We did this really cute craft with our GEMS girls last week.  This craft is super easy and inexpensive to make.  We bought some glass jars at the dollar store, some Mod Podge (decoupage), foam brushes, and raffia ribbon from the craft store, and various colors and designs of tissue paper and napkins from Target and Walmart.  The girls got creative and made some really pretty jars.  We kept to the fall theme and bought tissue paper and napkins with fall colors like green, brown, gold, orange, and burgundy.  I also found this really cute owl and leaf tissue paper in Target’s Dollar Spot.  I used it on my jar and put half the owl paper on the bottom and used green tissue paper on top.  It turned out really cute.

Some of the girls cut out various squares of colored napkins and tissue paper and applied them in almost a mosaic pattern.  Others cut long strips of tissue paper and applied them vertically on the glass jar.  Every jar was really cute and really unique.

We tied raffia around the outside and gave each girl a mini tea light to place in the jar in case they wanted to use it as a lantern/candle.  My husband the firefighter wasn’t thrilled that we gave out candles, so if you choose to use a candle, be careful, especially if you use raffia.

I thought these were just so cute and so easy to make that I wanted to share this idea with you.  If you need a hostess gift for Thanksgiving, this is a cute one.  You can include a candle, or maybe fill it with candy corns or other fall candies. Also, consider making these for teachers gifts  – for Christmas presents, or for Teacher Appreciation Week.  Look for tissue paper or napkins with festive designs – maybe candy canes or snowmen for Christmas.  Maybe if you use this idea for Teacher Appreciation Week, you will find spring or summer designs.  Again, consider filling the jar with candy or a small tea light.  And, you can replace the raffia with other decorative ribbon.

So, you will need:

-Glass Jars

-Mod Podge (decoupage)

-Foam Brush

-Various colors and designs of tissue paper and/or paper napkins

-Decorative ribbon or raffia

-Scissors

-Tea Light candle or candy (optional)

Steps:

Brush a coat of Mod Podge all over the jar.

Cover the entire jar with tissue paper and/or napkins in any design or pattern you choose.

Using the brush, carefully put a layer of Mod Podge over the paper design.  Be careful to apply it gently (use dabbing technique) so that you don’t rip the paper.

Tie ribbon or raffia around the neck.

Let dry

If you have any easy and inexpensive crafts or gift ideas, please share them with us.