Feeling Crafty

With the need for a little more beauty in our home we have been working on project after project. Inspired by all the expert craft women and designers in my life I decided that I needed to start making our new house a home in the most inexpensive way possible.

It started with the beautiful built-ins in that we have in our dining area and the lack of storage space anywhere else in our kitchen. I have been collecting (and stealing a few from my mom's surplus) gallon sized pickle jars and using them as dry goods storage. I decided to create a dual purpose and pretty them up a little. They start looking a little something like this.


A few dozen pickles, a good washing, and de-labeling later they looked a little bland. I spray painted the lids a oil rubbed bronze. Still looking a little dull.

After a lot of searching on-line and a few test ideas I decided on making chalkboard labels on the front. I quickly learned that latex paint does not like to live on glass so I made myself chalkboard stickers from full page labels and a couple coats of paint. Cut out my fun design and presto chango.


They now flank the stained glass art of our surname I made a few years ago. It is just the start to the beautification of the built-ins.

I liked the chalkboard rather than etching because I like to change things up and I figure I can always change the contents of the jars or simply the color and style of the text whenever I feel like it.