DIY How to make faux hobnail milk glass vases

I was shopping at the grocery store today for beans, as I was going to make a
Kale & Bean soup. 

Noticing the split peas, I was reminded of a craft I made when I was
little at Camp Fire Girls.  I think we made these fake milk glass vases
for our mothers.  So, I bought some split peas and went to work
to see if I could re-create the. 

I couldn't remember exactly how to make them, but I got it
after a few tries. 

You need a glass, vase or other vessel.  I think a pilsner would look nice
as a vase.  I just used what I had on hand: a glass vase and a glass bottle. 

Elmer's Glue
Spray Paint
Split Peas

You can buy spray paint that works on plastic, so perhaps you could use plastic containers as well, or find
old glasses and vases at thrift shops, yard sales and perhaps a dollar store. 

I first tried on a Coronita bottle.  That didn't work out well, as I didn't spray paint the bottle first. 

Spray paint your glass in choice of colors. I tried white and green.  Let it dry. 
Today was hot, and humid, so drying was a little slow and I was impatient. 

Glue the split peas onto your glass.  You can stagger rows or make a monogram perhaps.  I just
tried a basic pattern to get the hang of it after so many years!

I found out not all peas are created equal.  Try

to use the most uniform ones.  You can see here, and
in the next effort, I chose some suspect peas!

 

If you are thinking of making several of these for a party such as a bridal shower or wedding, have
a craft party, so you have several people working on these.  They work up slow and can be a bit
tedious. 

Hurricane Sandy

For those in the path of Hurricane Sandy. 

My pinterest boards ~ royalpresence

Pinterest is becoming a part of my daily routine.  Not being a member for all that long, I was amazed to discover how many boards residing under my profile. 

Some of the boards:


Pinterest is a great place to share ideas, gather ideas and keep them all in one place.  It's useful for buying and selling too, when we are looking for certain items, we can just pin to a board we create.  It could not be more simple and that's why I like pinterest so much, it's so simple and effective.
Follow anytime royalpresenceonpinterest .

Here are some of the board links as depicted in the above image?

addoway (addowayonpinterest)

america (All-American)

christmas (christmas on addoway)

cybermonday

crafts (DIY crafts)

old recipes (heirloom recipes)

looking for (in search of) NEW

just because

gift wrap (Wrap it up)

fall recipes (fall and winter recipes)

Easiest way to shop for Christmas is with Pinterest

The easiest way to keep all the online browsing you are doing for Christmas shopping is
to make a list on Pinterest.

No more bookmarking your favorites and then trying to find them again. 
Easy as 1, 2 3. 

Get the pin it bookmarklet .  You have to scroll back up to the top of the page to see it.  There is also a video to help show how to do this.  It is very easy.

Then you will have it in your browser, so wherever you are you can "Pin It" and you choose to which board you want it to pin.  Then, it is saved for you to use and need when you want. 

To install the “Pin It” button in Firefox:

1. View > Toolbars > Bookmarks Toolbar
2. Drag the “Pin It” button to your Bookmarks Toolbar
3. Wherever you are you can "Pin It" and you choose to which board you want it to pin.  Then, it is saved for you to use and need when you want. 

It's easy to get organized with holiday shopping for gifts and parties by creating your own unique boards, just for you to use. 

Cyber Monday 2012 in the Bank

You know that money tree that you have in the backyard, on the balcony?  The one where money grows on trees?

You are a smart and savvy shopper, so those dollars shouldn't be falling off the tree so readily. 
For the holiday season, you can save especially on Cyber Monday. Put that money back on the tree,
and have a more balanced cash profile for the shopping season. 

For tips on saving for the holiday season.

5 Great Shopping Tips for the Holiday Season

Shopping online any time of the year can be quick and simple or
long and drawn out. To simply your holiday buying excursions online

here are a few tips. Do yourself a favor and have a safe and worry-free
shopping trip online so you don't become frazzled and stressed out.

Five tips for Holiday Shopping 2012 from Millie.  Meet Millie the SuperMOM in her adventure online.  
(Part 2 coming in October)

1. Take notes when listening to your friends and family when they talk to you and others. Often, the hardest part of shopping is knowing what to get our favorite people. If you listen throughout the year, you might find a few clues into what they may want. it's always well received if you give a gift with the actual recipient in mind. Our gift recipients come in all ages and styles, so try to pay attention and you will not be disappointed, nor will they. Remember, it is the thought that counts.

2. Plan Now ~ Other than major retailers, start browsing smaller specialty sites, like addoway.com now. Educate yourself now and keep track.   If you haven't started thinking about the unique gift purchases you will be making, do so now! Many savvy consumers shop and buy early, so some coveted products may be out of stock. It can go without saying that buying early pays off in so many ways. You can tailor this concept too and just buy something once a week, starting now. By Christmas, you should have all your shopping done.

3. Pin ~ I like this one so much. It couldn't be easier! Make yourself a pinboard on pinterest to keep track of the things you like and want for holiday gifts. Making a pin board will help keep all your favorites in one place for easy referral. It can be helpful to create separate boards for certain people or you can keep everything in one board, it's totally up to you. You customize to your liking and use it all year round.  If you have lots of friends and family following you on pinterest, you might want to create a new account just for your shopping lists. 

4. Coupon Codes: Check out sites like retailmenot.com for they have special coupon codes for online retailers all the time.

5. Watch Cyber Monday Deals for this year on our own pinboard for gathering deals we and others found.
Plan your strategy for where to go, what to buy.  Again, you can make your own pinboard for Cyber Monday. 


If you haven't done so yet, tuck away a few dollars each week. By the time it comes to making serious purchases, it will be less painful.

And remember those gifts that do not include money, but your time or talent:

"You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." Kahlil Gibran
If you know someone who is in need of support, try helping them with
your given talents and gifts. Some DIY, homemade gifts pinned.

Making herbal vinegars for Christmas Gifts

While waiting for other fruits and vegetables to ripen, I decided to put together some herbal vinegars for making Christmas gifts.  From my garden I chose a few herbs.

Inspired by a vacation in Italy, my new outer wrappings for the vinegars:

Also have a label for my inspired by France for Le Petit Jardin.

I cleaned the herbs and put them in the glass jars, added vinegar and capped with wax paper (vinegar interacts with metal, I am told).  I put them away and in six weeks, they should be good, if I shake gently every now and then.  After six weeks, I will strain via cheesecloth and pack into sterilized decorative bottles.  I already bought some bottles from Italy. 

Italian Oregano
Basil
Lemon Verbena

Then, I used a recipe from Taste of Home
for making Cranberry Orange Vinegar.  This sounded so good, so I wanted to practice before the cranberry crop comes in this fall.  I used frozen Ocean Spray Cranberries from last winter.  Same thing with this, will let steep and keep an eye on it.  When it's ready can put into decorative sterilized glass jars and label with
a nice tag and ribbon or twine.  Will post pictures when ready.

Going to use red white check gingham waxed paper for the American ones, like cranberry.