Tag Archives: Christmas

50 Jar Gifts: idea #7 – Candle Jars

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Jar of Candles from Prepared Not Scared

Let’s start with this practical idea for combining candles and jars. It is an ingenious idea, a way to store and use emergency candles all in one place. Is there a family story about loosing power and being prepared that you could share. Or even a story about a pioneer ancestor and how they didn’t have electricity and used candles and lanterns to see at night. Prepared Not Scared has a great step by step tutorial on how to make this Jar of Candles. She even has a label ready to print to make a beautiful gift.

label for Jar of Candles as a gift from Prepared Not Scared

Here are some more jar and candle ideas. Some are more practical and some are just pretty. Pick the one that appeals to you and gives you an opportunity to share a story from your family. Then every time they use your gift they will remember that story.

image WeddingsPins.net

image from userealbutter.com

image from remodelaholic.com

mason jar candles from whenshuttersclick.com

DIY Chalkboard Mason Jar Candle Centerpiece by Katherin González Romero

matches in mason jar with strikeable lid image from The Burlap Bag

If this idea inspires you, let me know. I’d love to share your project here too.jar gift logos8

Want some more ideas? Visit my Pinterest board dedicated to jar gift ideas.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #6 – Money Jars

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image from Lisa Room by Room

For another gift idea with a more practical flavor, how about jars for saving money. Think of a family story where money played a key role and share that along with the jar idea that best fits that story.

image from RoamerApp for travelers

For example, Mary Taylor and her family saved for many years to have enough money to emigrate to the United States. Maybe your family dreams of taking a trip together. Giving each family member a trip saving jar would be a great way to encourage saving plus build up excitement for the trip.

image from Cowie’s Craft and Cooking Corner

Another story is how my grandmother used eggs to pay for a family portrait. It ended up being the only professional picture of their family because Carol Joy died a short time later. Money was tight be Irene found a way to get the photograph taken. We still have the receipt for the last payment of eggs. Does your family or a family member have a special purchase they want to make? How about a special savings jar to encourage them in that endeavor.

image from Bits of Everything

Maybe you would just like to teach wise money management skill. Share a story from your family about how they were blessed by having good money habits. Then give a set of jars to help with saving and spending money wisely. Here are a few more examples. I hope they will inspire you.

image from Will Work for Decor

Personalized Savings Jar from MyOwnLabels.com

image from Erin Sutton

image from By Stephanie Lynn

image from a Little Glass Box

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

Want some more ideas? Visit my Pinterest board dedicated to jar gift ideas.jar gift logos7

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 #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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Candy Window Update: Wreath

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wreath for over the door of Snoopy’s doghouse

I couldn’t bring myself to brave the cold garage and work on Snoopy today so I decided to do the wreath that goes over the door of Snoopy’s doghouse. Small parts like this are kind of fun because I can get them done in a day. Yeah for feeling like I got something done. This was also fun because it is the first piece of the window with lights in it. I love lights glowing through candy. To me it has such a Christmasy feeling.

wreath with lights on

I finally got some photos of the doghouse added to the post from a couple of weeks ago.

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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?

Candy Window Update: Raspberry Pi

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Raspberry Pi Board from Wikimedia Commons

Today I thought I’d update on what Bill is doing for the window this year. The core piece is a Raspberry Pi board like in the photo above. What does a computer board have to do with a candy window display for Christmas? I’ll try to explain. There are three sets of Christmas lights in the design: one on the Christmas tree, one on the wreath over the doghouse door and two strings of the large lights that drape over the roof of the doghouse. The plan is to use the Raspberry Pi board along with some other hardware to control how the lights go on and off. We are keeping it pretty simple this year to test things out but hope to do more complicated things with lights in future years.

We are playing around with having the lights synced to music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas“. This is new territory for us but I’m excited at the possibilities. In the worst case scenario we can have the board turn the lights on in the evening and off at midnight or so. Hopefully we will get succeed in doing lots more than that.

As far as candy gluing goes I’m now behind the schedule I made for my self for getting my this years candy window done. Yakira’s career change has distracted me. The plans for getting her to Florida are mostly in place so I’ve got to get back on track.