Fairy Dust Bottles How-To

Check out this easy how-to tutorial on how to make wee fairy dust bottles! Perfect for gifting, decorations, and party favors! 

I've been making my wee fairy bottles for a long while now and I use them for just about everything: they make cute necklaces, great gifts, and look beautiful hanging on a Christmas tree! I've also found that the aged labels (along with glitter--of course) make any ornament a thousand times better. 

This tutorial will take you step by step on how to make these wee treasures all on your own! 

STEP ONE: Print out labels on your printer. This has forever been my favorite font (Blackadder ITC), but get creative! The bottles are small and narrow so I like to stack and center the words. I always make a variety of labels. 

 

STEP 2: Brew a strong cup of coffee! But don't drink it! You'll need coffee to age your paper. 

STEP 3: Rip your labels up into tiny bits and put them on a cookie sheet. Feel free to add in additional bits of paper to "layer" your labels. You can see on the first photo, I aged and used a festive printed paper to layer the labels! 

STEP 4: Pour the coffee over your labels, let them slosh around for a moment and soak it up (don't we really all want to be doing that with coffee??) and then pour off the excess. If you are aging additional papers, just pour the excess back in the cup. The stronger it gets, the better aged your papers! Bake at 250 degrees until your paper is dry. It'll be like 10 min. For the love of god keep an eye on it. Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for any fires you start. 

Two comments about this step: 

• My children love this step! The house smells really good. Like old books and coffee.
• I have a new "fancy" printer and my labels smudged for the first time ever! I'm going to have to do some experimenting to see what the problem is, but the labels I made today are not as clear or pretty as previous years. I say this to illuminate the point that crafts are not "PERFECT." These are going on my tree at home, they will be fine, but stay tuned for printer suggestions. UGH. 
• I'm serious. I'm not responsible for any house fires or damage you may incur. 

STEP 5: Yay! Your labels are done! Get out your Mod Podge and your tiny bottles and glitter girl, cuz we are about to have some fun! 

I buy my tiny bottles at hobby lobby. They are cheap. I love to find a variety of sizes to play with!

**See how the labels are fuzzy??? Annoying!! Glitter will definitely help!

Okay, so here you see the full arsenal of fun. We are going to put random bits of magic into the bottles first, then we are going to affix the labels.  See the big jar of pixie dust bottles in the back?? I feel like we all need this in our lives...and glitter. ALL THE GLITTER!

STEP 6: I fill my bottles with MAGIC!! The bottles are filled with random things I have in my studio.  You could literally get dandelion seeds and put them in a bottle and label them. That's magic. I've also rolled up a tiny scroll of aged paper and shoved it inside a bottle with a secret message. Seriously, think outside the box! What do you want to put in your tiny magic bottle? 

STEP 7: To affix your labels you put mod podge on your fingers, affix it to the bottle and rub it over the top too. BOTH SIDES. I love glossy mod podge and that's all I ever use. Before it dries, sprinkle glitter over it. I use super fine poly type glitter. I also sometimes let one layer dry and add another. 

STEP 8: After the labels dry it's time for the tiny ties. You can use ribbon, twine or ripped lace/fabrics. 

 

I'll let these dry overnight and then I'll hang them on the Christmas tree (using additional ribbon--you could also put eye-hooks in the corks!).  

**See how clearly the "dead man's toe" looks? That's with my former printer...grrrrr.....

This 10 year FB challenge got me thinking...I love seeing all of the pictures of all of  my friends 10 years ago, they are all as beautiful then as they are now (haircuts more on point now)! But what is this really about? Not really about looks! I think it's really about the stories the pictures tell about who we all were 10 years ago compared to now...the lessons we've learned, who we thought we maybe wanted to be compared to who we have become. When I see those pictures I have all sorts of questions!

Dear Friends: Who were you 10 years ago? What was your life like? What did you believe in? Do you believe in the same things now?

And of course, then I start thinking about myself in 2009/10. Who the hell was I? I was 36 years old and a stay at home mom. And I have all the same questions for myself!

Then I started thinking about the whole new years resolution thing. By my count (as of today 11/24/19) we have 38 more days until not only the end of the year, but the end of this DECADE. The first of the year comes around and we go crazy trying to become "better" (thinner, smarter, healthier, etc). But how do we INTENTIONALLY go about doing this? I feel like I make the same resolutions year after year. I identify things I want to change or stick with, but I'm not sure I ever look back and base those goals on past experiences and lessons and the way that life has changed me. So often we have an idea of how things "should" turn out, but thank heaven it didn't right? I wouldn't be who I am today if everything had worked out according to my grand plan in 2009.

So, I've come up with 31 questions for the last 31 days of the decade that I'll be using to reflect on the last 10 years of my life. My hope is that by thinking these questions through, I'll be able to come up with some very intentional goals for the next decade, and be able to love myself a bit more for the progress I've made in the last. I'll be sharing the prompts with you, one per day. I invite you to join me in this journey by using them as journal prompts, to talk over with your bestie, or even to think about whilst your are doing dishes. Feel free to post about them (in serious and funny ways too, bet your ass I will be!). No pressure either way. I'll be posting on my blog about what I've learned about myself, and sharing any gems you are willing to share (anonymously, of course).  I just started thinking about the last 10 years in a meaningful way, and want to make sure I'm leaving behind what I need to, and taking with me what is best.

Below are the prompts I've come up with. I'm calling them prompts specifically because there are no right or wrong answers! Feel free to skip around or ignore them all together! Some may be trauma triggers, so feel free to adjust them as necessary. I'll try to come up with some alternative questions prior to 12/1/19. The Type A person in me wants to organize these by theme, but not doing that. If you miss a day or a week, it's okay! Be kind to yourself! Maybe you aren't ready to tackle that one yet. Be kind to yourself above all else.

10 Year Challenge

2009-2019: A Decade of Lessons and Growth

1. Who were you 10 years ago? What was your life like? 
2. What are the most dramatic changes that have occurred in your life since then? Are you happy with these changes? 
3. What did you believe in then that you don’t now?
4. What truths do you still hold close to your heart?
5. What has challenged you most in the last 10 years?
6. What successes have you had? 
7. What have you chosen to let go of since 2009? (Friends, habits, ways of thinking)
8. What have you taken up since then? (Friends, habits, ways of thinking, etc)
9. In what areas of life have you grown the most? 
10. What are you most proud of? 
11. What’s one thing that you’ve done that you never believed you could have accomplished? 
12. What’s one thing that has happened that changed who you are, or how you saw the world?
13. Thinking of the things you wanted 10 years ago, does your life look like you wanted it to? Why or why not? 
14. In what ways has life surprised you in the last 10 years? 
15. What did you value the most 10 years ago? Do these values still hold true today? What values do you want to take with you into 2020? 
16. What things did you enjoy doing in 2009? Are they the same things you enjoy now? Is there something you used to love to do that you no longer make time for?
17. How did you describe yourself to others in 2009? How do you describe yourself today? How do you want to describe who you are in 10 years? 
18. What mistakes have you made in the last 10 years that you need to forgive yourself for? That you need to ask for forgiveness, or make amends? 
19. Thinking of forgiveness, is there anyone or anything that you need to forgive, so that you don’t take that pain into 2020 with you? 
20. What were you most grateful for in 2009? 
21. What are you most grateful for today? 
22. Thinking of the people who have come into your life in the last 10 years, who are your greatest champions?  Why? What have they brought into your life that you did not have before? 
23. Who are the people who were in your life in 2009, and are they still present today? Do they bring positivity or negativity to your life? Are there relationships you need to end? Are there relationships you need to rekindle? 
24. What were your greatest fears 10 years ago? Are you still afraid of those same things? How have your fears held you back? 
25. What fears have you conquered in the last 10 years? What fears do you hope to conquer in the next 10? 
26. What do you most want to learn in the next decade? (skills, life lessons)
27. What do you most want to let go of moving in to 2020? (people, habits, things)
28. What do you most want to hang on to moving in to 2020? (people, habits, things)
29. Who do you want to be by the year 2030? What goals are you focused on? How do you want to be able to describe yourself?
30. Look at a photo of yourself in 2009. What would you tell that person about the lessons you’ve learned over the last 10 years? 
31. Write a letter to yourself to open in the year 2030. Don’t seal it and tuck it away someplace safe so that you can access it whenever you feel off track. Remember that the lessons you’ve learned and the opportunities you’ve had over the last 10 years you maybe never saw coming! Chances are the same thing will happen between now and 2030. 

This is me circa 2009! I was a happy at home mom! 

2019: Happy again! MSW, Boss Lady, and Divorcee (and still a good momma!)

Easy Ass Make & Freeze Breakfast Burritos

My close friends and family know I'm obsessed with cooking and freezing, but I've never really been into the breakfast....until now!

I'm sure I saw this on a Pinterest post in the past, but what really sealed the deal for this recipe for me was a Sunday when I made WAY TOO MANY scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and bacon for breakfast. Too much bacon?  Indeed. I decided to get creative and throw the mix into some tortillas with some salsa and cheese.  I took them to work that week....Yum.....I was popular.

Fast forward to the past few weeks. I'm addicted to taking these babies to work and eating them in havesies mid-morning. I'm sure you can find a bazillion recipes for breakfast burritos! I encourage you to find your thing. You can go healthy, which I've done before with gluten free tortillas and chicken sausage. Throw whatever the hell you've got in there!  It'll be great!

Start with a carton of eggs...beat em up by hand or mixer. I throw some milk or half and half in there too, salt and pepper.  At least add a T or two of water if you aren't adding dairy...it helps everything mix.

I added some Tony's to my eggs this time too....cuz I like it spicy!!!

Prep your meat...this time I used some black forest ham I had leftover from Costco.  Whatever works for you....Or no meat for vegan.  Bulk it up w/ veggies!

Costco: Your ham is yum.  Thank you.

I left this picture X Large on purpose.  Have you ever seen anything prettier than butter melting in the pan?  I kinda feel like you can hear the angels singing here......"If you are afraid of butter, use cream."  Julia Child

Throw in your veggies....I'm sad to say all I had was bit of onion but...really this is supposed to be a quick fix recipe so I'm letting it go.  Ideally, a green and red peppers would be so pretty here....and some herbs!  If you're not into the butter, use nonstick love....

So....you see what happens when you cook the ham and onion in butter and then add the eggs?  The lovely brown bits mix in beautifully into the eggs.  That's flavor folks.

So I chop my scrambles up a lot for the burritos....more than usual. Take your anger out on the EGGS!

Add your lovely meat veggie mixture....whatever it may be....

So pretty!

So this time I bought weird flavored wraps, but in past weeks I've used plain flour. I can tell you that the jalapeno flavored burritos smell STRONG...so if you buy them, be prepared.

Slap on some salsa, then add your egg mix.

Add cheese if that's your jam.

Now, you just need to roll it up.  I screwed up on this one... I like to put the mix a little more to the edge.  Easier to tuck and roll.

Roll on....

Moving on to the Spinach tortilla's.....see how it's a bit more to one side?  You almost have to mash it all in together when you roll it up.

Then I cut them in half. I never eat the whole thing, so I like that they are in half. So if I take 2 full burritos to work, that really makes 4 breakfasts! However....boys will eat more...mental note :)

So pretty!

Yum!

I wrap them in foil and put them in the freezer.  So easy to grab and go.  I suggest 60 sec to 1,5 min in the micro on high.  I flip them half way.  If you add too much salsa to the recipe, the are going to get a little runny, so be conservative.  Bring salsa on the side and dip em (I'm not together enough to do this, so I have to add at the onset!). Another option is to defrost them and then fry each side in olive oil in a skillet...

I did this in less than an hour. You can too!

Enjoy!!

Vintage Camper....Glamper....Miss Rozie...Before and After!

 

 

Here are the before and after pix of the interior of my 1969 Frolic.  I love how Rozie turned out!  I used the orange from the original cushions--- in great shape (amazingly) along with the original curtains---as a template for my color scheme!   

 

BEFORE:

 

 

 

 

AFTER:  

 

 

 

BEFORE:  

 

 

 

AFTER: 

 

 

BEFORE:  

 

 

 

AFTER: 

  

 

 

BEFORE:

 

 

AFTER:  

 

Why are the "after" pics so small?  I have no idea...but I also have no time to figure it out!  (apologies)

The biggest lesson I learned from the redo:  It's all DETAIL work...and it takes forever!  If you are going to GLAMP it up, be prepared to do a crazy amount of detail work inside.  I swear my camper was all corners!   That said.....it's worth it.   I went in the other day before work to shut the windows before a storm and I had to pause...I wanted to stay there for the day.   It was really lovely.  And my family adores it.  It's all US!  I've created a comfortable space for my family to "play" in. 

FYI:  I'm still embellishing the decoupage.   I think a great alternative to replacing buckled paneling is to decoupage/camouflage it.  Why not?  Mod Podge will seal it and colorful paper will provide visual interest and hide flaws. Try it before ripping out your old buckled walls.  Let the next guy do that, and enjoy it as is.  I had to order some of the floral poppy paper all the way from England...it's been discontinued in the U.S. (of course).  But again, worth it. 

Meet Miz Rozie

I've caught the vintage camper (aka glamper) bug.  While most people that know me profess I'm not the camping type (true), I am a vintage girl all the way!  I've recycled a gamut of old furniture, junk, and of course, books, so why not a camper?

Miz Rozie is named after my daddy!  Larry "Big Lar" Rozen....who's acting ridiculous here because he's just finished hauling  two vintage Frolic's to my house within 24 hours--on Memorial Day weekend in fact.  He would have preferred to go fishing.  I told him I was going to name the camper after him and then I took his picture.  See, he's super impressed!  "Two campers?" you ask.... yes,  that's a long story for another day.   I sold the first one for a profit and kept Miz Rozie because she was in better shape.   The first one paid for this one.  Yay!




Miz Rozie is a 1969 Frolic made in Elkhart, Indiana.  I think someone tried to paint her camouflage.  How rude!  And then they stuck a deer and fish sticker on her.  UGH---the nerve!


I'm lucky because she came titled and with two sets of her original keys.  She also came with paperwork, including a cookbook. 




 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Let's go inside, shall we? 

She's got her original cushions and curtains, in good shape!  Orange, not my favorite color, but I have a plan.

 

You can see the color of the cushions better here....it's more of a ruddy orange or rust. 

Original oven and vent fan.  Keeping the laminate. 

Vintage built in fan!!!!

Original light fixtures, see the curtains?  The guy before me put in the back wall.  Keeping that, painting the rest after we seal around the windows.

Original floor.  Keeping it!

Original Dometic fridge works!  Painting it w/ chalkboard paint. 

There is an upper bunk above gaucho in the back.  Not sure you can tell.  The door with the mirror is the little bathroom.  Just a potty. 

 

I hate this light fixture (upper one).   My husband seems to think it's original but I disagree.  It's propane.    Does anyone know if it's original?  If not I want to replace it! 

Keeping laminate on table, changing the surround on it to silver edging so it looks more retro.  Everything will be painted.  I know, some of you like to keep original wood.  I must paint! Most will be cream w/ orange and turquoise accents. 

 

 

Yay!  It has the original emblems. 

 

Here's the hubby, he's so excited to work on it.  LOL.

Kids love it.  This is the first night we had her home and we plugged her in and the lights came on!  We were all super excited! 

Rudy the cat also approves

Here's the new color scheme.  Cream walls, orange and teal accents.  There will be decoupage involved.  I cannot resist. 

 

Stay tuned!