Thursday night I'll be demonstrating a little craft as part of a ladies' meeting at my church. They asked me to come up with a holiday gift for a neighbor or friend - something simple that doesn't take much time or skill, is inexpensive to make ($2-$4), and wouldn't be embarrassing to give as a gift. :) Tall order.
I tend to give neighbors baked goods or treats for the holidays, so I thought a pretty container could be a good solution. A mason jar is easy to dress up with a little bit of paint. On this first jar, I stenciled the word Joy using frosted glass spray paint and contact paper to cut the stencil. I'm working on another version of the gift jar using the Elmer's Painter pens, which I should have ready to show tomorrow.
Fill the jar with cookies, candies or other treats, and you have a pretty sweet gift. Jars can also be filled with delicious baking or soup mixes, or spools of thread and other supplies for your favorite crafty people.
We'll also be making these festive holly gift tags. They are my version of the Paper Treats tags, which I found instructions for on Martha Stewart. The instructions call for lots of paper punches. I don't know about you, but I don't have a holly leaf punch laying around ... but I do have scalloped scissors. By simply using the scallop scissors upside down, it is easy to cut these little holly leafs. They don't turn out as perfectly perfect as the Paper Treats tags, but that is fine by me. Let the holidays begin!
26 comments:
Love the tag! I do love craft punches, but have found some of Martha's don't work as well as I would like (case in point, a jack o lantern punch). Still, I love the round scalloped card. Is that a Martha punch?
Nope, it is just a circle I cut with the scalloped scissors. The only tools I used for the gift tags were a pair of regular scissors and a pair of scalloped scissors.
I've been saving baby food jars (drives my husband nuts) and I think I'll do this. I love that frosted glass look. I even HAPPEN to have a 2" circle punch! Doesn't shiny bazil paper make you happy?
Melanie has a great idea with those baby food jars. This frosted glass idea would be great to give as a little votive holder. Just toss a little card on it with a candle inside and it would be adorable!
The tag. Simple, and that speaks to me. I'm not a crafty person, so give me something I can do without having to use a million things I don't own.
The ladies are going to love this. Great job.
Oh yes We are doing this, this year! Love it
Oh yes We are doing this, this year! Love it
Lovely gift idea!
You filled the bill. It is a lovely and inexpensive gift. I know I would be happy to receive baked goods in such a pretty jar.
Nancy
Totally cute!!!
I thought you had used that etching cream that everyone seems to be using - I love that it is paint! So cute.
Really cute and simple! That will be a hit at church. I love that it is paint too instead of the etching chemicals.
Great idea to use the scalloped scissors. Very creative.
So smart to use the scalloped scissors upside down...I don't need another paper punch and I certainly don't need a holly leaf punch! lol
Very cute! I will be doing this for the gifts that I have to make large quatities of.
Also, even though I'm late, welcome to LA...I'm not from here either, but am making it "home". Thanks for all the great ideas and inspiration on your blog.
Jar gifts are the perfect thing. I love something you can whip-up last-minute and still be fab. Great idea.
I just finished making 15 jars of Citrus Pumpkin Butter that is meant for gifts this year, and I was wondering how to dress up the tags. This is perfect, thanks!
This post gave me the fuzzies! I can't wait for Christmas!
I have never thought of using frosted glass spray for something like this. Awesome...I love it when things like this open up a whole new warm and fuzzy world o'crafting.
Excellent idea. I love that it's full of thread. Very cute.
Wish you were in my husbands ward. cute cute!
I'm addicted to mason jars and used them last year as christmas goody holders. But i love your idea of adding other things besides food! so clever!
Hi. What a lovely playhouse you made for your son. So many wonderfull details. How long did it take you too make that? Cute gift tag also. / Anna ,from Sweden
I just have to thank you for re-awakening my crafting side. Having lived in NYC for 10 years, I have slowly lost my desire to craft... with expensive supplies and craft stores that are hard to come by- I lost my passion. As well as limited space, which forces us to keep only essentials.. no knick-knacks (a lot of what I deem crafts).. let alone supplies for future projects.
Well, after seeing that you did it. I have been finding little things to do that really fulfill me... and that serve a purpose (ie. busy book) Such as basic, and self-taught projects on the sewing machine (rag quilts)... or ideas to finish up the last of my scrapbook paper. I am even attempting to give homemade gifts to my son's girlfriends for upcoming birthdays (tutus and tiaras). I know they will be impressed... Sometimes it is actually hard to give it away my projects, because I am so proud of how it turned out.
Anyway. I just want to say thanks. I keep tabs on your blog, for more ideas of simple crafting ideas that can be done with little time and simple supplies. (I have two little ones and, like I said, little space).
Oh, and the point, although it comes a bit late for you... they just opened a Michael's in Manhattan.. 100th & Columbus. You better believe I am thrilled!! ... now to FINISH a few of these things that I have started. Any ideas?
I can't wait to see what you come up with next. Sincerely, a fellow New Yorker crafter (or wannabe). :)
I love the up close and detailed pictures!!!! EXCELLENT!
so lovely! :) i love frosted glass, didnt know they have a spray paint for that! ahhh must go look for it at the craft store.
I like the one with spools of thread- very cool. Usually they come with cookies mixes- I am digging the twist- and what crafty girl doesn't need more thread!? Filing this away in my "cheap gifts for friends........"Thanks Jill!
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