Mason jars make awesome gifts. Everything looks better in them. The Shabby Creek Cottage has pulled together a ton of options and ideas for us. Winner! I can’t get over how cute these are. 100+ ideas and I know that there are more out there. I am definitely holding on to this one.
Here’s the link to The Shabby Creek Cottage’s full roundup: TheShabbyCreekCottage: 101+ Mason Jar Crafts
Mason jars don’t need to be thrown away after you’ve used their contents. Actually they are very useful jars which have a lots of things you can do with them. This guide will look at Mason jar craft ideas so you can make the most out of your used jars.
Snow shaker
A really fun use for used jars is as a snow shaker. To make a show shaker with a jar you will need:
– Plastic models for winter scene
– Polystyrene ball
– Ribbon
– Jar
– Snow Flakes
– Glue
– Mod Podge
Start by cutting the polystyrene ball in half and then covering in mod podge. You can then cover in a small amount of the fake snow to improve its appearance. Repeat this process with any other plastic models that you want to put into the snow shaker.
Glue all of the models into the lid of the jar so that they will be inside the jar when you have put the lid on. Add water and fake snow flakes to top the jar up with. Then when you turn the jar upside down you can make it snow.
DIY Hour Glass
The DIY Hour glass is a very attractive project which is simple to achieve. To make the DIY hourglass you will need:
– Two jars the same shape and size – these can be purchased from hobby stores
– Sand
– Off cut of wood
– Drill
– Small drill bit
– Strong Glue
The first thing that you will need to do is take both of the lids from the jars and glue them together. To do this simply put a small amount of the strong glue around the edge of both lids. Then press them together, try to make sure that the lids line up correctly.
After gluing, leave the lids somewhere to dry for at least 24 hours. Then you will need to use a drill with a small drill bit to drill a hole that’s roughly in the centre of the lids. Use your piece of wood to protect whatever surface you are drilling on.
Fill one jar with sand so that it is two thirds full. Then screw the lid on. Tip the empty jar upside down and screw it in place. This might not be very accurate, but you can time how long it takes for the sand to run through the hour glass to get some indication of cooking times in the kitchen.
Granola in a Jar
Granola in a jar would make an ideal gift for anyone who like to eat cereals. To make the jar look unique, you can mask and paint it using enamel paint.
You will need:
– Enamel Paint
– Vinyl
– Mason jar – quart sized
– Alcohol
Cut the design out of vinyl that you want to appear on the jar. Then stick this to the jar. This acts as a mask and will prevent the paint from covering the whole surface.
Paint the jar with the enamel paint. You will need to do several coats to get a good finish. Make sure you leave the jar to dry completely in between coats, otherwise you will get streaks.
When the paint has dried, remove the vinyl sticker mask to reveal the jar in all its glory. Glue and glitter can be used to jazz up the lid of the jar to make it look much more special. You can even print homemade labels to make the granola look professional.
The granola itself is made from:
– Oats – 2 cups
– Almonds – 1/2 cup
– 2 Tablespoons of Honey
– 2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil
– Half a cup of coconut powder
Melt coconut oil, add honey and the mix together. Then mix the oats and almonds together and bake for around 15 minutes at 325 degrees. When cooled, mix all the other ingredients together to make your granola. Pour this into the jar to make a fantastic gift.
You could also use your decorated jars for many other things, including candy and chocolate.
Additional Resources: Looking for more mason jar craft ideas?
Don’t miss this article by Mason Jar Love and also this one from Country Living.