Burlap Votives

We are prepping here for Snowmaggedon here.  There is a blizzard watch for our area until 6 p.m. tomorrow.  We have plenty of food and water, wood for the wood stove to last us a bit, and we're charging up everything we can.  Praying for the best and preparing for the worst  case scenario.  We have been teased with snow all winter.  Minor accumulations one day, six inches a week later, several dustings and a few accumulations of less than three inches but this storm is going to be the big one, the mother of all storms. Rivaling the Blizzard of 1978, whose thirty-five year anniversary was February 6.  We may be snow in for quite some time.

In the midst of all this storm prep I decided I needed to work on something fun.  I made this a couple of years ago, it's wintry cuteness made me smile, but I am done with this winter and really wanted a change, so..

There are about 100 of these candle jars in my stash.  I can't help it.  Glade candles are great, I buy them on sale and with coupons, and they are such a great deal.  When they've burned out I simply clean out the jars and save them.  This is why I have so many.

I always have some burlap on hand 

I cut it into strips that will fit around the glass jars, it does not need to be perfect, simply make sure they will overlap in the back

Then using some Mod Podge

and a foam brush

I covered the jars 

then wrapped the burlap pieces around them.

I let them dry for a couple of hours. 

 I don't usually wait very patiently but I had to take my son to basketball.

Once they were dry I used a good old fashioned stencil and paint pen because

I do not own a Cricut or Silhouette.  Not that I wouldn't loooooovvee one but it's

not in the budget for now. I digress, back to the project 

I stenciled the numbers onto the burlap

Loving the simlicity

the ease

and fun that this little change made

an easy upcycle

Here they are all together on our table.  The lovely doily was made by my mom, who is so talented.

Isn't it beautiful???? 

 Disregard the hideously ugly heating unit in the background.  It has been waiting for a cover since the kitchen remodel.  I am going to have to bite the bullet and do it myself.

Their is so much work that goes into creating a beautiful doily/tablecloth like this.

The details~it was made with a pattern from Portugal that a friend recently brought back for my mom.

The completed set

Happy weekend!!

I am linking up to these great parties.

Fall Festival of Color

One of the perks for living in New England is the display of autumn color.  The air is crisp, no more humidity, sunny days with cool nights when you can snuggle in.  Unfortunately, this year we have had quite a rainy fall.  In addition to the busyness of life, we had not had an opportunity to venture out and enjoy fall's festival of color.  This weekend hubby and I decided we had to go.  With Hurricane Sandy barreling our way we knew there wouldn't be any leaves left when she was done with us.  So we headed out.

 It is not peak color but still beautiful.

 We traveled the route that dear hubby takes to work daily.

Already the skies were warning of the impending storm.  This was early afternoon on Saturday.  Sandy truly wants her presence known.

 A storm of this magnitude heading in our direction at this time of year is unusual.  It is a surprise we could do without.  

 Thankfully, we are not in the direct line of the storm.  My heart goes out to those who are in the direct line of this storm. Here we are praying for the best.  Settling in and waiting to see what she will bring to our area.  Remembering Tropical Storm Irene, which did not seem to have an enormous impact on the day it happened but we were left without power for eight days.  Praying God keeps everyone safe throughout this ordeal.