25 Cent Word!: Anthropomorphic

I learned a new word- anthropomorphic – suggesting human characteristics for animals or inanimate things, please be prepared for me to throw it around all the time now.  I feel like I just found out about jeans or something.  Like the entire world new there was a word for creepy smilinging vegetalbes, little girls with apple heads and hot dogs with faces happily grilling themselves except me.  It wasn’t until I was using every single adjective in my vocabulary AND both hands trying to describe “those creepy teapots with faces…from the 50’s…shaped like apples…you know?” that my sister-in-law said, “you mean like an anthropomorphic teapot?” 

Gah!  There’s a word for that???  Amazing.

Now would be a great time to check out my brand new Anthropomorphic Label!

Why Don’t You Make Me: Recycled Jar Snowglobes

Why don’t you make me?

Recycled Jar Snowglobes

Recycled jar snowglobes make awesome presents and they’re a perfect project for little ones too.  They’re also eco-friendly because you’re re-using old jars to make them so you can feel good about saving the world while all the while your friends tell you how crafty and talented you are.  Win/win!

Here’s how you do it:

Step 1: Collect your supplies-

You’ll need:

• an old jar (any size)
• distilled water 
• Glycerin (not the Bush song)
• modeling clay
• epoxy
• GLITTER!!
• any non-metal mini figurines

Step 2: Prepare your lid-

Add a quarter size dollop of epoxy to the inside of the lid to adhere the modeling clay to.

Shape modeling clay on top of the epoxy into a small mound for your figurines to stand on.  The modeling clay also helps seal the threads of the jar to make it watertight. 

Add figurines.  (Yellow deer with red eyes?  Don’t mind if I do!)

**Tip:  I added some additional clay to the base of the trees to give them more stability.**

 Step 3: Prepare water-

Fig.1

Fig. 2
Fill jar to just below the threads with distilled water.                                                                        **Tip: It’s important to use distilled water, I tried to use some diy distilled water (aka boiling water and letting it cool) and it was cloudy.  See Fig. 1, tap water and Fig. 2, distilled water.**

Add approximately 1 tablespoon of Glycerin to the water.  (Glycerin keeps the glitter suspended in the water longer rather than having it fall straight to the bottom.)

Next, add GLITTER!!

 I used a mix of 3 types of white glitter-

one of which was called “Random Disco” which coincidentally is the name of my new band that I haven’t formed yet.

 Step 4: Screw it.
Place assembled lid onto awaiting jar, screw in place.

 Turn it over and make it rain!

Err, snow.  Make it snow. 

 And you’re done!  Now all that’s left to do is place these bad larries in your best Christmas tablescape and call it a day.  

Merry Christmas you crafty bastard. 

Wedding Wednesday: Tchotchke Centerpiece/Favors

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…and with a little less than 5 hours left of this beautiful, rainy Wednesday I bring you:

 

                                                                                                              Picture by Kristen Mallory

WEDDING WEDNESDAY: 

TCHOTCHKE EDITION! 

For a full year before my wedding I collected tchotchkes from junk shops, second hand stores, garage sales and of course, Etsy to create my combination centerpiece/favors. 

There were a couple of rules for collecting these hollow treasures, they needed to be:

a. planters

b. under $7 (american currency) and

c. a little “off”….not exactly ugly, just “off”.

To make them into centerpieces was truly a family affair.  We (my 4 year old flowergirl, Sister and I) planted succulents in all of the tchotchkes, put them on wooden disks (cut especially for me by my loving Father), accompanied them with precious little terra cotta pots filled with small white flowers (put together by Lady, my Mom) added hand stamped signs (Made by Liz) that said, “take me home tonight!” and then they were all artfully arranged on each table by my BFF, Gina Marie.

Pictures by Meredith Mascola

The results were 100% unique, semi home-made, adorable little bits of precious that I could hardly stand to give away!!  These were SUCH a huge hit I was blown away!  People were hiding them from each other and stealing them off tables all night.  I personally saw the squirrel change hands at least 3 times, I’m still hearing stories about who the rightful owner should be.  And now the fun part is finding out where all of them went.  I love going to friend’s houses and seeing which planter everyone ended up with (aka who swiped what while no-one else was looking!)