50 Jar Gifts: idea #20 – bath salts

Posted on May 2, 2014 by tellingfamilytales

image from My Crazy Blessed Life

Here is a quick idea for Mother’s Day or any time of year, homemade bath salts! I’ve never tried them but they look like they are fun and easy to put together. Show your mom you appreciate her hard work and that she should take some time for herself. Remissness about childhood bath time. Thank her for all the years of service and the good memories.

Click on the photos for recipes and instructions.

image from Denise in Bloom

photo from Paula Deen

photo from Saving with Shellie

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.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #19 – secret message

Posted on April 30, 2014 by tellingfamilytales

image from My Sisters Suitcase

This would be a great gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or a birthday. The basic idea is to write a message, one letter at a time one side of a group of small objects. Then number them 1 to whatever and put them all together in a bottle. When the gift is opened, they put the object in numerical order and then turn each piece over to read the message. You can use wooden game pieces like the example above or paper or even candy. I did it with a variety of hard candy for my dad’s birthday last year and not only did he enjoy it but his grandsons had a great time figuring out the message.

To tie the idea into sharing family stories, the message could be the start of a story or a favorite memory about the person. It could be the starting off point for story telling or you could record the story on an audio or in a book or even just written down on a piece of paper. Here are some more secret messages in bottles ideas.

image from Lessons Learnt Journal

image from Club Chica Circle

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.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #17 – Jar Games

Posted on February 24, 2014 by tellingfamilytales

games in a jar from lost button studio

Can you remember the simple games you played as a child? This great idea from Lost Button Studio uses simple objects to play a variety of games. It even has a free printable game booklet with ideas on what games you can play with the objects in the jar. What a perfect opportunity to share memories of childhood games that you remember playing or memories of friends, siblings or cousins that you played with.

games in a jar by lost button studio

Here are a few more jar games ideas. But the one above is my favorite.

secret message in a bottle by my sister’s suitcase

bottle top ladybugs via Love and Lollipops

50 reasons why I love you from Repeat Crafter Me

gumdrop questions game & free printable by the Crafting Chicks

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.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #15 – Bubbles

Posted on February 14, 2014 by tellingfamilytales

Homemade Bubble Jars by Maison de Pax

Here is another activity oriented jar gift idea. While bubbles are usually thought of as a kids thing there are lots of adults who like them too. Homemade bubble jars create the perfect setting to talk about childhood memories. Below are more bubble ideas to get you started.

Bubble dispenser via Amy Wright

Homemade bubbles: combine 12 cups water, 1 cup dawn liquid soap and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Stir gently. Put all of this in a $5.00 container from Target/Walmart. Inexpensive and spill proof! Give the kids Dixie cups with all your extra wands from previous bubble jars. Enjoy! Amy

Bubble Jar via CraftFoxes

Bubble Wand

If it is wintertime you can try making frozen bubbles. For a fun night-time activity, cut open and glow stick and pour it into the bubble jar.

Glow in the Dark Bubbles via Lindsay

image via Myla Jones

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.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #14 – Playdough Jars

Posted on January 29, 2014 by tellingfamilytales

rainbow playdough photo from nicolehastings.com by cathryn via Pinterest

Here another idea geared for children. We know that kids can sit still longer if you can keep their hands busy. So how about handing out jars of colorful playdough when you want to tell them a family story? You could encourage them to be inspired by something in the story on what they create. If your story has something to do with making something with your hands that would be a perfect fit too.

I was amazed at all the different recipes for playdough out there now. You can make playdough using jello, with glitter or glow in the dark. It can even be edible or gluten-free. Jars are a natural fit for packaging and story playdough. It prevents it from drying out and it looks pretty too. Here are some ideas from Pinterest that I found intriguing.

DIY Jello-o playdough tutorial from Our Little Coop

Homemade Glow in the Dark Play Dough with instructions

How to Make Glitter Playdough

Homemade (edible) playdough party favors

Gingerbread Playdoh from Maddycakes muse

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.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #13 – I Spy Jars

Posted on January 22, 2014 by tellingfamilytales

image by Spell Outloud via Pinterest

I find I spy bottles fascinating. They are easy and inexpensive to make. I think it would be fun to make jars with objects that represent favorite family stories or things about a specific ancestor. I can just imagine a group of cousins with identical I spy jars gathered around listening to stories about their family while they try to find the item. Another option is to create an I spy jar to help in telling just one story. The items in the jar could represent different parts of the story. It would be awesome to make a story book to go along with the jar. How about a series of I spy jars with companion books waiting on the shelf for the grand-kids to come by?

Rice is the most common filler but lots of other things work like beads, bird seed, wheat or a mixture of small items. I hope the images below will get your creative juices going.

image from brainintrainin.com via Pinterest

I Spy Bottle Tutorial on Southern Disposition

image from Tara Teaches

image from Meet the Dubiens

glitter spy jar from inspire co.

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.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #11 – Craft Kit

Posted on January 17, 2014 by tellingfamilytales

snowman craft kit by Michelle of chalkboardblue.com

Do you know someone who likes to make crafts? How about gathering together supplies and packaging it into a jar? The supplies could be for a specific craft, like the snowman kit above or just a gathering of supplies.

How do you tie into to telling your families stories? Well if your family has a story about a snowman the snowman kit would be the perfect opportunity to share that story. One year when we went on our annual Christmas tree cutting trip we found a huge snowball someone had made. We took the opportunity to take family photos on and around the snowball. It was a memorable occasion. So pick a craft that reminds you of a family story.

image from Breann Suttles on Pinterest

contents of the jars above

Or if an ancestor who enjoyed a certain craft or hobby and kit related to that would work great. My grandmother learned to paint when she was older. A jar with painting supplies would create an opportunity to share about how Irene enjoyed taking classes on painting and went on many outings to paint landscapes.

Jar filled with crafting supplies via The Shine Project

Another option would be to have some of the craft supplies come from buttons or fabric etc that were once owned by an ancestor. I’ve inherited much of my grandmother’s thread and buttons. A kit could also give you the chance to teach a skill such as sewing or knitting or something like wood working or candle making that a used to be common knowledge for our ancestors that we don’t often learn today.

image from ashleyannphotography.com

image from Geraldine Martinez

You could also put together a kit or scrapbooking and encourage a family member to record a story from their own life. There are so many possibilities. Start brainstorming and see what you can come up with that ties into your own family stories.

Jared Craft Projects via homespunfair.blogspot.com

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.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #9 – Idea Jars

Posted on December 30, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

image from ShabbyBeachNest.com

Gather together ideas for activities in a jar. They can be geared to kids during the summer or activities for families to do together or even simple ideas for date night or one on one time with a child. This is also a great way to get chores done. ShabbyBeachNest even has a tutorial and printables or her “I’m Bored” Jar here.

Pick activities that remind you of your childhood or a family story and you have a great way to share story or memory in the process.

I’m Bored Jar from Audrey of “Miss Audrey Sue” via ShabbyBeachNest.com

Date Night ideas via pinterestingpix

Job Jar from MarthaStewart.com

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.

50 Jar Gifts: idea #7 – Candle Jars

Posted on November 14, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

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.

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

50 Jar Gifts: idea #6 – Money Jars

Posted on November 12, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

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.