Ideas for Canning Jars & A Friday Blog Hop

Canning Jar Ideas

My readers had some great ideas for ways to use old canning jars on "What Would You Do With This?" this week. I thought I would show some things that I've done with canning jars. You'll probably recognize a theme in my decorations. Yeah, I know. Mostly I make candle holders. That's why I asked you guys for some new ideas!

 

These are three different ways to use canning jars and mayonnaise jars.

• The one on the left, I purchased at a yard sale. There is a muslin primitive snowman inside and an artificial pine branch. The top is a clear flower pot votive holder. 
• The middle one was a gift from my sister. She primed the jar with a bonding primer like Zinsser and then used acrylic paints to do the background and snowman. It has a blue flower pot votive holder on top.
• The one on the right, I made. I purchased the snowman when Christmas ornaments were 75% off. It had a string at the top (since it was an ornament) and I cut that off. Then I hot-glued the snowman to the bottom of the jar and sprinkled some fake snow (the Styrofoam kind) in the bottom. I put a flower pot votive in the top and tied a torn fabric ribbon around it.

I made this candle holder from an old blue canning jar. I used a clear votive holder in the top that flares out a bit (just enough to catch the rim of the jar). I've created it as a memory jar. I put sand in the bottom and then put shells inside that I picked up along the Pacific ocean in northern Washington last year.  The big shell on the outside was too big to fit inside, so I drilled a small hole in it and tied it to the outside with variegated ribbon.

 

This is a lamp that I made from a 2-quart antique blue canning jar. I filled it with spools and sewing notions. To make the fabric balls, I just tore strips of quilting fabric and then wrapped it around small Styrofoam balls, securing the end with a straight pin. The lamp shade was also wrapped with torn strips of quilting fabric. 

I've created candles from goblets and canning jars (jar not pictured--I gave them all away as gifts). To make the candle on the left from a glass or a jar, insert a small clear glass votive holder inside the jar. Then fill the jar around that inside candle holder with coffee beans. It looks like the cup is filled with beans, but really it's filled around the inside holder. Put a tea light in the holder and when you burn the candle, the coffee beans will give off a light scent.

The jar on the right is for gift giving. I've used small organza bags and filled them with flavored coffee beans to make sachets. They can be given as a gift and the recipient can hang the coffee sachets in the car to smell like a coffee air freshener. 

I hope you were inspired by the jar discussion this week. Now it's time to tell me what else inspired you this week. Tell me what you've featured on your blog by linking up to:

Follow Friday #8

I'm so amazed by all of the great ideas out there! Until this week, I didn't really know what a cloche was, but thanks to the blog hop, I do now. Check out this sweet trash to treasure idea using a candlestick that came from Joan at Anything Goes Here.

 

Picture from Anything Goes Here

I can't wait to see what you share this week in the Friday Blog Hop. The creativity out there is so inspiring! Here's how to link up:

Blog Hop guidelines:

1-Add a permalink to your specific post not the home page of your blog. Be sure to check that the link works after you post.

2-Add a short title for your post. This could be your name or blog name if you'd like.

3- Link back to this post from your blog, or send a link to your tweeps on Twitter (mention @trash2treas).

4-Check out the links and leave some comments on the sites you enjoy.

That's all there is to it! I can't wait to see your links and ideas. Never used MckLinky? It's super easy. You don't need an account or any software. Just click on "you are next" below and type a title for the post (or your name) and add a link to the location on the web. It's that simple!

I'm linking up too! I'm linking this post to:

• A Picture is Worth 1000 Words for the 2nd Time Around Party See more great recycling ideas. 
• Motivate Me Monday at Keeping it Simple