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.

"Music Made Me Do It" . . . Share Your Story with SOL Republic!

Thank you to SOL Republic for providing the Music Made Me Do It prize pack for our #MMMDI giveaway.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Music is a time machine.

Almost every memory I have ever had has a soundtrack to it, the good times and the bad. How many times has a song on the radio teleported you back to a time in your life? How many people have you known that you think of whenever a certain song comes on the radio? Many for me.

When I hear Journey, Zeppelin, and Hall & Oates, I am sent back to the 70’s riding on the school bus (with the coolest driver ever!) and hanging out with my brothers in Tennessee.. Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, U2, and Run DMC send me back to high school and all the lifelong friends I made there. As I got older I realized how much music I had missed before my time and started listening to CCR, The Beatles, Elvis, Cream, Hendrix, and on and on.

I am convinced every phase of my life is represented by the music I was listening to at the time. I think back to all of the things I used to do when listening to music. Drawing, studying Karate, driving, spending time with friends at the beach, and bicycling. Oh boy, the hours and hours I spent on my bike when I was younger listening to music that shaped my attitude and spirit.

I would ride up and down the Charles River all day long listening to the entire albums by U2, Pearl Jam, and anything else I could get my hands on. Of course, back then I listened on my portable CD player….. but that's another story. There is nothing like blasting Pearl Jam’s Even Flow while speeding 30 miles an hour down a steep rocky hill or catching a little air to Van Halen’s Jump.

Today I listen to everything, whether it's through my SOL Republic Relays on my bike or with my Master Tracks at the office. As I age, I start to appreciate skill and talent over genre. I appreciate the quality of the sound. If its good music by a talented artist then I like it, whether its opera, rap, country, death metal, or ska it doesn't matter. And with thousands (millions?) of songs just a touch away, I can teleport back into any time of my life in an instant.

This year, music made me get back on my bike. Something I haven't done in years and years. I have a thousand reasons to get up and do something, but only music can do it every time.


Does the video above make you think of the amazing things you've done in your lifetime?  Find more Music Made Me Do It stories on www.solrepublic.com.  3G2S readers are invited to share your stories for a chance to win ALL the SOL Republic products listed below (colors may vary) . . .

Our 'Music Made Me Do It' SOL Republic Prize Pack (ARV $700+) includes:

• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Deck speaker (ARV $129.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Punk speaker (ARV $69.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Tracks Air wireless headphone (ARV $199.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Tracks on-ear headphone (ARV $99.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Relays in- ear headphone (ARV $79.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Master Tracks over-ear headphone (ARV $199.99)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

TERMS & CONDITIONS:  This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian 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. Although every effort will be made for the winner to receive the prize pack by December 24th, 2014, delivery in time for Christmas is not guaranteed. The prize pack image found in the contest post is only an example. The products in the prize pack may vary from the colors shown in the image and will be sent based on availability.

My Photos: Mother's Day Memories

I know Mother's Day was nearly a full week ago, but I am just getting around to sharing my photos now.  The one below was taken with my Nokia Lumia 920 Windows phone and the rest with my D-SLR.  Sometimes I am amazed at the quality of the photos taken with my phone.  When the light is just right, the photos really do come out wonderfully.  I only wish it had a macro setting.

It seems like every year on Mother's Day, I subject the children to a mini photo shoot.  It's a great way for us to see how much they have changed over the coarse of one year.  As always, I am floored at how much each child has grown and blossomed, but more so this year with our daughter.  She is only 6 years old, but seems like she's heading full speed ahead towards becoming a tween.  She needs to slow down.  I don't think I'm ready for it and I know my husband is not.

This is our 6 year old son.  Thankfully, he enjoys being a child and is in no hurry to grow up.  He is quite the charmer though.  Somehow he's learned to turn on that sweet smile along with a little twinkle in his eyes especially for the ladies.  He's definitely going to be a heartbreaker.

Here is our 9 year old son who is the cool big brother.  He is at that special age where he can go back and forth between being a little kid and young man.  On Mother's Day, I could not believe I had been a mom for almost a decade.  Where did the time go?

One more photo of our princess . . .

This year on Mother's Day, I was really overwhelmed with the lengths the children went through with handmade gifts and cards.  The one below was made by our 6 year old son in his art class.  It's a mama bird watching over her eggs in a nest.

The necklace below was made for me by our 6 year old daughter.  I actually have a similar one made by her big brother when he was in kindergarten.  I wore it to Mother's Day dinner at my sister's house Sunday evening.

Along with an elegant ring containing 3 Garnets (my children's birthstones), I also received poems, handmade books, cards, and drawings.  These are all going in my keepsake box and I will cherish them forever!

What was your favorite memory about Mother's Day this year?

Click here to view all my past favorite photos.

Can't Figure Out How Your Children Grew Up So Quickly? . . . Relive Those Precious Moments Through Photos

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

This photo was taken on Mother's Day 2010!  Our twins were just 3 years old then and their big brother only 6.  Can you believe how much they have changed over the past 3 years?  It is actually extremely easy for me to remember what our children were like when they were first born.  It's everything between then and now that's a bit of a blur.  When people warned my husband and I that time flies by too quickly when you have children and that they would be grown up before we knew it, they were right.  Luckily, I take lots of photos.  By "lots", I mean boatloads.  In fact, I take so many photos that some people think I'm crazy.  Well, I have many more precious photos, like the one I've shared with you today, to help me remember all those blurry moments.  I'll never regret taking the extra time to capture as many of the big and small moments in our children's lives as possible.

If you take as many photos as I do, then you understand where I'm coming from.  If you don't . . . well, it's never too late to start!

No matter how old your children are, there are still new memories made daily.  There will be to come many more Mother's Days and Father's Days, proms nights, graduation days, wedding days, and everything wonderful that happens in between.  This Spring, Best Buy can help you get on the right track to capturing as many special moments as possible.  As much as I love the camera on my Nokia Lumia 920, I still bring out my D-SLR camera when I'm taking photos at home and during special occasions . . . basically whenever I want my photos to be outstanding and not just very good.  Best Buy has a vast selection of D-SLRs, compact cameras with long zoom, Wi-fi cameras, point-and-shoot cameras, and camcorders with the latest technology to fit all budgets.  They also carry digital photo frames ranging from 7" to 10" LCD screens.

7 reasons to shop Best Buy and BestBuy.com for your digital imaging needs this Spring . . . 

• There is currently Free Shipping on all cameras at BestBuy.com.
• Best Buy has a low price guarantee.
• You can bring in your old camera to Best Buy and trade it in for a Best Buy gift card.
• Save an additional 25% off select digital photo frames through June 22nd with promo code.
• You can get a free 8x8 Shutterfly Photo Book with a purchase of a qualifying camera or camcorder.
• Select point-and-shoot cameras come with a free camera bag or a free camera bag plus memory card.
• If you need something quickly, you can purchase online and pickup in-stock items at your local store.

As always, if you shop, be sure to come back and tell me all about what you purchased!

How to Have a Fun Family Game Night Pretzel Party with Snyder's of Hanover and Mattel Board Games

Thank you to Snyder's of Hanover and to Mattel for providing complimentary product samples to help us plan our event.  All opinions expressed are my own.

You've probably heard me complain before about how infrequently we get to plan a Family Game Night at our house.  When I was invited to plan a Family Game Night Pretzel Party with the help of Snyder's of Hanover pretzels and Mattel board games, how could I refuse?  After all, they did all the hard work for me.

Step 1.  Be sure you have a large assortment of pretzels.  You'll want to choose some old favorites (like the Snyder's of Hanover Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwiches and the Honey Wheat Braids), some pretzel varieties that your family has never tried before (such as the Cheddar Cheese & Cracked Pepper Flavor Doubles or the Bacon Cheddar Pretzel Pieces), plus some plain pretzels for dipping.

Step 2.  Choose a variety of age-appropriate games.  We had received the Apples to Apples Party Box, which was for ages 12 and up, and the Uno Power Grab, which was slightly out of the age range of our twin kindergartners.  We ended up playing the Parrot Pile-Up Game followed by the Uno Card Game, both of which were the perfect age for our twins and their 9 year old big brother.

Step 3.  Make one or more of these super-easy marshmallow pretzel dips.

Step 4.  Invite your children to enjoy the pretzels and dip before you bring out the games.  This will allow you to get all the stickiness out of the way first.

Step 5.  Bring on the games!

We started with the Parrot Pile-Up Game because we had never heard of it before and the parrot on the box looked super-fun.  This game does not require any skills other than a steady hand, which put players of all ages on a pretty even playing field.

All you had to do was add a piece of cargo to the pile on the raft and push the raft with one finger only to its next stop without letting any cargo fall off the raft.  The higher the pile of cargo got, the more fun and laughter ensued.  Parrot Pile-Up was a surprisingly entertaining game for the whole family.  It turned out our 6 year old daughter had the steadiest hand out of everyone.  She won the game by getting rid of all her pieces of cargo first.

Next, we moved onto the Uno Card Game.  This is a great game for children ages 6 and up.  The players need only to be able to match numbers or colors with a few specialty cards thrown in.

Our daughter ended up winning this game too, so she got to sit back and watch the rest of the game while munching on more pretzels.  She just could not get enough of the Bacon Cheddar Pretzel Bits and the Honey Wheat Braids dipped in the chocolate marshmallow dip.

The rest of the game went on for quite some time until it was down to my husband and our 9 year old son.  There was quite a bit of good-natured ribbing going on between them.  It just made us all laugh watching them carry on the way they did.

I think we made some great memories that night.  If you'd like to plan your own Family Game Night Pretzel Party, start off by picking up some pretzels.  You can look for specially marked bags of Snyder's of Hanover pretzels that have a coupon for $1.00 off any Uno brand game.

Visit SnydersOfHanvoer.com and Mattel.com for more items to make your Family Game Night a fun and memorable one.

10 Tips for an Easy Low-Stress Family Breakfast (#FinishRiseandShine)

Thank you to Finish for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a gift card so we could purchase supplies and ingredients for our #FinishRiseandShine breakfast.  All opinions expressed are my own.

With Mother's Day and Father's Day coming up, you may be aspiring to surprise your spouse or your parent with a family breakfast.  If the idea of preparing a big breakfast by yourself (or with your children for that matter) seems daunting to you, then you must read on to see how easy it was for us to make this tasty family breakfast for the Finish Rise and Shine Challenge.  Simply following one or more of these tips will make your meal preparations that much easier.

Tip #1:  If you are planning on serving bacon as part of your family breakfast, make it the day before and store it tightly covered in the fridge.  I usually line a cookie sheet with tin foil and bake the bacon in a single layer. The next morning, you can just reheat it quickly in the microwave.

Tip #2:  Choose one easy recipe to make in the morning.  Checkout my recipe for Easy Bacon & Scallion Cornbread.  If you have prepared the bacon ahead of time, the prep time for this cornbread is less than 10 minutes and it will bake while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Tip #3:  Serve microwavable breakfast sausages.  If you have bacon waiting to be reheated, just cook the sausages in the microwave for 1 minute less than called for.  Then add the bacon to the plate and microwave for an additional minute.

Tip #4:  Choose one or two beverages that everyone in your family enjoys.  My husband had coffee, but our 3 children and I had hot cocoa.  It was easy to make with just a little hot water.  We usually only give the children half a mugful because they can never finish a whole one.  I highly recommend that you try your hot cocoa with a dollop of vanilla ice cream in it.

Tip #5:  Use dollar size microwavable pancakes.  They are quick to heat up and you won't be required to cut pancakes for each child.

Tip #6:  Just so you are not feeling too guilty about all the grease and salt, fill a bowl with fresh fruit.  We served large strawberries, but grapes or blueberries would work well also.

Tip #7:  Fill your plate with some of everything in case your family eats all the food before you even get to sit down at the table.

Tip #8:  Remember to take a photo of your family enjoying this meal you've prepared to preserve the memory.  Also, there is no need for them to know how easy it was for you to put this breakfast together, so you can show them the photo in the future to remind them about how much you slaved over a hot stove for them.

Tip #9:  Leave the breakfast dishes for later and go enjoy time with your family.

Tip #10:  Before you go to bed, load all the dishes into your dishwasher, so you can let it run overnight.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

What made this last step possible for me is the Finish Quantum Power Gel.  To be honest, when I agreed to take the Finish Rise and Shine Challenge to leave our breakfast dishes until bedtime, I was extremely skeptical.  Our dishwasher is old and I always rinse off the dishes before I load them.  My regular detergent is actually the bottled Finish Gel.  It works pretty well, but there are some things it will not get out, such as dried hot cocoa, lipstick on stoneware, and sometimes dried melted cheese.  I had very strong doubts that this little Finish Quantum packet I popped into the detergent well would get out the dried cornbread mix, the dried syrup that nearly fused our stacked plates together, and especially the dried hot cocoa inside the mugs.

Can I tell you how floored I was the next morning?  Everything came off the dishes . . . even my arch nemesis, the hot cocoa.  Not only that, my dishes actually shined!  All I could think about was how much time and water I could save from now on just by using the new Finish Quantum.

What is your arch nemesis when it comes to getting your dishes clean in the dishwasher?  I'd love to know what it is and if you are able to get it clean without rinsing and only using the Finish Quantum Power Gel.  Get your FREE sample of Finish Quantum (1 per household), take the #FinishRiseandShine Challenge, and share your results on the Finish Dishwashing Facebook page.

DIY "Year of Smiles" Mod Podge Craft (Free Printable)

Early last year, I had pinned an idea shared by the Inchmark blog about jotting down all the funny things her children said and collecting them in a jar for one year.  This gave me the idea to collect my own family's happy memories.  I wanted to do something that the whole family could participate in that would emphasize the happy moments in our busy and stressful lives.  Well, I never got around to creating this craft during the beginning of last year, so when the New Year began approaching, I made sure I made time to do it.

My children were quite puzzled about what I was making, but were delighted with the idea when I explained to them how it worked . . . each time something happens that makes them smile or feel happy, they will write down the date, their name, and what the memory was on a smiley face circle.  Then they will put the circle in the can.  By the end of the year, we will have a whole stack of happy memories to reminisce about when we read them all on New Year's Eve.

Today's Project:  A "Year of Smiles" Craft

SUPPLIES NEEDED

6.38oz Pringles can (cleaned and dried)
12"x12" scrapbook paper

Mod Podge
sponge applicator or brush
standard spring wooden clothespin
thin permanent marker (or small number decals)
scissors
coordinating ribbon (1" or wider)
"Year of Smiles" printable
ruler (optional)

Step 1.  Trim your scrapbook paper to match the height of the Pringles can (just slightly under 10-1/4").  You could try to eyeball it or measure the Pringles can with a ruler and lightly mark of the measurements on the backside of your paper before cutting it.

Step 2.  Using your applicator or brush, thinly apply Mod Podge to the side of the Pringles can starting at the top and going all the way to the bottom in an area about 3 inches wide.  Then carefully line up your paper and glue the edge of the paper in place onto the side of the can.

Step 3.  Apply Mod Podge to the rest of the Pringles can in order to adhere the entire sheet of paper around the sides of the can.  Your paper should be long enough to overlap.

Step 4.  After the paper has been wrapped around the Pringles can and glued into place, apply a thin coat of Mod Podge over the entire paper surface as a sealer.

Step 5.  While the glue is drying, take your permanent marker (or number decals) and write the year on the side of the clothespin with the clip-side pointing up.

Step 6.  Print out several sheets of "Year of Smiles" smiley faces.  To print, make sure your computer's printer is turned on and ready to print.  Then click on the image below to enlarge.  Next, right click on the image and select print.

Step 7.  Cut out the individual smiley faces from the printable.  (My children were able to help me with this.)

Step 8.  When the Mod Podge feels dry to the touch, cut a piece of ribbon (approximately 18"L), wrap it around the top of the can, and tie it once.  Clip on the clothespin to keep the ribbon from coming untied.

Step 9.  Using the same piece of ribbon, tie a bow on top of the clothespin.  (I double-knotted mine for added security.)  Then trim the ends of your ribbon so that they are even (either at a slant or dovetailed).

What our finished product looks like . . .

Our "Year of Smiles" container sits in our kitchen and takes up very little space.  Hopefully, all the members of our family will remember to use it throughout the year.


How to Make This Craft Your Own:

• Instead of scrapbook paper, you could wrap the can with wrapping paper, wallpaper, or fabric.
• Instead of scrapbook paper, you could decoupage photos onto your can.
• Instead of ribbon, you could use sisal or rope.
• Instead of a simple bow, you could tie on a sprig of dried flowers or a charm to your can.