Frame it with Paint

For me, the easiest and cheapest way to transform a room is with paint. Paint is amazing for creating subtle or dramatic highlights – it makes art pop and can draw attention to special features.

I always thought when using more than one color on the wall you needed to paint to a corner or defined angle before changing colors.  A few years ago Jill (the ‘r’ in the j.a.r. collection) showed me otherwise and revolutionized my view of eggshell paint!

Frame a collection of art - such as these owl and bird pieces from the j.a.r. collection

Create a "window" to add depth to a room

Paint and custom art pieces from the j.a.r. collection help anchor the fireplace to the room

Dramatic use of light and dark paints

How to make a “frame”

Tools needed:

Level, pencil, ruler or yardstick (depending on the size of your “frame”), painter’s tape, clear paintable caulk, paintbrush or roller and paint

Step 1:

Determine where you want to paint your “frame.”  Using a level, mark the wall making sure the marks are straight.  Use a ruler and pencil to connect the dots, once again, making sure the line is straight.

Step 2:

Carefully tape the line.  Be sure to put the tape on the outside of the line, so when you paint you are painting over your pencil marks. It is a total bummer to ignore this step because then you can see your pencil line after you are finished.  First hand experience...

Tape to the outside of the pencil line.  In this example, paint would be applied to the right side of the tape so as to paint over the pencil mark.

Step 3:

Use painter’s acrylic latex caulk to seal the side of the tape that will be against the area you want to paint.  Make a thin bead of caulk and use your finger to smear it over the tape and wall, making sure the seam between the tape and area you are going to paint is completely sealed.  Since the caulk is paintable, it does not matter if it is in the “frame.”

Make a thin line of caulk and use your finger to smear it over the seam. You can use any latex caulk as long as it is CLEAR and PAINTABLE, such as the one pictured above.

Step 4:

Paint the “frame.”  It is okay to get some on the tape, as the seam is sealed.  Before the paint dries carefully pull the tape off, pulling at a slight angle.

And there you have it.  An afternoon project that transforms a room and breaths new life into art and walls.

Putting a little "spring" in your cleaning step

Spring is finally here.  Spring bulbs, blue skies and behold, spring-cleaning. Such a pain, but for me, the return is off the charts. Given that my house is begging for a deep clean and Mother’s Day is a mere week away, I thought it would be the perfect time to ask the j.a.r. collection moms their cleaning secrets. I had each mother send me a few cleaning gems, and gems there are.

Starting with my mom, Mama, J.  Affectionately nicknamed, “Dear Heloise” by my college roommate, Mama J. is full of practical advice and handy little tricks. Here are a few of her tried-and-true recommendations:

1) The easiest way to clean walls is with a sponge mop that has a handle to squeeze out the excess water. You can reach high, don’t need a ladder, and cover a lot of territory in a short time.

2) Use white vinegar to remove mineral buildup around faucets or sinks. Apply vinegar directly and let it set. Later, remove minerals by scrubbing or by lightly scrapping with a knife. If the mineral buildup isn't on a flat surface, soak a paper towel with vinegar and wrap the area. 

3) To remove soap scum on the inside of your shower door, spray the door generously with vinegar and water and scrub with a Dobie pad (from 3M). Wipe clean with newsprint. You may need to repeat the application a couple of times.

4) After having thoroughly cleaned shower tiles, apply a thin coat of car wax (we use paste wax) so it will repel water and soap scum. After deep-cleaning your shower door, apply Rain-X (the water shedding treatment for car windshields) to the glass. NOTE: Make sure your shower door is open when you apply the Rain-X so it doesn't get on the shower floor as it will make it VERY slippery.

5) When your wood furniture or wood floor gets a scratch, break a walnut and rub the broken edge across the scratch. The oil in the walnut will help cover over the scratch. Reapply a couple of times until you get the desired color.

Next, meet Mama A. She’s a woman with many hats, many talents, and she is a true world-traveler. Mama A. may not stay in one place for too long, but she knows her stuff, and had a few wise words to throw my way.

      1) Use pumas stone on all types of toilets to remove a ring.

2) If you get easily distracted while cleaning set a timer for 30 minutes and make yourself stay on task until the bell dings. You will be amazed at how much you get done.

3) Remove food odors from plastic containers by soaking them in really hot water with a couple tablespoons of baking soda. Also works great for sippy cups or travel mugs that have rolled under car seats for undisclosed amounts of time.

4) If you have ant prone areas in your house, combine equal amounts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray away. It is safe to use in the kitchen and equally effective outside on patios, picnic tables, etc. Just remember to re-apply after a hard rain.

5) You have heard it said 100 times, but it works. Ditch paper towels for newspaper to clean windows and mirrors.

Last but not least, Mama R.  Mama R. can multi-task with the best of them and gets more done in an hour than a lot of people do all day. The words efficient and effective sum up her cleaning style.  POW!

1) When cleaning, work from top to bottom: start with ceiling fans, light fixtures, the top of shelves, and work down. As you clean, “things” fall.

2) Old linens often get a smell that is hard to get out (a build up of body oils and soap) - wash in ammonia to remove the odor.

3) Have limited spring-cleaning time? Make your first task your windows. Start by washing them inside and out, then cleaning the screens and the window coverings. Your home will be brighter and each room will seem cleaner. Plus, it is a huge job, and other cleaning can done as time permits.

4) The ultimate clean window, Mama R. style: Start with CLEAN rags. Do not use fabric softener on your rags since it leaves a residue. Use vinegar and water instead of commercial products. If you do have what appears to be a "greasy smear" on your windows, a simple mix of 1/2 rubbing alcohol and 1/2 water will bring back the sparkle. Keep a spray of this mix handy for touch-ups.

5) Air things out in the sun - especially things that are difficult to clean, such as pillows, rugs, and down comforters.

There you have it, words of wisdom from mom's of the j.a.r. collection founders. Simple and effective cleaning tips that get the job done. Of course all of them jokingly said that if you have the money, hire a cleaning person. Since that isn’t me at the moment, I will begin chipping away at my spring-cleaning. Hopefully it will be finished by fall. Enough said…

delving into the art of organization (without destroying the budget)

I don’t know why it is, but I am always one step behind the clutter.  I have the best of intentions, yet a Pottery Barn-esque playroom and Martha Stewart closets eludes me.  Realistically, I will never have magazine-perfect anything.  I just want to know where things are when I need them.  Oh yeah, and clutter-free counters would be an amazing bonus.

 

My quest began when a couple of friends and I started a small business, the j.a.r. collection.*  Our initial product line was founded on modern fabrics stretched across specially-made frames to create wall art. 

 

16" x 16", $28 each

 The response to our wall art has been wonderful (thank you Etsy!), but we wanted to expand our shop’s offerings. 

We decided to apply our creative process to produce organizational products with a modern flair.  So far we have:

 

 added some “hip” to the average coat hanger;

 

single hook $15, double hook $22

  

  designed a jewelry organizer that is fashionable AND functional; and

 

7"x 9¼", $21

 launched a piece that turns a little girl’s tangle of clips and bows into working art.

 10”x 5½”, $20

Our goal: to meld art and organization for the home, for kids’ rooms, and mostly for everyday living.

Going forward, this blog will highlight some of the j.a.r. collection’s products, when applicable, but its focus is to share organizational ideas and tips to free-up some of your time and budget.  Clutter free counter tops are just the icing on the cake.

Signing off from my cluttered, but someday-will-be organized desk,

Kristin, the ‘j.’ in the j.a.r. collection

P.S. If you have ideas you would like to share, suggestions ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! 

*The company name is a combination of the first letters of our maiden names and is not a reference to a vessel for holding things… understandably; we get this question a lot.