be still my heart...

Just a brief note to indulge my inner stationery nerd. Paper Source has just introduced the first in-home letterpress machine ever! My pulse is racing and I think my pupils are dilated as I begin to imagine all the fabulous invitations, notecards, gift tags, and other things I could create with it! Picture some fabluous linen-textured paper with gold letterpress designs...

It comes with a few plates and there are a few additional plate kits you can purchase that are themed. Aren't they gorgeous?

  

I just love this stuff! Check out Paper Source - they're my favorite resource for stationery and card supplies. I just love paper. If that makes me a nerd, so be it! :-)

it's not just a jar

It's time, my friends, to pay homage to that humble, yet often overlooked piece of glassware known as The Jar. I was looking around my house the other day and realized that glass jars are one of my favorite methods for organizing and storage. I love them because they never wear out...are easily recycled...and they look cute no matter what they're doing. (Just like me...right?)

image: naturemoms

I love the way these ordinary jars were transformed into candleholders that look like etched glass. Just create your own shape with contact paper...stick it on...spray with frosted glass spray paint...then peel of your contact paper shape...and voila! How cute is that? Perfect for Christmas or Fourth of July or anytime! (Note to self: I actually have Frosted Glass spray paint that I've NEVER used...must use it for this idea!) By the way, I found this idea along with a great post at Nature Moms blog that lists ten ways to reuse glass jars...it's worth a read.

baby shower favors: dried papaya and Russian tea mix

image: nesting instincts "Baby Meet Orange"

I have glass jars that I use for cotton balls, Q-tips and bars of soap in the bathroom. I have a small jar in the cupboard that stores extra razors. In the kitchen, I have huge jars for rice and candy (shouldn't everyone have a huge jar for candy?). I have a tall skinny jar for spaghetti and several other sizes for other pastas. We use jars to collect spare change. We burn jar candles. We use jars to hold spare pens and pencils. I've even given away party favors in jars (see above). I recently re-organized my pantry and put lots of things in jars. Oh, it felt good.

How do you like to re-use glass jars? Any thoughts?

I just had to show off one of my (few) finds from this summer's garage sale adventures. I was sick and/or having surgery for much of the summer...so I wasn't on top of my game in the bargain-hunting department...but I did score these beauties! It's a boat-load of serving pieces from the Hexagon collection of Johnson Bros. ironstone. I looked up the pattern and found that they are not necessarily old...as in antique...but the cost to purchase each of these pieces individually would have set me back at least $500 total!

But I didn't pay $500. How much, you ask??

$15. That's right, people...fifteen buckaroos. I was a happy girl the Saturday I scored these. I now have a true "collection" of white serving pieces...ironstone and otherwise. Don't ya just love a good deal?