Getting Crafty | Don't Throw Away Your Empty Jars

Does anyone else spend hours browsing for craft ideas on Pinterest? I always come across ways of decorating jars, from decoupage to painting. Jars are so easy to collect at home so I gave it a go myself! 

After compiling a craft board I decided that I would spray paint some jars and I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. All you need is, a can of spray paint, a collection of empty glass jars/bottles, an area and something to cover that area like a dust for the decorating to take place. 

The most tedious bit is getting the labels off of the jars, especially if there is a lot of glue. I found that soaking them in warm soapy water overnight made the labels peel off easily. I then used nail polish remover to get rid of any excess glue and then gave the jars another wash, drying them thoroughly.

When you are spray painting the jars make sure that you have a large area to do this in. I laid out an old dust sheet in the garage and then placed the jars upside down on the sheet. If you have a space outside then this might also be a good area to use. I would also recommend wearing old clothes and some gloves when painting the jars just in case. Then follow the instructions on the can of paint. I'm guessing most are the same but it's always best to check just in case. I made the mistake of holding the can too close to the jar when I first started using the spray paint which meant that the paint went on way too thick and then started to run down the jar. For an even finish try not to hold the can too close and constantly move it from side to side as you work round the jar so that you are evenly distributing the paint. You usually need to do a couple of coats and some instructions suggest that you leave the paint to dry for a certain amount of time and then go back to apply another coat.

I tried to use masking tape but the only effect that worked was the round bottle in the photo above. I found that the paint would end up going on areas that I wanted to keep clear so found it pretty difficult. I think if you want to achieve a stripy effect or something similar then you would need to use paint and a brush in order to stay in the lines and control the paint. 

Have you tried making anything like this at home? How did it turn out?

Decorating Without Redecorating

I have lived in a flat for just over four months and thought it was time for a bit of...redecorating. I guess you can't really call what I've done 'redecorating' because it doesn't involve any paint or wallpaper and the furniture is still the same. 

It all started when was given two lovely grey throws for Christmas. This gave me the idea to re-arrange and add to our bedroom using 'grey' as the main theme. I managed to make the room look completely different without spending much money at all, so thought I would share what I did with you.

I've added a grey tray which I picked up in France to the bedside table. The base is made of glass and is like a photo frame, allowing you to add your own personal touch. You can create this look yourself for even cheaper like I did here using a photo frame.
This bedside babushka carafe was such a random find! I popped into a local independent shop when I was home for Christmas and found her in the sale for £2. She was such a bargain because apparently her head didn't fit on properly, but it turns out she works fine! 

I've kept the bed simple, matching two of the pillows (you can just see them behind the white ones) with two scatter cushions from ASDA. The two grey throws both live at the end of the bed. 

This stag head was a Christmas gift from my parents to Ben. Isn't it great? I think it was from M&S and although it looks like wood it is actually made from really sturdy cardboard. 
I think a wall piece like this really adds something special to the room and luckily this one ties in nicely with the greyness. 

If you don't like the idea of a cardboard animal head you could always try a print or a canvas. I guess this is like having a 'feature' wall without covering the whole wall.

Each little area of the room has a cluster of candles and pictures. The first one is an adorable design of Durdle Door on a greetings card, which I put in a frame from IKEA. This is such an inexpensive way of displaying artwork, especially if you want to change it regularly. Below this is a framed cross stitch that my bestest friend Laura made for Ben and I.

I love fresh flowers, but they can be so expensive so a great way to save money is by displaying artificial or dried ones. My mum kindly donated some Hydrangeas from her garden, which I have dried out and placed in a jar from IKEA.

It just goes to show that you can make a room look completely different without touching the walls or furniture. I hope this post has been helpful!