Hi all, this is my first guest post so be kind. I am Teri, better known as Piccolina Designs in the blog world (pronounced pick-o-lean-ah). I am the mama to two fabulous toddlers that keep me very busy (and entertained) and designing digital scrapbook kits is what I do when they are in bed. Luckily, I have great sleepers. :) I also love anything crafty. I actually have kind of an addiction to crafty things. I think my hubby avoids the craft dugeon (so called because it is in the unfinished basement) because he just does not understand why I need all those supplies. I enjoy sewing, crocheting, hair bow making, anything crafty.
Kristi had a few questions for me to answer, so here goes.
What are your favorite materials to craft with?
That is hard, I love fabrics and kind of collect them, but it is probably paper. Even though I am 100% digital in my scrapbooking, I still cannot resist all those beautiful scrapbook papers at the craft stores. So I like to find ways to use those papers.
What keeps you motivated and inspired?
The internet. I remember growing up my mother had a full size file cabinet FULL of files with crafting/sewing ideas. I loved going through those folders and finding things to do and try. Now, lucky me, I have the internet. There are so many wonderful crafters/artists out there that are so generous with their talents. I recently joined Pinterest. I love it. I love being able to so easily see that things I am inspired by and the projects I would like to do. I recently started a new board called "Pinned and Done" for pinning the things I have completed. It is almost a personal challenge to see how many pins I can move into that board each week. You are all more than welcome to check out my boards.
What do you think is most rewarding about crafting?
I just love the feeling of creating something. Especially if it is from supplies I already have on hand. I also enjoy seeing my little ones run around in clothes I made for them or play with items I created for them. My Little Lady is starting to craft as well. So fun
What crafts are you featuring today?
Today I am going to share a hybrid project. Kind of a blending of two projects. One that I came up with and one I have been wanting to do for over a year. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Last year I saw these cute, cute, cute jars on Not So Idle Hands. 
Adorable right?! There are lots of variations on the internet, but these are just cute. I decided I wanted to make a light garland when I made mine. So I started saving baby food jars last year.
This is what mine turned out like.
And this is them with the lights on.
I chose to do them this way so that they would be just as cute in the light and they are in the dark. Want to make one? Of course you do. Lets get started.
Supplies:Strand of lights (mine was 12" long, fifty lights) Baby food jars w/ lids (mine are the smallest ones and I have 32 of them, but you can do less) Tissue paper (orange, white, green) Mod Podge Brush for mod podge black vinyl/paper or permanent marker Fabric (you will need about 3/4yd of fabric per yard of lights, so since my light strand was 4 yards long, I had about 3 yards of fabric. I had 5 different fabrics (tulle and cotton). So I had about 5/8 yd of each.) Scissors or rotary cutter, pinking shears
Drill Needle nose pliers Glue Gun and glue sticks Spray paint (green and black) Black primer* not necessary but recommendedOk, that is quite the list I know. To start I did all of my jars. I followed the directions over at Not so Idle Hands for this. You can see it {
HERE}. I did my faces with black vinyl cut out on the Silhouette using some shapes from Silhouette. But you can totally mod podge some black paper on for them or even draw them on with a black permanent marker.
While those are drying (I left my alone for 24 hours). I worked on the other parts. First the lids. I wanted mine to string onto the light strand so I had to figure that out. First I drilled a hole in the middle of the lid from the top. I put a wood block under the lid so that the drill bit would have somewhere to go into when it went through the lid. Be careful, the lid will spin on the drill bit if not held well.
Then I took my needle nose pliers and put them into the drilled hole and twisted and twisted to make the hole larger.
I wanted it to be able to slide all the way over the light, but not too large.
Be carefulwith these, the undersides are very jaggy and sharp.
Next I took all my lids outside for a makeover. I primed them with a light coat of black primer from Krylon. This is probably not necessary, but I love how much easier it makes the rest of the coats go on.
Then time for the black and green paint. I needed 12 green ones for my pumpkins and I used black lids for my Frankensteins and ghosts. I applied two coats, allowing them to dry for 30 minutes between coats.
Once your lids are completely dry ( I let mine sit outside in the sun for 3 hours), it is time to get them ready for hanging on the light. I stumbled on this method while trying a few others and love it. Mostly because it is easy and also because I can remove the lids from the lights if I need to. So take you hot glue gun and make a ring of glue around the hole in the lid on the underside of the lid. You want your ring of glue to be a little large and to hang over the opening a little. I worked with three at a time. When I got glue on all three, I took the first in the line up and slid it onto the light. The glue was still a little pliable, so it slid nicely.
The glue ring acts kind of like a gasket in hold tightly to the light, but is still removable if needed.
Do this for all of your lights. I staggered my lids every other light, with a few right next to each other. The staggering depends on the number of jars you have.
Now this part you can do before you put the lids on the lights or after. Totally up to you. I did mine after.
Cut your fabric into 1" strips. I used my rotary cutter for some and my pinking shears for others. Then cut the strips into 5 inch lengths. You will have quite to pile of strips when you are done.
Now, put on a good movie and sit down with you light strand and you fabric strips. I like working with one type of fabric at a time. I tied 3-4 strips in each section of the lights, working all the way down the lights. If you like you can do a pattern (1 Fabric A, 1 Fabric B, 1 Fabric C, 1 Fabric D, repeat), but I did mine random.
Then I came back along the strand and tied it on another type of fabric. I continued to do this until all my fabric strips were gone and the light strand was covered. Warning, you will be covered as well....with strings and frays from the fabric :)
By now you cute little jars are dry and ready to be screwed on the lids, hung and enjoyed. I am so happy with the result. Hope you enjoy yours as well.
Thanks so much Teri!!! What a fun idea!
Thanks Lyndsey!! Also, we've made some changes in who can participate in our swaps. A list of qualifications for the Winter Swap and sign up details will be posted soon!! --Kirsti
