Brainstorm in Bloom: Glass Jar Up-cycled (CSA)

The supply item of the month is a GLASS JAR for the
CSA (Community Supported Activities/Crafts/Organization)!
Each month a handful of awesome friends and I are going to use a household supply item (that might otherwise be tossed) and find a way to up-cycle it! You can join in on the fun – next month (December 2012) will be a box (yes, a box of any kind) so start thinking and creating! You can either email me your pic and directions or use the linky near the bottom of the post.
I hope you get some fresh ideas and enjoy this post of…
GLASS JAR UP-CYCLED
Community Supported Activities/Crafts/Organization
for All Ages!

The Thanksgiving Jar
MADE by, Laura to share with her family
I wanted to do a take on the book 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp for our family, and this is what I came up with for our Thanksgiving Jar!

The Stuff

The FUN!

Glass Jar

Tissue paper

Glue

Water

Bowl for mixing

Paintbrush

Newspaper

Ribbon

How to Make It:

I decoupaged the jar by mixing glue and a little water and then painting it with a paintbrush over pieces of tissue paper laid on the jar. I found the word Thanksgiving in a newspaper and painted it on over the tissue paper, then I tied a ribbon around the top.

How to Use It:

I love the awareness of thankfulness that comes at Thanksgiving, and I want to cultivate that mindset for my family all year round. My plan with the jar is to take time once a week throughout the year to reflect on things we are thankful for that week. I will make a slip of paper for each one of us and write the name, date, and thing they were thankful for and add it to the jar. We do a family Bible devotion on Saturday mornings, so that will be a perfect time for us to do this. My boys are 3 and 5, so I will help them think carefully through the week and identify true blessings. A couple of thankful slips for Legos will be fine, but I hope we can be more creative for the other 50 weeks of the year! A couple weeks before next Thanksgiving, I will start pulling a handful of slips out of the jar each night to read during dinner. I think it will be fun and meaningful to remember specific things that we were thankful for throughout the year, big and small.

Bead Storage
MADE by, Cecilia (near 4 year old, daughter of crafty mom)

The Stuff

The FUN!

Glass Jar

Beads

I (crafty mom) didn't do much with the craft this week, because when Cecilia saw me cleaning it she asked if she could have the glass jar for something. She decided before me, to use it to store her beads in. She is a collector of things and recently became interested in beading. Pretty proud of her for coming up with how to repurpose the jar herself. :) She has plenty of room for a lot of beads!

This is a great idea for storing many types of craft supplies!

Pen Jar
MADE by, Katie

The Stuff	The FUN!
Glass Jar Tissue paper Glue Water Bowl for mixing Paintbrush Newspaper Ribbon	Decoupage the jar by mixing glue and a little water and then painting it with a paintbrush over pieces of tissue paper on the jar. Tissue paper layered in graduated colors to resemble sunset or grand canyon. Soaring bird then gets glued over paper. Let dry and it makes a beautiful pen jar!

Glass Jar Terrarium
MADE by, Gretchen and her 5 year old crafter

The Stuff

The FUN!

Glass Jar
Rocks
Charcoal
Dirt

Plants

Moss

1.Lay some rocks in the bottom of the glass jar. These are for drainage.
2. Then sprinkle in some charcoal to absorb the decaying matter.
3. Then sprinkle in some soil and start planting. Succulents or cuttings from other plants are good choices.
4. You can add some decorative moss to decorate it – I just saw some moss at a dollar store.
5. Next you can water it and close the lid or leave the lid off. You may have to unscrew the lid to release condensation or add some more water from time to time.

These are so fun!

Snow Globe
MADE by, Gretchen and her 5 year old crafter

Picture from Martha Stewart

The Stuff

The FUN!

Glass jar

Plastic ceramic figurines (hobby stores)

Synthetic evergreens (hobby or floral stores)

Oil-based enamel paint

Sandpaper

Epoxy

Distilled water

Glitter

Glycerin

1.Paint the lid of the jar with oil-based enamel paint.
Sand the inside of the lid until surface is rough.
2. Use epoxy to adhere the figurine/tree to the inside of the lid. Let dry.
3. Fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water. Add a pinch of glitter and a dash of glycerin (not too much).
4. Screw on the lid tightly, being careful with the figurine/tree.

Turn the jar over and back again and let it snow!

Glass Jar Turkeys
MADE by, Sara and her little turkeys

Click here to get directions!

Glass Jar Aquarium
MADE by, Roly Poly (Sara’s 4 year old and future veterinarian)

The Stuff	The FUN!
Glass jar Blue paint Paint brush Sand, shells String Nail/thumbtack to poke hole Plastic sea creature	1.Paint jar blue but leave a little spot blank for viewing window. 2. Add sand and shells. 3. Tie sea creature around string. 4. Poke hole in lid and push string through. Tie knot. Enjoy by moving string up and down for sea creature to swim!

Mason Jar Lattes
MADE by, Melodie (coffee drinker extraordinaire)

The Stuff	The FUN!
Glass jar Ice Milk or creamer Package of Starbucks via Water	This is my favorite use for a mason jar. Put ice in the jar, add milk or creamer (I like sugar free vanilla), add one package of Starbucks via and fill the rest with water. Put on the lid and shake. Delicious and quick.

Ribbon Jars
MADE by, Melodie and her two favorite crafters
The girls and I had fun with ribbon and hot glue guns making these candle holders.

The Stuff	The FUN!
Glass jars Ribbon Hot glue guns, glue Votive candles	Save your jars for a few weeks to collect different sizes. Use coordinating ribbons and hot glue gun to make each one unique. Drop in a small votive. Looks gorgeous!