loved the labneh! As for veggies, it’s totally up to you!

Labneh

24 oz Plain Greek Yogurt (I use Greek God’s…easy to find at Kroger)

½ tsp salt

½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, pressed or very finely chopped

Strain yogurt through cheese cloth overnight.

It will leave you with almost exactly 2 cups of yogurt once the excess water has drained from it.

Mix in salt, olive oil and garlic. Refrigerate at least an hour before serving to let the flavors marry.

Hummus – I’ve tried several homemade hummus recipes and this is my favorite, by far

15oz can chickpeas – keep the liquid

2 cloves of garlic

½ lemon, juice

½ Tbsp salt

2 Tbsp tahini

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Drain chickpeas and set the liquid aside. Put all ingredients in food processor and blend well. It is never the consistency that I prefer at this point so I add a few tablespoons of the chickpea liquid and continue to blend. Keep adding liquid until you get your desired consistency.

Butternut, Goat Cheese & Walnut Spread

This spread is unusual and not for everyone as some people don’t care for goat cheese. But those that love goat cheese, love this dish! And for as heavy as it is, it’s very refreshing and it’s rather healthy.

1 medium butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs)

1 whole garlic head

1 Tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp salt

3oz goat cheese

¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

36 – ½ inch thick slices French bread/baguette

Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side down on a foil-lined jelly roll pan coated w/cooking spray. Remove papery skin from the garlic head (don’t peel or separate cloves). Wrap garlic in foil. Place garlic on pan w/squash and bake @ 400° for 30 – 35 minutes (squash should be tender). Cool slightly and scoop out the pulp from the squash into your food processor. Cut off the bottom of the garlic and squeeze the roasted pulp it into the food processor. Add lemon juice, salt and cheese and process until smooth. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with baguette slices.

Spicy Roasted Edamame

When you roast edamame, they get crisp and almost hard, like a nut. But, these are healthier than nuts to have sitting out for guests. And well, it’s something different to keep your guests on their toes.

14oz pkg frozen blanched shelled edamame, thawed (Private Selection @ Kroger)

1 Tbsp chili powder (I used Mexene. It’s a blend that tastes great. It’s inexpensive and you can find it at Kroger)

1 tsp onion powder

¾ tsp sea salt

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a jelly roll pan w/cooking spray and spread the edamame out in a single layer. Combine all powders in a bowl and sprinkle over edamame. Toss to coat. Bake for 1.5 hours, stirring beans every 30 minutes.

Are you hungry yet? Try one of these delicious recipes out at your holiday party!

day 6 - giveaway from wildcatgal!

Welcome back to the second week of the 12 Days of Christmas. We are staring off with a fabulous giveaway from another talented crafter, Jessica, of wildcatgal. Enjoy!

I am thrilled to be a part of the "12 days of Christmas"! My name is Jessica Salyers and I will openly admit that I am no crafting queen and not even close to the talents of our "Jar of Vintage Buttons" blogger! I do however, love trying my best and seeing what the end result is. One of my favorite things to do is to read the blogs of all these talented women. In doing that last year, I saw a post on http://southernhospitalityblog.com/ focusing on how to make these adorable personalized wooden letter signs. I tried my hand at it and ended up LOVING it! I now sell them, give them away as gifts, make them for my own house...you name it! I do not have an etsy site (I will get one eventually), but I would love for you to follow my blog and I would love to follow yours in return http://www.wildcatgal.blogspot.com/.

Jessica has generously offered to give the winner of this giveaway a personalized wooden letter sign in the colors and letter of your choice! What an AHHHH-DORABLE gift or a new addition to your decor.

The contest begins now and will end Thursday night at 9:oo PM EST. You can enter up to 3 times!!!

For one entry, leave a comment on this post or on Facebook and tell me what you would do with the sign if you win.

For an additional entry, visit Jessica's blog and click "follow"

For one more additional entry click to "follow" Jar of Vintage Buttons. As always leave me a comment to let me know you did that!

Have fun and good luck!

day 5 - adventures in making marmalade by the hungry bee

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you have enjoyed the first week of the 12 Days of Christmas at the Jar! Stay tuned next week for more DIYs, inspiration and giveaways! Enjoy this scrumptious DIY from the Hungry Bee!

As soon as the temperature slightly dropped in Miami, I had the sudden urge to make jam. I had never made jam before, but I thought it might make for a fun holiday project. My original plan was to make strawberry jam with hand-picked fruit from a farm in Homestead known for its delicious strawberry shakes and fresh produce. Once the season opened, I hurried down to the farm on my day off, but as it turned out, the berry field would not be ready until January.

Determined to make my jam dreams come true, my experiment began with a test run of store-bought strawberries which I used to make a small batch of jam with my newly purchased canning equipment. I have to admit it took me several days to research canning history, safe procedures (yes, you do not want to give anyone botulism), and the necessary tools involved. I could go on for pages discussing all the details of jar and lid sterilization, preserving temperatures, etc, but instead, here is the link to a lengthy but very useful USDA document covering every aspect of this culinary process: Complete Guide to Home Canning (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/usda/2_USDAcanningGuide1_06.pdf).

The strawberry jam turned out delicious, but I still continued with the idea to use a local seasonal fruit for a larger batch.

I proceeded to try my luck with citrus. Due to the lack of local berries this time of year, I decided to try orange marmalade instead. I guess you can’t get more Florida than that! I followed a recipe from a charming cookbook called Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry by Liana Krissoff. My grandma, who is visiting from Lima, helped me digest the directions and made a wonderful sous-chef. She actually remembered every single step and measurement better than I did!

This is how we did it (makes exactly 6 half-pint jelly jars):

4 pounds of navel oranges (about 7 to 10)
2 lemons
1/3 cup strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cups of sugar

The very first thing to consider when you enter the kitchen is to get the canning pot filled with water (1-2 inches of water over the jars) and on the stove, as it will take about 30 minutes to boil. This water will be used for both sterilizing the jars/lids and processing the preserves. I recently purchased a 21.5 quart granite ware canner with a rack. It is that extremely large but light-weight pot you sometimes see at hardware stores which is black with white specks. The rack helps to keep the jars from touching the bottom of the pan or other jars which can weaken the glass jars.

While the canning water heats up, peel the well-scrubbed oranges and finely julienne the zest to make 1½ cups. Segment the oranges with a sharp knife over a bowl to catch the juice, seeds, and membranes. Put the membrane-free orange segments into a wide, 6 to 8 quart pan (I used an enameled cast-iron pan which weighs a ton) along with the zest. Strain the juice from the bowl into a measuring cup and complete a total of 3 cups with water. Pour into pan.

Next, segment 2 unpeeled lemons and cut into small pieces and put in the pan, leaving behind the membranes and seeds. Also squeeze the other 2 lemons to make 1/3 of a cup of strained juice and pour into pan. Turn the heat of the pan to high. Use 4 layers of cheesecloth to make a tied bag containing the orange and lemon membranes and seeds. Drop the bag into the pan.

Boil all components for a couple of minutes, then drop the heat to simmer for about 30 minutes until the zest is tender. Let cool until the bag can be handled and squeeze as much juice as you can from the bag and into the pan. Throw the bag away.

Add the sugar to the pan and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes until the mixture reaches 220 °F.

Place your sterilized jars and lids on a towel to dry for a minute (a jar lifter is useful for easy and safe removal of jars out of the boiling water). Ladle the hot marmalade into the jars, leaving about a ¼ inch headspace at the top. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars and place the flat lid and ring on each jar (rings do not require sterilization). Screw on rings just to the point where you feel resistance. It is important not to over-tighten the lid rings since air bubbles must escape out of the jars during processing.

Return the closed, filled jars into the boiling water of the canning pot. Process for 5 minutes. Remove the jars out of the pot and place them on a towel to be undisturbed for at least 12 hours. You will hear a ‘pop’ sound made by the center of the lids pulling downwards. This means they sealed properly. If this does not occur, the jar should be refrigerated immediately for preserving.

Your preserves should last for a year, especially if kept in a cool, dark place. In Miami, I wouldn’t go for more than 6 months and refrigerate after opening due to our warm and humid climate.

I hope you enjoyed reading my entry. Thanks Leslie for the guest spot!

Feel free to comment with any questions you might have. You can also check out my brand new blog at http://thehungrybee11.blogspot.com/

Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!

~Melissa

winner - from jewelry by misty!

I have a winner for the first giveaway from the 12 days of Christmas at the Jar! And the winner is:

Sheri Wiles

She said:

"I love the festival of beads bracelet. I like colorful jewelry! Very pretty!"

Congratulations Sheri! I hope you enjoy your bracelet and earrings! Be on the look out for 2 more fabulous giveaways from the Jar!

day 4 - snowman onesie by heartfelt helen

I love all of the holiday baby clothes out there, and even own several of them that remark "Baby's 1st Christmas". They are adorable, but I wanted to show that my son, Finn, will look good for his first Christmas without having to be so literal about it. Hence, the creation of his snowman onesie!
Materials:
orange, black, and white felt ($0.30 a piece at just about any craft store)
scissors
fabric glue
pencil
permanent marker (or pen)
quarter and dime (why use a template when these are so easy to trace!)
onesie or t-shirt
Step 1: For the "coal" on the mouth, trace a dime 5 times on black felt using a pencil. It will be a tiny bit hard to see, so don't be shy about going around a few times for good measure.

Step 2: For the eyes, trace a quarter 2 times on the black felt.

Step 3: For the whites of the eyes, trace the bottom of the permanent marker 2 times.

Step 4: This is the step that involves the most creative ad libbing... make a carrot-shaped nose on the orange felt. Even a simple, crooked triangle will do!

Step 5: Cut out all of the shapes (you should have 10 total).

Step 6: Place the "face" of the snowman on the onesie to make sure you like the layout, then cover the entire back of each cutout with fabric glue and attach it (if you get really generous with your glue application, you may want to slip a sheet of paper between the layers of fabric so they don't stick). You can attach the whites of the eyes either before or after you attach the black parts. Follow the glue's directions for drying and you have yourself a snowman onesie for your little one over the holidays!

This would also be fun for totes, aprons, etc.

Check out my other creations for Finn (and of course a few for mommy!) at heartfelthelen.blogspot.com