Category Archives: Gift Ideas

50 Jar Gifts: idea #5 – Mason Jar Sewing Kit

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image from It All Started with Paint

This is a fun and practical idea. If you love to sew or if you have an ancestor who loved to sew this gift would be a great opportunity to share that love along with your family’s stories. Do you have a stash of buttons? The pincushion jar would be a good way to share buttons. You could also share any stories connected with those buttons. Did they come from a favorite piece of clothing or a certain family member? I inherited a bunch of spools of thread from my grandmother. The would be great in a jar like this. Hopefully the image below get your creative juices going.

image from It All Started With Paint

image by Frugalcious Me

craft Jar of Whimsies by Phizzychick! on Flickr

image from bystephanielynn.com

image from My Lovely Inspirations

image from julieoldcrow.com click for tutorial

image from dishfunctionaldesigns.blogspot.com

If this idea inspires you, let me know. I’d love to share your project here too.jar gift logos6

50 Jar Gifts: idea #4 – Decoupage

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image from plaidonline.com

I did lots of decoupage when I was growing up on boards but I never thought of doing it on a jar. You can find step by step directions here.

Plaid also has another tutorial on decoupaging jars here. This example doesn’t include a photograph. You can decoupage all kinds of things including leaves and fabric. Enjoy the examples below. I hope they inspire you.

another decoupage idea from plaidonline.com

Garden Decoupaged Quart Mason Jar Girls In Pink Solar Light by CarlaRaeVintage on Etsy

image from you-dont-have-to-say-you-love-me.blogspot.com

image from Julia Hull Library

image from thecreativeplace.blogspot.com
click image for tutorial

image from kristanlynn.com
tutorial on decoupaging jar lids

One advantage of decoupage is that copies work great. You don’t need to use the originals. I can image making copies of love letters between my grandparents along with their photos and mixing them together to make a lovely keepsake of them. Maybe tuck a story inside about their courtship and a treat to eat while reading the story.

If this idea inspires you, let me know. I’d love to share your project here too.jar gift logos5

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50 Jar Gifts: idea #3 – Sands of Time

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image from indulgy.com

I think this idea is awesome. It is a beautiful way to remember your travels The different colors of sand are so beautiful and varied. You can also collect pebbles and rocks. I also like the idea of writing on the rocks. Here are a bunch of examples.

jars with sand and pebbles, etc. from different places from themagnoliamom.blogspot.com

image from interiordesigning.net

image from savvysugar.com

image from blog.kandrac-kole.com

What I’d really like to do is collect rocks and/or dirt from different places in my family’s history. Wouldn’t it be cool to go back to England where my great-great grandma, Mary Taylor was born and collect some soil. Then trace her journey to the west, stopping at key points along the way to collect more sample. Layered in a jar with labels of some kind and maybe a mini book to explain the importance of each place. With the power of the internet it would probably be possible to find people who live in each of those areas to gather what I’d need and ship them to me. The trip would be more fun but it isn’t in my budget in the near future.

dirt from places around the country
image from Sarah Wiley Joyce

If this idea inspires you, let me know. I’d love to share your project here too.jar gift logos4

50 Jar Gifts: idea #2 – Year in a Jar

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Year in a Jar By Kid’s Crafts Contributor Stephanie, from the blog A Geek In Glasses via ThinkCrafts.com

Here is a fun and simple way to help someone collect their memories for the coming year. All you need is a jar, a photo and vinyl numbers or another way to add the year to the jar. Then as they year goes by they drop those little things they collect from their days into the jar. At the end of the year it is like a little time-capsule. ThinkCrafts.com has detailed instructions on how to make this jar gift.jar gift logos3

image from thinkcrafts.com

image from journeychic.com

If this idea inspires you, let me know. I’d love to share your project here too.jar gift logos3

50 Jar Gifts: idea #1 – Memories in a Jar

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by Kendra Steel

I found this idea on Pinterest and thought it was the perfect way to kick off my 50 Doable Jar Gift Ideas for 2013. Uploaded by Kendra Steel, I love the idejar gift logos2a of capturing the memories of a trip to the beach in a bottle with a photo, sand and a few shells. It is easy to imagine other trips or memories that this idea could be applied to. A camping trip with some dirt, rocks, sticks and pine cones would work. A memorable walk on a beautiful autumn day with acorns and colorful leaves. A ski trip with fake snow, ski passes and other memorabilia. Think of a memory you would like to share and see what you can come up with. Here are some more ideas to get you started.

image via Yasmine Kaissi

image via Karin

image via jonni kilgore

image from http://www.CrazyWanderlust.com

If this idea inspires you, let me know. I’d love to share your project here too.jar gift logos2

50 Gift Ideas: Tips & Tricks

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Before we start posting this year’s gift ideas I wanted to share a great tip I found today on how to get the gunk off your jars without stinky chemical. If you are using canning jars this isn’t a jar gift logosproblem but if you are recycling jars (which is a great idea) than it can be a major pain to get the paper and glue off the jars. But Creek Line House has a great step by step on getting the gunk of just using baking soda and oil. Here is the tutorial.

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50 Gift Ideas: 2013 Edition

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jar gift logosI had so much fun last year coming up with 50 gift ideas that help in telling your family’s tales that I decided to do it again this year. At least I’m going to try. Last year was inspired by my 50 for 50 challenge for the year. So since this year I’ve done my Joy Jar I decided that all 50 gift ideas would have something to do with jars. I have a few ideas and I’ve started a board on Pintrest to gather more ideas. The challenge will be getting all 50 ideas put together by Christmas. It isn’t going to be easy but I really want to take on this challenge.

Do you have any favorite jar gift ideas that you want to share?

Family History Games for Kids

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image from Stacey of The Thrifty Chick blog

I found this great post today via FamilySearch on Geni about fun DIY games to teach kids about their family history. I love these ideas!

Pop on over to Amanda’s post and get all the details. We had a genealogy game growing up. Not sure I can remember the name of it. I bet my mom still has it. You had to build a family pedigree from clues on the cards. I played that game over and over. I’ll have to check on it. I just can’t come up with the name of it now.

Do you created any family history type games that your family enjoys playing?

Charm Necklace – Yakira

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my Yakira charm necklace

In Gift Idea #35 I mentioned the charm necklaces I’ve made for each of my puppies in training. With Yakira’s graduation this weekend I thought it would be a good time for a post focusing on her charm necklace. Each charm is symbolic of something about Yakira.

The main charm on her necklace is a tiny treasure box. This was inspired by her name has Hebrew origins and means precious, dear or costly. We keep precious things in treasure boxes so I thought it was a good representation of her name.

I also have a letter “Y” charm to go along with her name and because I’m hoping to have just one puppy in training for each letter of the alphabet. Each of my puppy’s charm necklaces has something for their first initial.

Each necklace also has a heart because of course we love each puppy dearly.

Another common feature of all the puppy charm necklaces is a spot to put an additional charm while they are in training. Yakira’s now has a star representing that she is in class with her new partner. During the training stage, I have a charm with a number on it to represent the phase of training they are in.

I also put a charm on each necklace to represent their birthstone. Yakira was born in August so I have a green bead for Peridot.

Yakira has two more charms. One is a hand mirror to represent her beauty and the other is a horse. When she was still quite young we took her with us to the mountains to cut down our Christmas tree. Compared to her size the snow was rather deep. But Yakira was determined to make her own way. She got cold once and after warmer her on my lap she was ready to go again. From that early experience I knew that she was a hard worker. The horse charm reminds me of what a little work horse she is.

I have found that these necklaces really help me when it is time to send each puppy back to Guide Dogs for the Blind for their formal training. I think the same would be true for family members who are far away for school or work etc. or they have passed on from this life. I enjoy the process of finding the charms and assembling the necklace and then wearing it until their graduation. Saturday after graduation I will take off this necklace. Then the cluster of charms will be added to a larger necklace with the charm clusters from all the previous puppies. This necklace I where when we go to pick-up a new puppy from the puppy truck or the airport. I hang this necklace by my desk so I can see it any time I want to during the day.

all my other puppy charm clusters

Do you have someone you want to make a charm necklace for? Or do you have a similar tradition that helps you when loved ones are no longer near?

Gift Idea #50 – Surprise Balls

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idea numbers50I came across this idea via Design Mom. The basic idea is to take small gifts and brightly colored crape paper strips. You start with the largest item and wrap it with the crape paper and then add another item and repeat until all the items are wrapped in the ball. Here are detailed instructions on how to make a surprise ball.

These surprise balls remind me if some gifts I gave my nieces when they were young. I wrapped their gifts in yarn. I took a small item and wrapped yarn around it until it was the size of a volleyball. I like the idea of having a series of small gifts to discover along the way.

I think it would be fun to have a series of small trinkets and photos that relate to a family member. It could focus on a single story with the items in the surprise ball help to tell the story. This idea has some great possibilities, I can’t wait to try this out.

Surprise Balls – photo by HonestlyWTF