Glass bottles and jars can be recycled, but it’s possible to get even more use out of them. Used containers from beverages, jelly, sauce, gravy, condiments and other food items are useful for holding all sorts of small items in the home and office. They also can be used to create a one of a kind handmade gift. Once they are completely cleaned and dried, there are many ways to get some creative reuse out of glass jars and bottles.
Decorating Ideas
There are several ways to decorate a jar or bottle to make a vase or decorative storage container. Brush the jar with glue and then wrap scrapbook paper, gift wrap, thin wire, ribbon or other fibers around it. A jar or bottle can also be decoupaged with tissue paper. Brush on decoupage medium, cut out small pieces of brightly colored tissue and apply to the sides of the jar or bottle. Jars can also be decorated with modeling clay or painted with glass paint. Decorating a jar or bottle involves a process similar to creating mixed-media glass art vases.
To decorate a lid, trace around the lid on scrapbook paper or gift wrap. Cut out the circle and glue to the lid. A lid can also just be painted in a solid color. If the lid is not needed, it can still be reused. Smaller lids for bottles or jars can be used to make magnets or scrapbook embellishments . Paint the lid, then cover with a photograph or some decorative paper. To make a magnet, glue a circular shaped magnet, found at craft stores, to the back.
Once the jar and lid are decorated, they can be used to hold craft items like beads and buttons, office supplies like paperclips and rubber bands, or in the kitchen for rice, flour or other dry goods. Without a lid, they can be used as a vase or can hold pencils or brushes.
Jars and bottles can be used in captured fairy altered art. Find inspiration from sites like Etsy and eBay. Captured fairy jars are easy to make. Just put moss, Easter grass or raffia in the bottom of the jar. Cut out an image from an old photograph or a magazine. Make wings and a crown for the fairy if desired, and attach them with glue or decoupage medium. As an alternative, altered fairies that have already been colorized and embellished are available from sites like Lisa's Altered Art. Add a little fairy dust with clear glue and glitter. Decorate the lid and the jar as desired, with flowers, ribbon, paint, embellishments and other scrapbook products.
Gift ideas
Jars and bottles can be used to hold many kinds of homemade gifts. They can either be decorated first, or just left plain, with a label on the front. To protect furniture, the bottoms can be covered with circles of felt.
There are many “gift in a jar” recipes available online for free. They include hot cocoa mixes, soup mixes, brownies and cookies. Be sure to print out a list of the ingredients, directions for use and a list of extra ingredients that will be needed. Attach this information to the jar, either on a label or tag.
Homemade bath salts, bubble bath, bath beads or other body care items can also be packaged in decorated jars. To decorate the lid, paint it or tie a piece of fabric over it for a rustic look.
Another gift idea is a candle in a jar. The easiest way is to decorate a jar with translucent paper or tissue, then place a votive in the bottom. To make a winter “grubbed” candle, glue a winter scene cut from a card or book to the front of the jar. Mix together white acrylic paint, decoupage medium, and spices like ginger and cinnamon. Apply the mixture to the outside of the jar, overlapping the edges of the cut out images so that when the candle is lit, the image will be illuminated.
Handmade candles made from scratch are fairly easy to make, but they can be messy and require practice and many safety precautions. An inexpensive alternative to purchasing candle supplies is simply to melt down a used candle and pour the wax into the jar. Used crayons can be melted down to make candles too.
A simple gift idea using a jar is a jar full of poems, bible verses, love verses, things to do or other inspirational quotes. Just print or write the words on small pieces of paper. Roll the papers into scrolls and place them in a jar. Every day the recipient can take out a new quote. Fun paper shapes or confetti packed into a jar are some original gifts, too.
There are so many ways to use old jars and bottles for a fun and useful hobby. Once basic ideas are explored, use stamps, scrapbook supplies, polymer clay and other creative ideas to turn them into works of art.
Beth Lumadue - I've always enjoyed the creative side of life , especially crafting, writing and decorating. After graduating from Temple University with ...
