Country Jars #2

http://www.thumbtack.com/Sewing-Pro-Henrico-VA/service/117544
I would love for you all to check this out .. and let me know what you think.

JARS!  Mason®, Kerr®, Ball®, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Pickle, Water, Canning, Baby Food, Spice, Spaghetti Sauce. All JARS . . .What wonderful thoughts this little word does conjure.
When I was about 12, I wanted a camera .. notice, I didn't say "new camera" .. I didnt' have one. I wanted a little Kodak® Flash Camera. My mom told me that if I saved half the cost, she would match it. I covered an old jar with paint and tape and whatever, punched a line of holes in the lid to resemble a coin slot, and proceeded to save my change. When I had finally saved enough, true to her word, Mama matched my funds and I got my camera, complete with film and some little flash bulbs. One of the first rolls of film I shot was of Elvis Presley on television. When I got my pictures back, I had a pile of pictures of the flash in the TV screen. That was an expensive lesson.
Another jar-of-savings-adventure was for paint for my as-yet-unpainted bedroom. This was earlier when I was probably 10 or 11; right after "we" built a frame-stucco addition onto our adobe house, adding central heat, 3 bedrooms, a second bath and converted our old bedroom into a den. When I had reached my goal again, and with matching funds from my parents, I purchased the paint and Mama helped me paint my room. In a word, it was BLUE! Not a wimpy pastel, mind you! Think of the blue you see when your PC screen gets into trouble...yep, THAT BLUE.
In the summers and fall of 1968 and 1969, I learned a lot about canning. Seeing all of those jars lined up full of colorul and good food was such a rewarding feeling. Some of the things I canned that year were, Solid Pack Pumpkin, Sweet and Spicy German Chunk Pickles, Bread and Butter Pickles, Apple Sauce and Butter, Pepper Hash and Peaches. These were all so pretty, not to mention quite tasty.  The German Chunk pickle recipe that I use requires several days to make, soaking and brining and cooking, but the result is a delicious, sweet and spicy chunk pickle. The original recipe calls for GREEN food coloring, but they are pretty in RED and GREEN for the holidays.
Next time, I will share all of your ideas for using JARS.
Have a great country week, and stay warm!.

© 2011 Cat Brennan
© 2011 Aunt Cat's Place
Sewing Pro

Country Red Neck Wine Glass

Christmas is but a memory now, but I must tell you, I had a lot of fun this year!

By now you know that I make many, if not most of my gifts, and this year was no exception.  Throughout the next few weeks, I'll tell you about more of them and publish pictures, too.

I made a "one of a kind" gift for a good friend.  His wife is one of my best friends and she ENCOURAGED me to make it for him.

This one-of-a-kind gift is a Red Neck Wine Glass. I had heard about this "item" from a co-worker and figured I could make one. The process was fun.
I started with a clean, chip-free, pint-size Ball© canning jar and a clear glass candle stick. Then, I went to Michael's® for some glue to attach glass to glass. Do you have ANY IDEA how many choices for glue there are at Michael's?  Holy Cow!  I found one with directions that included "curing in the sun" and I'm wondering, WHAT SUN??? That one was O-U-T.  I finally chose Goop®; a really, really good adhesive.
I allowed the jar and candle stick to set for 24 hours and added an appropriate charm.
You do know, don't you, that all self respecting wine drinkers must use a charm on their wine glasses so as not to pick up someone elses beverage? That rule is written somewhere, I'm sure.
My friend, being the sophisticated man that he is (No tongue in cheek here - he REALLY is) deserved an appropriate charm to go with his one of a kind glass. I made his very special ... using a plastic tie wrap/zip wrap, I attached a tiny pair of pliers to the stem.  I've posted a picture of this extraordinary creation on my CAT LITTER page. 
Until next time, have a Country good time and stay warm.                

© 2011 Cat Brennan
© 2010 Aunt Cat's Place