DIY Handmade Valentine’s Day gifts

Posted on February 8, 2013 by loveinamasonjar

Looking for some hand-made gift ideas for Valentine’s Day? I like the idea of Valentine’s day, but I don’t love the commercialism of it all, and the pressure I feel it puts on people. But I still like to celebrate those I love, so I enjoy making hand-made things! Here are some home-made gift ideas:

Jar of Love

All you need is {love}

..mason jar with ring..

…scrap of fabric..

..twine..

..letter stamps and ink..

..scraps of paper..

This idea here is to cut scraps of paper (I used scraps of solid color wrapping paper) into long strips, and write things you love about that person on them!

Then roll them up and place them in the jar! I cup some scrap fabric into a square and stamped the word “LOVE” on to it for the lid. Then just screw the silver ring on and add some twine or ribbon if you want! That’s it! A collection of thoughts and things you love about someone in a little jar! A Jar of Love!

A second idea for a hand-made gift, particularly for a newlywed couple, is to display a “first dance” photo from your wedding in a frame with the lyrics from the song hand written around it.

First Dance Frame with Lyrics

All you need is:

..frame..

..first dance photo..

..song lyrics..

..sharpie..

..photo mat frame..

It’s so easy it doesn’t even need any instructions. Voila!

Wedding week – DIY wedding craft parties and ideas!

Posted on November 9, 2012 by loveinamasonjar

One of my favorite parts of planning our wedding was how much our family pulled together to help! We had many weekends of going to antique markets and craft days where we made the DIY parts of the wedding decor! You can really do a lot of things on your own, and in the end it is so gratifying to know that you did it!!

I’ve posted about the invitation before HERE, but we did make our own invitations using a large custom made stamp. Here is my husband who stamped every single invitation and RSVP card!

We also cut our own burlap runners. Here is how they started.And here is how they ended!A more detailed post about the table runners can be found HERE.
One of my favorite decor pieces was the burlap banners we made.
I love you brother so glad you were having so much fun helping me! Don’t hate me for posting this photo!

We also wanted to use chalkboards for signage, but we found that it was much cheaper to just use old frames and paint them whatever color you prefer, and then use chalkboard paint to make the inside.

The last helpful thing we did – that I highly recommend – is a mock set up of our centepieces and extra tables (dessert table, drink table, gift table, guestbook table etc.) It helped to get a good idea of what we had and what we still needed. That also made it a lot easier to sort things by table and organize and store it for easy set up! Here are some of our mock table set ups…

Pinterest Project – Pantry Canister Jar Labels!

Posted on September 27, 2012 by loveinamasonjar

Lately I have been trying to find some time to actually DO projects I’ve seen online. If you’ve been on pinterest, chances are you may have seen this lovely photo posted around from a sweet blog I follow: The Painted Hive.

It’s been around for awhile, but I have always wanted to re-do my pantry jars and I finally got a chance to. I love how it turned out and wanted to share – although it’s not as fancy as Kristine did it, and mine are not able to go in the dishwasher. But I still LOVE the way they look on my counter and in my pantry! To do it all you need is:

..jars.. (ikea has a good selection)

..Inkjet Clear Waterslide decal paper.. (can order online HERE)

..Krylon clear gloss spray..

..scissors..

To make the label paper print your image right on the paper and then spray with Krylon clear gloss and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Then you have lovely labels like so! (Thank you for the label printable paintedhive!!)

Cut the images out near to the edge and then you have little labels for your jar! Place a label in a bowl of water and let it sit for 45-60 seconds until you can see the label start to come off the backing.

Then place the label on your jar! You can use a wet paper towel to smooth out the bubbles.

Let sit for a few hours and you are good to go!!!

I love how they turned out!!!!

Thanks again for the labels and idea from The Painted Hive!!!

Mason Jar storage – Utensil organizer

Posted on August 13, 2012 by loveinamasonjar

I wanted to share with you this quick and easy project I did this weekend, using some things you probably already have at home and yes…you guessed it… Mason Jars! I started thinking about it when I was going through our cupboards and trying to figure out how to creatively fit all our kitchen stuff into our kitchen space! And I hope our house is and will always be, a place where people feel comfortable to come over for a meal, dessert, or even for those just stopping by. And I’d like to be semi prepared to have an impromptu gathering!

Which is why we have a lot of paper plates and plastic utensils…for those easy dinners and impromptu gatherings. But it is no fun to pull the plastic silverware out of a box and place them on the counter for people to use! And that’s what we have been doing when things are last minute lately. So I decided to store them all ready to use.

…You just need…
..wide mouth mason jars (stores items more accessibly)..
..kraft paper/hole punch/reinforcements (to make tags – see this post here too)..
..twine..
..mini alphabet stamps and ink (I found at Michael’s)..Insert the utensils in the mason mars…And use the alphabet stamps to label the tag. And use the twine to tie the labels onto the jars! And there you have some cute utensil holders ready to pull out and use at an impromptu dinner at a moments notice!
I have this handy basket thing I found at homegoods a few years back, so I decided to store them in this, so I can just carry them out if needed. Or use them separately too!

Wooden fruit crates turned desk DIY

Posted on March 1, 2012 by loveinamasonjar

So my husband and I have a tiny old craftsman bungalow that we (let’s be honest… he- ) is restoring. I love the old style and the wood floors and built ins – it’s so fun to decorate a house that has so much character.

But it is hard to find furniture that doesn’t look to big and fits with the style of the house. Most furniture looks too modern or takes up too much precious space. So, when we decided we wanted a desk, it was quite a challenge to find something (and not spend a fortune). That’s when we remembered we had these old citrus crates in our backyard that might be useful. So we decided to make a desk out of them.

You will soon learn with more posts, that my husband is quite talented and if I have an idea, he can pretty much make it happen. So when we pulled the crates in, we set up different formations in the living room, played with dimensions for the space and once we decided on something, he got to work!

He had to cut one of the crates so we were able to put a chair underneath, but we still wanted to keep a little storage space, so he chopped it and then reattached the bottom pieces to make a shelf. Then he used wood glue, a nail gun, and some clamps to adhere the crates together.

We started with 3 crates like this:

And we ended up with a desk!

In order to make the desk slightly taller, we placed it on top of 2 smaller size crates of equal size. Eventually we (I mean he…) will build feet, but this works great for now!

I first had some files and the printer sitting in either side, but then I decided I wanted more storage and I kind of wanted each side to look uniform. So, since I did have a few more crates, I decided to see what I could do!

As the picture shows, each side has a smaller 7 up crate standing on its side to make a sort of shelf, and a coke crate on top for additional storage. One coke crate has 2 slots so I keep cards and envelopes there, and the other coke crate has dividers in it, so I keep small sized mason jars in the slots with office and craft supplies.

Total crate count… 9!

Maybe a lot, but at least now we have a great unique desk and it’s awfully inspiring to sit at it and write to you!

One jar … so many uses …

Posted on February 22, 2012 by loveinamasonjar

I don’t know where the love of mason jars started for me, but I’ve always been drawn to old, vintage things that remind me of the country and kindof a farmhouse style. There’s something authentic about them. Simple, useful, multipurpose. So they’ve always been something I’ve picked up at antique markets and anywhere I’m out searching for new vintage finds and I’ve started quite a collection. But more recently I’ve discovered they are not only good for canning and preserving, but a million other things that can add so much character to a home, wedding, or event. I use them for everything in my home, and they were a key decorative factor to my recent wedding. See below some awesome ideas for mason jars I’ve recently used.

And more posts on this to come, as I’ve used mason jars for many other things for favors, gifts, holiday decorations, etc. so stay tuned!

Mini mason jars on shepherds hooks filled with wildflowers as aisle decor

Mason jars as the vases for wedding centerpieces.

Bridal party bouquets stored in mason jars.

A great way to organize craft supplies, and the medium size fits in an old slotted crate for storage!

In the bathroom, the blue jars compliment the white contents and are a great alternative to the usual hurricane vases.

A great way to store makeup brushes!

In my kitchen I am growing an herb garden in mason jars.

Hello!

Posted on February 21, 2012 by loveinamasonjar

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Welcome to loveinamasonjar! I’m so excited you’re here. This site is to share my ideas on craft projects, anything DIY, creative home decor, wedding ideas, and anything else rustic, handmade and inspiring that comes to mind! Hopefully you’ll enjoy the … Continue reading →

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