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20 Ways to Recycle and Reuse Glass Jam Jars

I have recently been introduced into the novelty of a jam jar tombola.

My daughters school has just held the annual big fundraiser BBQ with said tombola. So what did we contribute?

Inspired by Jen (make do and mend year) amongst others I was determined to avoid filling our jam jars with plastic tat toys and sweets. I tried to have various themes, but ended up with a lot more ideas than I managed to execute (nothing like leaving to the last minute!)

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Cleaning Products: Kitchen Coffee Soap, my recipe was from the great book “the handmade soap book” by Melinda Coss however there is also a recipe at handmadeology. It’s great soap which removes the smell of garlic and onion from your hands. Other ideas include making body scrub, bath salts, DIY fabric conditioner (could I locate the idea of vinegar and mint leaves as the basis of fabric conditioner?!)

Jam Jar Storage

Household DIY Printing Kit

Creative jars for the kids: A DIY printing kit. this was filled with everyday items for mark making and printing. This one included kitchen sponge, cotton reel, a mega block, bubble blower, and a string /cardboard print.

20 Ways to reuse Jam Jars

Jam Jar Plant Pots

Jars for growing plants: We potted up herbs and various other plants out-door plants. Other ideas included creating a face on the jar, with cress growing out of the top for hair

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Girly bits. My daughter suggested a jar with rags… I love it, we attached a note with instructions for twisting/plaiting your hair and the different results. To our amusement a boy inevitably won it!

We also created a jar with a flower corsage and  hair clips (instructions for the hairclips came from Martha Stewart)

Reuse Jam Jars

Jam Jars as food containers

Foody jars: I had great plans for three different types, chocolate chip cookies, tiffin and cheese straws. Sadly the cookies were too big to fit in! The night before I realized we had no golden syrup in stock so there was no tiffin… so cheese straws it was!

Other foody jar ideas include homemade chutneys, jams, jellys, cheesecake, wild garlic pesto, soup mixes the options are endless.

I had great fun thinking up the ideas. Check out my a Pinterest board with more ideas, including a link to embossing a jar, and creating your own snow globe.

Lets hope the children and parents who won the jars got a little bit of the something I was trying to say… we don’t need plastic!! Open yourself up to creativity:)

What would you put in??

Please do top by Handmade Harbour and see what other people have been making this week.

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Sonya Fox

Monday 24th of August 2015

Reused Jars can be the perfect gift idea from that birthday present to a seasonal offering. With a touch of glitter, ribbons or other decorations your jars can be turned into a classy looking present. Small touches to your jars can make a huge difference. It’s not just decorations that can make a huge difference a lick of paint whether that be luminous paint or standard paint, can transform the look of jar. If this isn’t enough why not fill the jar with personal small gifts or even fill the jars with positive notes from the year (a time capsular) and re open months later.

sra

Friday 6th of March 2015

If i use a glass jar or a bottle to plant a growing plant .. and i water it everyday how will the excess what come out..? do i need to put a hole underneath.. ? or how.?

Vicky

Sunday 8th of March 2015

Personally I have not put a hole in for drainage, seemed to work out OK:)

Ron harrison

Friday 18th of April 2014

I never throw screws away I put them in jam jars nuts bolts string tubes of anything drill bits ,chuck key it's endless I'm going to try putting million bells plugs in one just too see

Helen

Wednesday 12th of June 2013

Fab ideas :) we did a jam jar ombola at school at christmas... I have some new ideas for next year now. Lots of ideas for presents too, thanks for the inspiration x

Lilly's Mom

Tuesday 11th of June 2013

What a creative way to use jars. I like all of them, especially the herb jars. I think I will try to do this myself.

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