Lots of Character

I've got this uber cute planner

decorated with Hello Kitty and her gang:

Of course it's made up of calendar pages but

there's a bonus at the back.

A few pages of stationery with perforations for easy tearing.

One side looks like gift wrap...

And the other side has a generous space

to write a thoughtful note.

But here's another way to use

these strips of fun paper.

Take out those blah jars hiding in

the cupboards.

Roll the paper and put it inside.

TADA! You've got yourself an

adorable jar!

Fill it with straws for your next

milk shake soiree.

Here's another idea:

Cut out your favorite designs & glue them on the jar.

Then you can fill them with lollipops

for your next kiddie party!

Go ahead and experiment with gift wrap

remnants too.

Enjoy your day!

Lacey Details

If you've been tuning in since Monday,

you may have observed that I'm at it again.

Recycling glass jars that is.

I know, I've crafted with them so many times

before. But isn't that what recycling is about?

Today, I'm using left-over lace from this project

and a few meters of tulle...

...which was really a garlic sack in its past life.

Allow the jar to fulfill its fantasy of becoming

a bride in a white dress.

{I guess they would have fantasies, right?}

All you need are scissors and a glue gun to put

this together.

Add a few herbs and use it as a

chic table decor in your next

celebration. TADA!

A Handmade Wedding Present

A big thank you for stopping by my blog today!

One of the gifts my husband and I got received

during our wedding a few years ago were

these glass cozies:

They were handmade by an aunt which

makes them extra, extra special.

How do you use them?

Just slip one on the bottom of a drinking glass.

It's decorative and works as a built in coaster.

So wherever you lay your glass, you'll avoid

those water marks on the table.

Isn't that TADA!?

If you're crochet savvy and want to make

your own, you'll find a similar pattern here.

Then I thought, these glass cozies can

turn old jars & bottles...

...from blah to TADA!

From simple, they're now...

spectacular!

A Vase Full of Flowers

Happy new week everyone!

Today's blah to TADA! transformation is

once again inspired by something

I found at John Derian's shop.

It's these votive holders made in Paris by

artist Geraldine Gonzalez.

Notice the tissue paper-like background,

gold rim and delicate design.

Here's my attempt at making

something similar:

blah: an old flower vase that sometimes doubles

as a candle holder.

blah: pink tissue paper saved from a

Victoria Secret package

Trim the tissue paper to fit around the vase

{and an extra inch of overlap} and draw or trace

your design on the center.

Take out the watercolors and paint away!

Once dry, gild the edges using a metallic gold pen

and a ruler.

Wrap this around the vase and attach

the edges with glue.

Even if this vase has no fresh flowers in it,

it's still very eye-catching.

Another option is to put a votive inside and

you'll have a blooming & glowing centerpiece

for the dinner table. TADA!

The WRITE Thing to Do

Hooray, hooray, it's Friday!

Have you been enjoying all the John Derian

inspiration this week?

If he'd offer tours to his workshop, I'd

be the first in line!

Anyway, one of the designs he likes to

use are handwritten letters:

Tissue paper to wrap gifts

{some sections were marked with a X...the "delete"

button wasn't invented yet!}

A pretty glass plate

A nostalgic placemat

{your go signal to read other people's mail!}

With this in mind, shall we do

a blah to TADA! make-over?

blah: an empty ice cream tub

{cleaned with soap & water and allowed to dry}

blah: old magazine & catalog pages

When you put them together using

scissors, glue & a layer of Mod Podge,

here's what happens:

TADA! A classy container with hints of the

type-written & handwritten word, plus

an arresting insect for a pop of color.

Would you like to add some handles?

Just punch a few holes and add some rope,

ribbon or twine; knot the ends.

Use it organize your work space.

TADA!

Have a lovely weekend!

A Blue Bird to Call My Own

It's all about John Derian-inspired TADAs this week.

One of the designs he likes to use are birds:

These appear on his plates & paperweights.

Well, I think I have to try this out

with this blah:

Similar to yesterday, I'm using a glass

salad plate.

I found this pretty picture from a magazine.

Just right for the "bird" theme, right?

A few tools and printed paper circles.

Attach the bird design on the under side of

the plate with all purpose glue.

Gently smooth out any creases.

Let dry for several minutes.

Attach the paper circles the same way.

Here's a closer look.

Display it on a wall or use it to hold jewelry.

Wasn't that TADA!?

Monogrammed Dish

One of the cute things I found at John Derian's shop

are these initial plates:

They're made of glass.

The plates are also available in symbols

like the ampersand, exclamation point

and question mark.

I'm using this as a peg to turn this blah

into a TADA!:

A dessert plate I purchased at a thrift shop.

Punch a few letters from a magazine.

Attach the letter on the underside of the plate

with white glue and TADA!, a cheap and cheerful

version of the John Derian initial plate!

Add any letter you want and keep it for yourself

or turn it into a hostess present:

Just throw in a few bars of hand-milled soaps or

a chunky candle.

TADA!