My Mason jar love!

As many of you have probably figured out, I hate Mason jars.

Okay, not really.

I absolutely adore them!

I've been given so many by amazing friends

(Thank you, Darlene and Carol, in particular!)

in hopes that I will be able to preserve tons of fruits and veggies this year!

Here is a top shelf photo of only two kitchen cabinets-

full of potential.

This is a lid that I won't be able to use to can,

so this one was chosen to receive a makeover!

Thanks to Carol for this particularly awesome honey jar!

I chose this one because of the measurements indicated on the side.

I read a tutorial on Easie Peasie for Mason jar soap dispensers.

You know I had to try to make one!

It will perfectly match the little Mason Jar Light that was just purchased, but hasn't arrived yet!

(Messing with electrical stuff is a little beyond my capacity at this moment in time!)

I cut a hole in the lid big enough to put a pump through.

I cut it a little small so that it would fit snugly.

Apparently, some people glue theirs down-

I didn't, since it wasn't budging once it was in there!

I filled the mason jar with my lemon Trader Joe's soap from Beatrice of Sew Bea!

(thank you, thank you!)

The pump top for the jar is from this bottle.

The original soap container was recycled!

I can refill it any time!

And this particular jar, since it was my trial run, will be put in the kid's bathroom.

I'll use a smaller Mason jar to make one that will fit easily behind my kitchen sink.

I thinned the soap out to make it easier for small hands to scrub up!

And here it is!

Please pardon the lighting on the photos- my husband was packing for a business trip, I was feeling crafty, and it was about midnight!

Thanks again to Tiffany of Easie Peasie for the great idea!

Thanks to Beatrice of Sew Bea for the fantastic giveaway that provided the soap!

Thanks to my sweet friends who pass on their canning jars!

:)

Almost 21 weeks & my new Colour Bazaar headband!

20 weeks and 6 days!

Jackson flicking the lights on and off.

Someone remind me to hide his stool ;) haha

For some reason, I'm REALLY poking out today.

I don't think I'm really THAT big, but I sure do look it!

And check out my new, GORGEOUS head wrap from

colourbazaar!

It came today and I couldn't wait to put it on!

I love anything rainbow and colorful, but this?

It was so much more beautiful in person!

Thanks to Bekah at my little loves. for wearing her beautiful headwrap and recommending Sarah's work!

If you don't follow Bekah already, check out her delightful blog, my little loves.

If you love my headwrap, order one!

Even with shipping from Australia, it's STILL a fantastic bargain and an incredible accessory!

Let Sarah at colourbazaar know how much we all appreciate her craft.

Copy-crafting!

This morning, I was catching up on my blog reading. I read one of Kory's recent entries on Live Completely and was inspired!

Jackson and I ran to the craft store and picked up some essentials and I got started making Waldorf-inspired toys for him and Keelin. I have always purchased these kinds of learning toys, but have never even considered that I might be able to successfully make them myself! You know, let's be real. I LOVE handmade toys and LOVE unique educational materials to use with my little ones, but we're on a budget! I don't have an endless supply of funds to spend on Etsy, so anything that I can do myself is a great benefit!

Bitty Man armed and ready!

He helped me put together and paint a wooden tractor model!

No pictures, though. It was "his." Nooo pictures!

$1.00 for a wooden basket!

Perfect for holding peg people!

Like these!

That fit into bean pot candle cups like these!

Kinda line this!

I made a set of 6, a rainbow!

Blue, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, and Orange!

A Power family easter basket! :)

I also picked up a bag of recycled cardboard eggs!

The bottom left egg is unpainted for this photo.

Just thought I'd share what I spent my afternoon doing!

I did some sorting balls in the colors to match the cups,

pastels for the eggs!

All finished!

Haven't decided whether or not to give the other peg people faces...

Anyway, visit Kory and show her some love! She writes a delightful blog!

I'm planning to make these and more for favors to give guests at Keelin's 5th birthday party this summer- no plastic ickiness here!

If you're one of Keelin's friends mommies, I ruined the surprise, but I just had to share :)

An incredible Etsy find!!

Happy Wednesday!! :) The kids and I have been focusing a lot on weather and seasons here lately with our un-schooling/homeschooling, since it's been what has interested them. I'm hoping to move on to rainbows in the next couple of weeks, since I've put together a really great set of plans for activities in many areas that involve rainbows- including making some decorations for our house! (That doesn't qualify as child labor does it?!) Since I'm planning more than a week of total rainbow goodness, I thought I'd shop for a nifty, handmade learning toy for the kids and came across Mama Mama May I on Etsy.

Mama Mama May I Explore?

her etsy shop

This is a picture of her "Nesting a Rainbow" playset.

I don't know about you, but I think it is devastatingly beautiful.

Putting it on my list of things to buy for my curious, feisty, little ones!

Just had to share!