10 Step Mason Jar Candles for the Holidays: Get Cozy!

I apologize for the lack of posting...please be sure and stay tuned this week for some fun barnyard posts! Got some goodies.

Will decided to gather up all of our old mason jars we have collected and stored in the cellar. We use them all the time for my event planning/parties that I host. But this time, instead of using tiny tea-lights that have to constantly be lit and re-lit, then cleaned out, he decided to make long-lasting candles to last us thru all of our own holiday celebrations.

The candles were a lot of fun to make, super cheap, and just a really sweet and simple cozy touch that goes right along with the "homegrown" philosophy that I heart. The large blocks of wax and candle making supplies were purchased at our local craft store.

Materials needed: A large pot, a steel "melting" pot/pitcher, jars, wick string, scissors, masking tape, candle anchors, thermometer, a stove, water, and a hammer.

Directions:

1. Place all of the jars and materials out on a table.

2. Unravel the wick spool and cut the wick thread a little longer than the height of the candle jar.

3. Feed the wick anchor thru and not it at the end.

4. Lower the anchor into the jar until the anchor is at the bottom of the jar...take the excess wick thread at the top and wind it around the pencil and tape it. {the wick needs to be completely vertical and centered with the pencil holding it in the right place.

5. Break a large block of wax with a hammer while still in the package.

6. Place the chunks of wax into the "melting" pot/pitcher.

7. Fill another large pot with 1/3 of water.

8. Place the "melting" pot/pitcher into the large pot of water.

9. Heat the two on Medium heat until reaching a temperature of 150 degrees or melted. Watch closely while wax melts.

10. Slowly take the "melting" pot/pitcher out of the boiling water and pour the melted wax into the prepped jars. Let cool. Cut wicks to 1/2 inch above solidified wax.

So far, they have burned beautifully for Halloween, and the sustainability dinner party {shown at top}, and will definitely be used for the rest of the winter season.

Also, on a side note...The wine pictured at top is a Missouri wine that is surprisingly good! It's called Mount Pleasant Claret {The International Wine Center}, and was chef-selected by local, Rob Corliss. I recently had the pleasure of working with him on a wonderfully delightful harvest dinner party that was hosted in a 10x12 greenhouse.

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Stay tuned for some delish posts this week.

{Images via Sesha of ConveyStudios, and sivan lewis photography. How-to images...by me.}

The Start of a Scandinavian Holiday

With the Holidays fast approaching, I'm sorry to say, that I already feel behind on posting the Holiday Windows that are still in transition at the moment. I wish I had Buddy the elf right about now.

I'm super ecstactic about the theme we have decided to go with: Modern Scandinavian.

Here is a snippet of the crafting we've been doing around here over the weekend: Paper Snowflakes, Paper gal strands, whip-stitching burlap, rosette making, straw wreaths, wrapping presents, and bow-making.

And not to overlook Thanksgiving...I must ask if you have you come up with your own Thanksgiving table scape ideas yet? The city sage posted some lovelies today to get you in the mood. I hope you find inspiration, and if stylizing is what you need...you know where to find me.

Above the Grub

I'm obsessed with beautiful things, but I'm even more obsessed with finding the beauty in the overlooked and under-appreciated things. Our Grandma was a dumpster diver who rode around on her bike looking for "treasures" in her dress and high heels. She found some dandies along her alley way.

"Above the grub", as our good friend Charlotte says when we arrive for tea at her house wearing our smocked dresses and Mary Janes. She knows what we've been up to.

Here are some Taylor-Made Do It Yourself projects. The pub bar was found at a local flea market for free. Will has to be given the credit for this project. He chiseled the grubby stuff off, painted it, edged it in copper and added lighting. I will be sharing more of his DIY projects on here as well. He just built a rustic (and I DO mean rustic, cold-water) open air shower in our back yard. You won't be seeing me out there in my skivs today.

The sofa was a flea market "nana". It's been thru several re-do's. It was photographed as a DIY project for Better Homes and Gardens. I've used it for a weddings and events and for retail merchandising.

Alright folks, the fridge photo up top, is from a fun photo shoot I will be sharing in a few weeks. I just threw it in here because it's one of the latest simple DIY projects that I just love, love, love... and I knew you would too. It's a vintage fridge that was a rusted, chalky, and all scraped up on the exterior. Will painted the outside of it, a yummy shade of green. More to come on this one, but Whatta ya think of what you can see of it thus far? I just want to stock it up with sweets, sweets and more fun festivities.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and am hopeful of the same for you in this new week!

x's and o'sies.

sharon