A Resin Oops and Upcycled Jar Tops Into Picture Frames

I don't know what is up with Blogger, or maybe it is Firefox, but adding images to my blog has become a real hassle. Anyways, almost a year ago, I painted a huge tree on my living room wall. This was to be our Family Tree. The first frames I tried, and loved, were actually magnets that I just added a sticky square to. Some of them stuck, some refused. So I crocheted a few, they were OK, but not exactly what I was looking for. Because I paint on recycled glass jars, I have tons of the lids that I have just thrown into a box. Yesterday, I put a picture into one and sealed it over with resin. Yes, this did use about 20cc of resin, but I really like the glossy and clean look it has when finished. You can see it on the tree. Right below it is just a rectangle resin piece with a picture in it. I like these the best, but not all pictures will be this small. So, I will have to make a happy medium of the lids and plain resin pieces. I do not like the wooden frames at all, just doesn't look the way I want. The other image is an idea I had while eating Lays Stax. The lid is perfectly round and flexible. Plus I thought it was the perfect size for a nice focal pendant, or Christmas ornament. So, just to try it, I put in four gemstones, a tiny bit of glitter and again, 20cc of resin. It popped out nice and easy, no problems there. I really like how it came out, with one tiny problem, the lid has to lays logo embedded in it, lol. I don't know if you can see it in the image but it is there nicely set in resin. Oh well, I will do something with it. Since it is our birthstones maybe a Christmas ornament.

Another Sale, Butterfly Feeder and Family Tree Art

I did not get to paint yesterday, but that is because I was trying to tie up other projects that needed finishing. For our Earth Kids group, I want the kids to make butterfly feeders. I always try to test one out first, because just because something looks like a good idea doesn't mean it will actually work. The first butterfly feeder we tried was a flop. So, then I decided to use some of the jars I had painted on, but that did not make good candle jars or jars for gift giving purposes, to attempt a butterfly feeder. I saw the original idea on Pinterest. So, I got out one of my trusty jars. I then made a hole in the lid. Then you cut thin strips of a sponge and shove them tightly into the hole. You want them tight so the food fills the sponges and does not leak out around them. And I learned from my mistake, learn how to make a hanger for it first. Because, the jar is hanging upside down a traditional plant hanger will not work. So I crocheted one. Well technically it would have worked if I could have crocheted it higher, but you want the butterflies and hummingbirds to be attracted to the bright paint on the outside of the jar. And of course the jar fell over and it didn't work. So I bought 16 gauge colored copper craft wire and wire wrapped the jar. Now it hangs nicely, as you can see in the picture. This will be the project for our next Earth Kids meeting on the 16th. To make the butterfly nectar you mix two parts hot water to sugar. Let the sugar dissolve and cool before adding it to the jar. Be sure you know where you want to hang it and have everything ready before you tip it to hang. The liquid fills the sponge rather quickly and you can end up with a sticky mess all over you. Put it near your garden to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. It does attract ants as well. The jar filled lasts about two weeks or so. I also got the first six pictures hung to our family tree. This will be an extended project because the frames are not cheap. Even at a dollar a piece, I have already spent six dollars. I won't buy anymore navy blue ones either. They just don't stand out as much.

Day 6 Theme Sticks #30DOC

This is not what I planned to to do today. I planned to go to the Gulf of Mexico and hunt for seashells with our Earth Kids group. But, Tropical Storm Andrea didn't want me to do that. So, about six months ago my husband saw on Facebook, a Family Tree painted onto someone's wall. He asked me, can you do that? I said, right now? LOL, no. So, I told him when the kids were done with school I would try. Since I couldn't go to the Gulf, and the theme for today was sticks, I decided to do it today. Now I didn't have to add leaves, it was quite lovely without them, but the leaves add color and pop and I like that. Also, my tree is done all in black. Not many black trees, but I love the silhouette look and since my wall has a hint of pink to the color of it, I really like it. I am very pleased with the results, but of course it isn't done. I will probably reoutline the tree, just because I like to do that to make it look nicer. Then I have to find tons of picture frames, small ones, and get pictures of everyone in our family. The big pictures were just hung back where they were before I painted the tree. The top one is crooked but I am short and even on a chair could barely reach to put the nail up there. I will have my hubby fix that.