EDITED TO ADD: Oh nooooo! Please don't take my Ms. Bitch comment below to be anything other than a polite shout-out to one of my very favorite sister bloggers. I am an ENORMOUS fan of Anna Van Schurman of "Stitch Bitch" fame and was only trying to address her by her stitchy moniker!!!! Oh please don't think I was being snarky (she says while wringing her hands)....I really really didn't mean to offend!
Ms. Anna of Stitch Bitch Fame Her Very Self asked me about the ort jars. Well...let me tell you all about them. (I can hear the sighs now...."Why can't she ever just respond to a simple question with a simple answer?"). That would be too easy.
So there I was, minding my own business, when I spied this craft project in a Martha Stewart Living mag. The article was a how-to on how to "etch" glass jars for storage. It involved finding pretty glass jars, stencils, and etching cream.
I obsessed about this project until Aunt Chrissy put her shoes on and told me to just get in the damn car already, and we headed to Michael's.
What should have taken ten minutes, i.e., get the jar, get the stencil, get the etching cream, turned into a PROJECT OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS! Actually, as I stood in the jar aisle fretting over the perfect size/shape, I gave up and went in search of etching cream. When Aunt Chrissy saw that the directions required adult supervision, she immediately started brainstorming for a way to keep me far far away from caustic chemicals. So we headed over to the scrapbook section.
As luck would have it, they were having a 50% off sale on all of the organizing stuff for scrapbooking (why the hell do THEY get all the fun?), and we found the jars...six of 'em for five bucks! The are made by "Making Memories" and are called "Scrapbook Embellishment Storage Jars".
I was peeing myself with delight over finding the PERFECT jars when Aunt Chrissy realized that these are actually plastic...not glass. The etching cream, therefore, would not work. Just as I was about to throw a major pout, I saw the back of Aunt Chrissy scuttle-ing over to the sticker section. She quickly realized that stickers stuck on plastic jars would be the perfect project for her craft-impaired sibling, and she was sure that they would have months of the year.
Sadly, they did not. BUT! We have a scrapbook store here in Hoosierville called "Pages in Time", so we headed over there. Within three minutes we had the perfect rub-ons in hand and I was just beside myself that FOR ONCE one of my crafty visions was actually going to come out exactly as I had visioned it. WOO HOO!
So, Ms. Bitch, to answer your question....jars are plastic. Labels are rub-ons. You can get both at scrapbook store. (Ours is Pages in Time, Granger if you google it.)
And here I thought you had hand painted those months on those jars. .I am SO disillusioned now. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteBut I must admit that they do look great, and that it is a creative way of showing off your orts!
And isn't Pages in Time a fun place? My daughter always requests a gift certificate from there, for her Birthday. .she hasn't actually started scrapbooking yet, but has everything that she needs, should the muse ever come knocking on her door!
So now. .the grand decisions that you must address at some point. .are you going to lap around to use the first three months of this year, next year, or are you going to have a whole new complete series for 2010? Will you empty these out, and re-use, or have a whole new set ready and waiting? And if you choose new, will they be the same style, or something completely different? Will you plan ahead, or wait until inspiration strikes? So MANY things to consider!!
And so begins your Ort Jar Odessey.
They're very lovely. I just have a jar from the recycling bin. I actually started mine just before the great "Totally Useless SAL" so I feel like I can't jump in with it. But for a little while I did think of painting it and then opening an etsy shop where all the stitchers would clamor for more. And then I came to my senses and used it as is.
ReplyDeleteHi Coni,
ReplyDeleteI though you had written the months... They look terrific!
Have you heard about the "Totally Useless Sal"? You might want to share it with your readers. :-)
http://dragonmyneedle.blogspot.com/2009/01/progress-and-new-sal.html
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Brava! Brava! Brava!
ReplyDeleteI have every issue of Needlepoint Now, and now, an even greater reason for keeping them ;>
Congratulations on the actual print publishing! Always felt you were meant to write.
Love the ORT jars...think I will start my own set as well. Right now they (the orts) are in a small ginger jar, but I can't see the colors.
And I loved the video from Belgium.
Love the jars! I may have to head to Michael's one of these days! :) Thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteI just adore reading your blog. My giggle in the morning. Or afternoon. And yes, there are times when I laugh so loud that people here in the office jump. :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I like your jar idea but here is another for you. (And this is one I have done for a few stitchy friends.)
Large plain glass Christmas balls. Fill with orts. I write on the balls with a gold marker pen. Just the name and year. Of course if you stitch a lot you can fill more ort balls. (that's what I call them) Just imagine a small (or large) tree filled with shiney glass Christmas ball filled with colorful bits of thread.
Hi, you are too funny! I really look forward to reading your blog everyday, then sometimes when you don't write, I can't wait to see what is up in your world! Isn't that pathetic on my part?! It's true, so there it is. Your stitching really inspires me, also! I have never done Needlepoint, but, seeing yours really makes me want to try it! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteI love your story and your jars. I seriously thought that you had etched or painted them. They're very nice!
ReplyDeleteYou are too funny. Plastic jars and stickers, I think I can just about manage. Etching creams, caustic stuff, glass ... no, no.
ReplyDeleteAhhh plastic...now these could easily be in my home around my kitty cats!! LOL LOL
ReplyDeleteLove the look of these.
hugs,
-missy-
I love your ort jars - plastic or glass! I did think they were glass and that you had painted on the months or had used a permanent marker pen. How big are the jars? It's hard to tell without a yardstick!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately no Michaels or Pages in Time in the UK - we are so deprived!
Love the ort jars! For comparison, I use a shot glass and need to empty it about twice a year! Your orts kick my orts butts. Speaking of kicking butt, Way to Go with the NN gig!! I've been telling the husband for months that you should be published! Outstanding! You (and the Stewey and Aunt Chrissy) should be very proud!
ReplyDeleteAs I said before I love these jars. I have some that were my grandmother's canning jars. I will be visiting Michaels and/or a scapbook store soon. Thank you they are great.
ReplyDeleteI want you to know I came very close to peeing myself at work over the "Ms. Bitch" comment. I work at home but it still would have been a mess. You are too funny girl!
ReplyDeleteSome people will do anything for entertainment! Actually I rather covet your jars, but walking into Michael's brings on a nervous tic. You and Chrissy are very brave.
ReplyDelete