Celebrate the New Year or Any Special Day with a DIY 'A Year of Smiles' Mason Jar Craft

This 'A Year of Smiles' mason jar craft post has been sponsored by Oriental Trading Company.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Years ago, I created another 'Year of Smiles' craft for my own family's use.  It was a makeshift craft, using an empty potato chip can.  Eventually, it was retired.  This year, I feel like many families around me have been struggling with gratitude, including my own.  This motivated me to rethink this craft, and to turn it into something gift-worthy.

You could gift these A Year of Smiles Jars for New Years, birthdays, graduations, or any other special day.  Recipients just need to write down all the things that made them smile, big or small, along with the date, using the included pen and paper.  If participating as a family or group, be sure to have everyone write their name or initial on the paper as well.  Then just fold the paper up and drop it in the jar. When that date rolls around again the following year, take all the smiles out of the jar and read them to relive those wonderful memories.

How to make 'A Year of Smiles' Jars . . . 

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

mason jars with lids (30oz size or larger)

glossy acrylic sealer

foam paint brush

baker's twine

confetti, sequins, or seed beads

4 x small notepads (approx. 4") per jar

personalized round stickers (approx. 2" diameter)

personalized ballpoint pens (approx. 5" to 6" tall)

scissors

TIP #1:  Since the mason jars are rounded, choosing smaller confetti to decorate the outside of the jars helps to ensure that each piece will lay flat against the glass.

Step 1.  Using the foam brush, apply an even layer of acrylic sealant to a small section of the outside of the jar. Then place the confetti, sequins, or beads as desired.  (For example, I made it so that these leaf confetti pieces were touching and overlapping towards the bottom of the jar, but placed them less densely as I went upward on the jar.)

TIP #2:  Avoid applying sealant to the bottom of the jar and to the threaded neck of the jar to ensure the jar does not stick to surfaces while drying and that the lid will sit correctly on the jar when closing it.

Step 2.  After the first layer of sealant has dried, inspect your decorated jar to see if you would like to add additional confetti, sequins, or beads.  If yes, then apply sealant to those spots and add additional pieces as desired. Drying time of the sealant will depend on your climate.

Step 3.  After the sealant has dried, apply a thick even coat of sealant, covering the entire outside wall of the jar from the base of the neck to the base of the jar.  Allow to dry completely overnight.

Step 4.  Starting at the binding, roll up the small notepads and secure with baker's twine by wrapping the twine around the roll several times, and tying into a bow.  Double-knot the bow for added security.  I chose to use silver and gold baker's twine because they work with all color themes.

Step 5.  When the sealant has dried completely, screw on the lid of the jar until it is closed completely, but not so tightly that the recipient will have trouble opening the jar.  Next, choose which side will be the front of your jar.  Then apply the round sticker to the lid so that the words face the front of the jar.

TIP #3:  Avoid applying the stickers to the jar lids prior to putting the lids on the jars.  This will cause the sticker to face a random direction when the lid is twisted onto the jar.

Step 6.  Open the jar. Place 4 rolled notepads and at least one pen into the jar.  Then close the lid again.

Step 7.  (Optional) Wrap baker's twine around the circumference of the lid 8 to 10 times.  Then tie a bow with the two ends on the side that is the front of your jar.  Double-knot for added security.  For a special touch, tie knots on the two tails of the bow.  (You may need to knot the baker's twine in the same spot 2 or 3 times to create a visible knot.) Then trim the tales below the knots with scissors.

Handtied with love. #orientaltrading #ad

A post shared by Karen Coutu (@karen3g2s) on Nov 18, 2017 at 6:15am PST

You're done!  I made the fall-themed jar below for my sister's November birthday.  The colors also match her living room.  She just loved it, and thought it would be a wonderful activity to do weekly with her husband and grade-school aged son.

I made this ombre beaded jar for my own home.  The winter colored beads match my kitchen and dining area.  If you have blue in your home, there are all kinds of winter craft ideas that include pretty shades of blue.

TIP #4:  When making a beaded jar, be sure your final coat of sealant is a thick one.  I generously dabbed on acrylic sealant over the beads to be sure the sealant filled the spaces between the beads.  Do not brush the sealant over the beads because it may cause beads to fall of the jar.

I made the jar with the confetti stars for friends of ours who like to celebrate New Year's.  My daughter is planning on making one just like it for her favorite 5th grade teacher.  'A Year of Smiles' Jars would make a great gift for almost anyone who would like to be (or needs to be) more positive.

Like this easy craft? Pin it for later . . . 

Who do you know who could use A Year of Smiles?

Tell us in a comment here.

Let the Wand Choose the Wizard with This Handmade Gift Idea for Your Harry Potter Fan

Since this year marks the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter, my children's keen interest in this series was renewed.  Their choice for every family movie night has been a Harry Potter movie for the past few months.  It wasn't a surprise when they brought up the wand we purchased as a birthday gift for my daughter's classmate last fall at King Richard's Faire.  They started to get excited about perhaps choosing wands for their souvenirs at our visit to the Faire this year.  When they started fashioning magic wands out of paper and using up all the rolls of tape in the house, it was clear that waiting a few months for their wands would be extremely difficult for them.

Being the avid online shopper that I am, I started looking on Etsy to see what was available and for what price.  I was surprised at the wide range of magic wands (and prices) on Etsy.  The more I looked, the more I came to realize that I wanted only hand carved wooden wands for my children, similar to the ones sold by the artisan at the Renaissance Faire.  When I came upon the shop, OrchardWorks, I knew I was getting close!

Here's where the magic happened.  I discovered that OrchardWorks offers 'random wands' at an incredible price!  You can tell the shop owners what your color preferences are, along with some adjectives that would describe your perfect wand's personality.  Then the wand chooses the wizard!  You'll see which wand chooses you when it arrives at your door.  How cool is that?

I have to admit that my daughter was a little worried about not being able to choose her wand herself since she is so particular about everything (no idea who she got that from), but she was extremely pleased with her wand, as were her two brothers.  Hers is the light-colored one in the center.  Her preferences were that her wand be honey color and delicate.  My oldest received the wand at the top.  He had asked that his wand be dark-stained and regal.  My youngest son's wand is pictured at the bottom, and is my favorite.  He asked for a black,  twisted, powerful wand.  All three have been casting imaginary spells on each other since that day.

TIP:  If you are shopping for more than one child, you can tell the shop owners the name or age/gender of your children.  They'll label each wand for you, so you'll know which wand chose which wizard.

Since I was so impressed by the workmanship and quality of these wands, I just had to share.  You would care for them as you would care for fine wood furniture.  These would make perfect gifts or even party favors for a Harry Potter-themed birthday party.  I wish I had purchased one for myself!

Who do you know who would love their own Harry Potter-inspired wand?  Share with us in a comment here.

This Personalized Family Tree Pillow from Amazon Handmade Was the Perfect Grandparent's Gift

The Mother's Day and Grandparent's Day gift idea we are sharing about today was purchased with our own funds.

A couple of weeks ago, my mother turned 70 years old.  (I'm still having a little trouble accepting that.)  For this milestone birthday, I wanted to find something she would love for our children to present to her as a gift.  She is a tough person to buy for.  The gift couldn't take up a lot of room due to the size limitations of my parent's apartment.  It also couldn't cost too much money because she would just yell at me for spending so much money on her.

I started searching on Etsy because it's a great source for one-of-a-kind gifts, but I couldn't find anything that I loved that would get to me within a few weeks.  My next stop was Amazon Handmade.  It's still fairly new and I had never taken the time to see what items were available.  I lucked out and found this 20" Family Tree Pillow Cover sold by Crafting Rehab.  I could request the quantity of names, choose from a small assortment of pillow colors, specify the colors in the printing, and change the message located at the base of the tree.  The pillow cover and the cost of shipping were both priced very reasonably.  SOLD!

To complete the gift, I also ordered a 20" square pillow insert on Amazon for $8.50 with free shipping.  The pillow cover was shipped by Crafting Rehab in less than a week and arrived about a week later, earlier than the estimated delivery date.  I must also say that the communication from Crafting Rehab was very timely, friendly, and helpful.

I included the names of my 3 children and my nephew on the family tree to represent all my mother's grandchildren.  The gift was presented to her from all 4 children at the end of her birthday dinner.  My mother just LOVED it!  She told me that night and actually called me the next day to tell me again how much she loved it.

If you have a parent or grandparent who is tough to buy for, I highly recommend checking out Amazon Handmade.  I didn't think I could love shopping on Amazon more than I already did, but this shopping experience made that happen!

A Custom Hand Stamped Personalized Sterling Silver Toggle Necklace for My Birthday!

Thank you to Like Mother, Like Daughter for providing a sample custom hand stamped silver necklace for us to base this review upon and for providing a gift certificate for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

It's September!  That means the two sapphires of 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires had birthdays this month . . . one of which was me.  Yes, I turned forty *cough* one this month.  Somehow turning 41 seemed to impact me more than 40.  I wouldn't say I'm feeling old . . . just older.  Regardless, nothing cures the birthday blues better than jewelry.  Well, not just any jewelry.  It needs to be something special . . .

No piece of jewelry could be more special than one that was crafted just for me.  While browsing this charming hand stamped jewelry boutique on Etsy, called Like Mother, Like Daughter, I saw this sterling silver washer toggle necklace and I kept coming back to it.  I admit I have an affinity towards larger circular pendants, but I just wasn't sure this was the one for me.  Then I realized that I could make this the perfect necklace for me because it can be customized!

What did I come up with?  Why, it's this mommy necklace that has the names of all five members of my beloved family stamped into the sterling silver washer plus a silver family tree charm dangling in the center.  I just love the way this necklace turned out!  If you do too, you can order this custom necklace here.  It would truly make a cherished gift for a special mom in your life.

Now, I'm one to leave my jewelry on 24/7.  Just as stated in the shop information, this type of silver will develop a patina when exposed to air.  If you aren't a fan of an antiqued look, then I recommend that you keep these pieces stored away safely protected from the air while they're not being worn.  It's also helpful that each piece comes with a polishing cloth to help keep your jewelry looking like new.

To view all the wonderful offerings in hand stamped necklaces, bracelets, and earrings (in sterling silver, bronze, copper, and aluminum) visit Like Mother, Like Daughter on Etsy!  Now it does take some time for your custom pieces to be created, so plan accordingly if you're purchasing a gift.  For me, it was totally worth the wait!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Ruby Tuesday: Handcrafted With Love

This necklace was handcrafted by my 6yr old son. He presented his work of art to me on Mother's Day. His 3yr old brother was extremely impressed and said that it resembled a meatball with ice cream on it. I may have to agree.

I've worn this necklace proudly twice now. I keep it in a carved wooden box and told my 6yr old that I have to keep it safe and only wear it on special occasions.

If you'd like to see more Ruby Tuesday photos, go visit Mary at Work of the Poet!

Mother's Day 2010 Photos (Part 1)

This Mother's Day, my 6yr old son had a surprise for me. He actually told me he had a surprise for me the week before and then asked me where he should hide it so I wouldn't see it.

It turned out that he had made a beautiful card for me with a poem inside. Here is the translation:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Apples are sweet

And so are you.

To accompany the card, he also made this beautiful handcrafted pendant on a ribbon necklace. I think he did a great job, don't you? I can totally see why he was so proud and excited to present it to me. His 3yr old brother said he thought it looked like a meatball with ice cream on it. I think that was meant to be a compliment because it sounds like something he would actually eat.

Below are photos of me with each of my beautiful children . . .

Look for more photos to come from Mother's Day dinner at my sister's and brother-in-law's house.

Review: Handmade Counting Board Book by Soulful Creations

With Easter coming up, you might be looking for the perfect items to put together a special Easter basket. I always include at least one educational book or toy in my children's baskets. This 1 to 10 numbers board book titled My First Counting Book is a handmade creation by Tina O'Flynn, the mom behind the Etsy shop Soulful Creations.

Since I've made it my mission to teach the our twins, who just turned 3, their alphabet, their numbers, and at least some counting by the end of the summer, I was thrilled to have been offered this chance to review this charming board book. Since the twins have been bored with the same old books we've had for years, I was hoping this unconventional looking book would peak their interest.

What I thought about this counting board book:

1) There is a charm about this book that you cannot find in a conventional book purchased from a bookstore. It is made well, but is clearly handmade with love rather than machine-made.

2) Both our twins could not wait to get their hands on this book as soon as they saw it. Every full-color page contained engaging images, many of which the twins recognized.

3) I like that the legibility of the numbers and the clarity of the quantity of objects to be counted were not compromised by the creative layouts.

4) The ring used to bind this book's pages together was decorated with gross grain ribbon. This is a very cute touch . . . one of the things that gives this book character. I would have preferred that there were two rings down the left side of the book instead of just one. At times, the twins had difficulty keeping the pages from slipping and sliding in their hands. This was a little distracting when I was trying to get them to pay attention to the numbers and the counting.

5) The page that received the most attention was the train-themed number 6 page. Both twins happened to recognize some of the train cars they own. Other pages that made them smile quite a bit were the ones containing Elmo, an 8-scoop ice cream cone, and the page featuring ten cakes.

I think this book would make a great gift for any child age 2 and up who no longer puts objects in his or her mouth. Although the book's pages are smooth, they most likely would not hold up well if they became very wet.

You can find My First Counting Book at Soulful Creations on Etsy. Check out this shop for handmade note cards and more items especially designed with children in mind.

Thank you to Soulful Creations for sending us a sample book free of charge to base this review upon.