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.

Easy DIY Mod Podge Glitter Sand Easter Eggs Craft

Thank you to Oriental Trading Company for providing the glitter sand and additional craft supplies for our Easter craft tutorial.  All opinions expressed are my own.

If you've dyed and decorated hard-boiled eggs before, then you might be familiar with the slight feeling of sadness when it's time to discard your beautiful works of art.  On the same note, you might wish that you could display your beautifully decorated eggs all throughout the Easter season instead of hiding them in the fridge.  Having felt this way many times year after year, I decided to decorate some eggs that can be left out to be enjoyed during this year's Easter holiday and can be used again for years to come.

Today's Craft Project:  Mod Podge Glitter Sand Easter Eggs

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

basic plastic Easter eggs (any size)

glitter sand assortment

Mod Podge

craft sponge or brush

shallow trays or bowls (one for each color of sand)

wax paper (optional)

Step 1.  Be sure your plastic eggs are free of dust and hair (they tend to hold a lot of static).

Step 2.  Apply Mod Podge all around the edge of an opened egg.  Then close the egg tightly and hold in place for a minute or two until the glue sets.

Step 3.  Pour one color of glitter sand into a clean empty tray or bowl.

Tip #1:  For a uniform effect, use sand that is similar in color to the plastic egg you wish to coat.

Step 4.  Holding your egg with the tips of your thumb and index finger, apply Mod Podge to the entire exterior of the egg.

Tip #2:  Cover as much of the egg's surface as you can, then place the egg on its side into the tray containing the sand.  Carefully apply Mod Podge to the two spots where your fingers were holding the egg.

Step 5.  Using your finger tips, gently roll and turn the egg until it is completely coated in the sand.  Then place it on wax paper to dry.

Tip #3:  Your finger tips will get coated in glue and sand, but that's a good thing.  Once your fingers are coated in sand, you will be able to hand the egg without taking sand off the surface of the egg while the glue is still wet.

Step 6.  Once the glue has dried, gently brush any excess sand off the egg.

Once you have enough eggs, you can display them however you like.  I used a large silver tin pail decorated simply with ivory jute cord and a glass butterfly pendant.  They would also be perfect to display in your favorite basket, on a mantle, or as part of a tablescape.  You could even use them in an Easter egg hunt or as party favors.

I should also mention that I experimented with mixing the remainder of the blue, yellow, and light green sand together with white sand.  I used the mixture to coat a variety of different colored eggs.  The results varied depending on the color of the bare egg.  I was happier with the results using the lightest colored eggs.  If you experiment with this, be sure to let me know what you think!


If you like this easy Easter craft, be sure to Pin It for future reference:

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.