Vintage Alterations and Such

I have poison ivy. It's a tiny little patch on my knee. I don't actually get it very easily or very often, so I thought it was just a couple of bug bites at first, but, as a couple of days went by it became QUITE apparent that it is, indeed, poison ivy. I'm pretty sure this is an excuse to never do yard work again. Just say'n.

However, I will happily continue to play with paper flowers and such...that's kinda like gardening and that is kinda like yard work, right? Right. I'm going with that, so you may as well jump on that bus with me, folks!



*sigh* Happy little altered bottle. I've actually been sitting on this one for a bit. I made it some time ago and didn't have time to post it then, and since I didn't make SQUAT yesterday, I figured now was a good time to show you this little pretty!



I began with a good 'ole McKormick bottle of vanilla. It was probably imitation, actually, 'cause sometimes I'm cheap. Just say'n. I removed the labels and then sat and basked in the beauty of the gorgeous brown glass bottle. *another sigh* Yes, my friends, it's pretty stuff. Brown glass. Kinda fabulous, actually. Just say'n.

I wrapped a strip of paper from a vintage encyclopedia page (about flowers, of course!) around the jar and then added all kinds of fabulous embellishments.



The top was a bit tricky. You see, McKormick uses BRIGHT RED screw top lids. My project wasn't so much feel'n the red. Nope. Not so much feel'n the red at all. So...I tried to alcohol ink it. Complete and utter craft FAIL. No. For reals. It was a bit frightening, although, I did manage to ink my fingers for a good three day stain. Just say'n. I then covered the whole lid with glue and glass glitter. BIGGER complete and UTTER craft FAIL. FOR REALS, you guys! It was hilarious! Bulky and ridiculous looking. Very much one of those, 'it seemed like a good idea at the time' kind of moments. SOoooooo....I scraped all of that off and then turned to my trusty tissue tape. THAT seemed to work. I covered the lid with the tape, inked it a bit to give it some age and then wrapped a bit of string around it for added embellishment.



And those drips? Ahhh...the drips. Those happy, fabulous, wonderful, I couldn't have asked for better, drips. I do so love them. Don't you? You do. I know it. I just KNOW it. You see, I started out thinking I wanted to seal the very top with a bit of liquid glass for a finished look. Then I went a little nuts and started thinking I could get a wax-like effect without the fragility of wax with the liquid glass. PURE GENIUS, I tell you! It worked BRILLIANTLY! For reals. I was so stinking excited!



*And yet another sigh* Why? Because this makes me happy. My little altered bottle. I will be creating LOTS more of these. They are wonderful decor and make pretty little gifties, too! And, they are just plain wicked fun to create! So, there you have it! Your inspiration for the day - now go make something fabulous!!!