The Knotty Bride DIY

Hi blog friends!

I have not blogged in awhile, I know.  Last week was a busy one for me with Thanksgiving.  We had family over so I was helping my Mom get organized for that and then busy spending time with my family while they were here.  I also had work (I was forced to venture out on Black Friday against my wishes) and have been juggling that with DIYs and little photoshoots since last Thursday.  And to top it all off, it's December now...Wow!  For these next few days I am really swamped with a project deadline (something crafty that will be revealed shortly) but I have some great ideas for December posts that include crafty projects and inspiration.  So sit tight and stay tuned for those starting next week.  I intend to start decorating for Christmas next week, as well as designing our holiday cards, and those are definitely things that will be highlighted here. 

But today I want to focus on a new collaboration that has me super excited!  Last week the new The Knotty Bride blog went live (it's beautiful...check it out!) and this week Alison announced that I will be a regular guest blogger, showcasing some super fabulous DIYs.  My first project was posted on Tuesday and I must say it was an amazing feeling to see my photographs as part of the TKB.  I cannot thank Alison enough for having me and trusting me with her DIY posts.  A few months ago on Twitter, Alison had asked for people wanting to contribute DIY projects.  I contacted her, assuming she wanted a project or two, which I was happy to provide.  I was floored when she asked if I wanted to contribute regularly and even now, after the first DIY has gone live, I'm still pretty speechless.  I received so much great support on Tuesday.  Each and every comment and tweet meant so much to me so thank you everyone for the kind words! 

I am a big lover of the silhouette trend and that was my inspiration for this first TKB project.  Here are some sneak peeks of what I created, styled, and photographed:

Head over to The Knotty Bride to see the full post with all the pictures and the tutorial here.  And yes, the first picture is of me.  I didn't like having to be the model but my options were limited and I just had to 'make it work.'  

I am still contributing regularly to Emmaline Bride so now you can find my projects in two places!  I am honored to be a part of both the EB and TKB teams and am so excited to craft more goodness for their readers.  Check out the new DIY section over at Emmaline Bride for easy access to my projects and a picture of my smiling face. 

Happy Thursday everyone!

Crafted DIY: Silhouette Mason Jars

I love mason jars!  They have such an old-fashioned feel to them and they represent a past era, a time when we canned all of our food (why can't we go back to this?).  Mason jars are making a comeback and they are commonly seen as decor at weddings and events.  I cannot get enough of this trend.  I quickly get tired of seeing things like mustaches on a stick at weddings (really this is the best we can come up with people?) but not mason jars...they are timeless to me.  I decided to incorporate used mason jars into a project for a DIY Contest posted on Ruffled.  To make the jars more unique, I painted silhouettes on them.  There are endless decor possibilities with these painted jars and I believe they make a beautiful, yet simple, statement.  Also, they are relatively easy to achieve (no special skills required).  Here is how you can make your own painted mason jars:

What you'll need:

- mason jars

- paint (I got sample sizes at Home Depot of the Behr Coy Pink 140A-2 and Behr Botanical Tint 480A-2 )

- paint sponges and/or brushes

- Avery sticker project paper

- printer paper & double stick tape (if you don't have Avery sticker paper)

- x-acto knife or scissors

- multiple types of ribbon and lace for decorating

- tags for labeling and decorating

Instructions:

Step 1: Figure out which images or text you plan on painting onto your mason jars and graphically arrange them on your computer using Illustrator, Photoshop, Microsoft Word, etc.  Measure your mason jars and size your images/text accordingly.  I tried to not exceed 2”-3” (length & width) but it all depends on the size of your mason jars and the look you want to achieve.

Step 2: Print out your images/text onto Avery sticker project paper.  If you don’t have this paper, you can print on regular printer paper and just double-stick tape the image to the jars.  Cut out your images/text either as a silhouette or as a stencil.  I used an x-acto knife because it works better with finer details but scissors would work also.  Stick the image/text onto the jars.

Step 3: Paint the mason jars and allow them to properly dry.  I let them sit overnight.  You may decide to paint a second coat.

Step 4: Once the jars are completely dry, remove the stickers.  If some of the paint has seeped in under the edges of the sticker and dried, just use the x-acto knife to scrape away at the paint.  I had to clean up a few edges but the knife quickly does the job.

Step 5: Adorn your jars with ribbons or lace.  I added round tags for the names.  You could accessorize your jars in numerous ways, in whatever colors or themes go with your event.

Here are some pictures showing the painting process:

I had a lot of fun with this project and I loved how my jars turned out.  I decided to do a little styled photoshoot to show off my work.  Here are some of those pictures:

And this is a save-the-date idea.  How cute would it be to receive this in the mail filled with some little treats?  

Later today I will be posting more photos from the mason jar shoot.