When starting to introduce complementary foods, all young mothers are faced with the question: what to do with the small baby food jars? They are usually used for further storage of food (very convenient, for example, to cover jam or marmalade in small portions) or as a container for spices.
To prevent them from being banal and boring, you can decorate them. Just look at the photo of crafts made from jars and understand that such crafts cannot be boring.
Small Item Storage
The biggest problem for craftsmen of various specialties is storing small items. And this is where small baby food jars come in handy. Firstly, due to their size they do not take up much space. And secondly, through the transparent walls you can immediately see what is inside.
These containers can be used to store beads, buttons, floss and other small parts used for all kinds of needlework. Banks are also useful for little fashionistas who have a budget for elastic bands, hairpins, bows, etc. There are dozens of charms.
Small apartments force craftsmen to make good use of every centimeter of available space. Thanks to the tightly screwed lids, baby food jars can not only be placed on a shelf, but also hung from below, i.e. use each shelf twice. Using a self-tapping screw, secure the metal cover to the bottom of the shelf. All that remains is to fill the jars with the contents and connect them with the lids - a convenient storage system is ready.
Use as a photo frame
In a large family, so many photos accumulate that organizing them into albums or large frames is often difficult. To make the decor more compact, use small jars.
To do this, you need to print a photo slightly smaller than the height of the stylized photo frame. The glass will slightly enlarge the inserted photo, making the image more voluminous. It looks very impressive.
The neck can be decorated with ribbon or beads, but it is better not to distract attention from the contents. Compositions of several different-sized vessels, in which photos are arranged by theme or time period, look interesting.
You can use not only jars, but also their lids. The photo is cut out according to the size of the inner circumference and glued. A magnet is attached to the lid and then hung on the refrigerator.
Pincushion
A baby food jar can be turned into a pincushion.
To create a pincushion you will need:
- a small piece of fabric;
- padding polyester;
- thick tape;
- glue;
- needle and thread.
Cut a circle from fabric approximately 2 times the diameter of the lid. Sew along the edge using small stitches. Place a small piece of padding polyester inside and tighten the thread.
Apply glue to the lid (it is most convenient to use hot glue for this purpose) and glue the resulting ball. To cover the junction of the fabric and the lid, apply thick tape. Close the junction of the fabric and the lid with thick tape. The pincushion is ready.
Inside you can store things that should always be at hand when sewing: measuring tape, thimble, seam ripper, small scissors, etc.
Grow seedlings
Every spring, gardeners wonder where it is best to place seedlings. Plastic bottles and cups, milk and juice cartons, and egg trays are used. All this often does not look very neat.
To arrange the seedlings beautifully, you should use neat jars of fruit puree of different sizes. They are waterproof, so you should water the seedlings carefully so as not to over-moisten the soil.
If there are a lot of seedlings, then it is worth making a sticker for each container. Ready-made seed packages are suitable for this. This way, the future harvest will look neat and stylish, and the housewife will not get confused in the plants.
And in winter, plant greens in such small pots in the kitchen - parsley, dill or cilantro. If you decorate them beautifully, they will become not only a daily source of vitamins, but also an interior decoration.
Pencil holder
For little artists, baby food cans can be used to make an excellent organizer for colored pencils, crayons, etc.
To make an organizer you will need:
- glass jars;
- acrylic paints;
- large capacity;
- glue.
Choose a low container that will hold the required number of cans. Cover it with white spray paint.
Wash all jars thoroughly. They need to be painted from the inside. This can be done in different ways: with a brush, foam sponge, etc. You can try this option.
Pour some paint into the jar, then add a small amount of water. Close the lid and shake the jar well enough times to evenly coat the walls. After this, remove the lid and leave the jar to dry. Change the position of the can from time to time so that the paint dries evenly.
Glue dry painted jars to the container - this will make the organizer more convenient to use.
Make a salt or pepper shaker
Sometimes you don’t have enough time or money to buy convenient kitchen equipment, but you can easily make a colorful salt and pepper shaker with your own hands from the smallest jars of baby puree.
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The recipe is simple. Holes are punched in the lid (more for salt, less for pepper), and the appropriate seasoning is poured into the transparent base.
If desired, you can paint it white and black or make inscriptions. If the design is made to match the kitchen interior, then you will have to sign it.
These containers are ideal for storing other spices. They can be easily placed on a furniture shelf in several rows or secured with magnets on a metal strip. The main thing is that the design is in the same style, and the homemade utensils look beautiful.
Flower vases
Most vases are quite large. Where to put a small bouquet of daisies or several small flowers that the child brought from a walk? Baby food jars will come to the rescue again.
To make them more interesting, decorate the jars. You can use almost anything you have on hand as decoration:
- braid, ribbons, cords, yarn, etc. of different quality and size;
- pieces of fabric: you can either completely wrap a glass jar with them, or cut out a small strip, for example, burlap, and secure it to the jar with twine;
- buttons, pebbles, beads and other small parts can be attached to the walls of the jar with glue - and your children will be happy to help you in this matter;
- If the previous ideas are not to your liking, paint the jar or simply dip it in paint, then turn the container over, let the paint flow freely and dry it.
Summer residents often use small jars of baby food to grow seedlings, and city residents who grow herbs in their apartments grow herbs there.
Painting with bright colors
Glass jars can be painted using stained glass paints or special paints that are used for painting on glass. They can be easily purchased at specialized craft stores.
In order to apply a beautiful design on a glass jar, you need to work carefully with the paints so that they do not spread over the round shape of the workpiece.
To give a background to the picture, the glass surface can be painted in a single color. When working with stained glass paints, you don’t have to make a background.If it becomes clear that you don’t like the drawing, you can wash it off as soon as you apply it. To do this, use simple tap water and a cotton pad. If the paint has already hardened, then a special solvent will be needed.
For beautiful paintings on glass surfaces, you can use special stencils. This way you should get original crafts from jars.
Home decor
You can use glass jars left over from baby food to create decorations with colored salt.
To work you will need:
- glass jars;
- fine salt;
- colored gouache;
- baking paper.
Place baking paper and sprinkle the required amount of salt on it. Dilute the gouache with water to obtain the desired shade. Keep in mind that the salt will be lighter in color after drying. Mix the gouache with salt and place on a baking sheet. Also color the salt in other colors. After this, place the baking sheet with salt in the oven at 120°C for 20-30 minutes. While the salt dries, wash and dry the jars thoroughly.
Cool the oven-dried salt and sift through a metal colander. After that, start carefully pouring it into the jar. Use a funnel or a thick bag with the edge cut off for this job. Make sure that layers of different colors do not mix with each other. When the jar is filled to the top, close the lid tightly, because... salt is hygroscopic and easily absorbs moisture.
Make a bathroom organizer
Often girls cannot figure out how to store various little things in the bathroom - cotton pads, hairpins, sponges, and so on. Simple glass jars can help here and can be used to make an excellent organizer.
First you need to choose a place and make a horizontal base. Metal rings or clamps are then attached to it. After this, place the containers in their places.
The surface of the cells is painted in a color that is in harmony with the overall color scheme of the room and decorated. The main thing to remember is that jewelry should not be afraid of moisture.
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Each compartment contains items according to size and purpose needed for daily use. As a result, the bathroom will always be tidy.
Portioned desserts
At children's (and not only) parties, baby food jars can be used to prepare portioned desserts. We would like to offer you a recipe for one of them.
You will need:
- ready-made cupcake;
- shortbread nut cookies;
- curd soufflé;
- cream;
- candied pecans.
Break the cake into small pieces and place it on the bottom of the jar - this will be the first layer of the dessert. Crumble one cookie and make a second layer out of it. Then place the curd soufflé on it, and on top - another layer of crumbled cake. Make a nice curl of whipped cream on top (to give the cream this shape, use a pastry bag or just trim the edge of the bag). Garnish the dessert with candied pecans.
Place the jars of dessert in the refrigerator overnight so that the layers soak into each other and the flavors blend.
Cover the jam for the winter
Many women make preparations for the winter. But if it is better to store cucumbers or tomatoes in large containers, then small containers are suitable for jam or preserves. In addition, they are convenient to place in the refrigerator or on a shelf.
It is necessary to check the tightness of the lid and the integrity of the glass, otherwise the workpiece may deteriorate during storage. It is also very important to treat containers with steam or boiling water, as well as follow the rules for preparing the product.
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If you are laying out blanks from different fruits (sometimes they turn out to be the same color), then make stickers or label the containers with a marker.
Another plus is compact jars of jam, which are always at hand, suitable for a gift to a close friend or relative when the occasion arises unexpectedly. A bright ribbon or a beautiful inscription (or maybe a funny image of a stored berry) will complement a pleasant souvenir and evoke positive emotions.
New Year's decor
Baby food jars will help you decorate your home for any holiday, such as New Year.
To create New Year's decor you will need:
- glass jar;
- glitter;
- a small decorative Christmas tree (you can use any small toy instead of a Christmas tree);
- glycerol;
- distilled water.
Wash and dry the jar thoroughly. If there is writing on the lid, paint it. Glue a decorative Christmas tree to the underside of the lid using a heat gun.
Pour 1 tsp into a jar. sparkle. Close the lid tightly and invert the jar. Golden rain will begin to slowly fall onto the tree.
Candlesticks made from tin cans
For your garden, you can make original decor from tin cans, which will create a special atmosphere and comfort in the evenings. To implement this idea, you need a hammer and a sharp nail.
First, let's draw a pattern or inscription using a marker directly on the jar. If you plan to leave it in its original form without painting, then you need to print a stencil with dots.
Let's take a hammer and, while hammering in a nail, make several holes to create a pattern. Place a candle inside and that’s it, the candlestick is ready. It can be painted, hung on the veranda or placed on the table - in any case, such a decoration will not go unnoticed.
Is it true that baby food jars can be returned as containers?
Nina Vladimirova from the Minsk region contacted the EDITOR: “I have two children, I buy food constantly, more than a thousand jars have already accumulated. I don’t want to sell them as cullet for pennies. I heard that they will be accepted as glass containers for drinks?”
A JAR for baby food is a non-standard and specific container that is used in limited production. The Grodno Glass Factory makes about 26 million pieces per year to order from specific enterprises. Bellakt-Stolitsa LLC is one of them. Do they use returnable packaging here? The leading process engineer of the organization, Dmitry Leontyev, is brief: - In accordance with the technical regulations of the Customs Union on the safety of packaging, jars are considered non-returnable containers and should not be reused for contact with baby food. Primarily for safety reasons.
On containers that have already been used, the specialist adds, chips and cracks may form, which affect the tightness of the packaging. In addition, even after disinfection, various bacteria and infections can remain on them. And in order to control the condition of glass, it is necessary to organize additional production facilities - this will ultimately lead to higher prices for products.
However, in the near future it is planned that these jars, like other non-recyclable containers, will not be handed over as cullet. They want to introduce such a system by 2022 as part of the National Strategy for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste and Secondary Material Resources:
“Large supermarkets and shopping centers will have special machines that will accept glass, PET packaging and aluminum beverage cans for money,” says Maria Suma, an employee of the Center for Environmental Solutions. “It is also planned that the containers will be able to be returned in the stores where they were purchased and receive some kind of discount for this - this is what they did in the European Union several years ago, and this practice has taken root.
But what to do now, when you want to get rid of a huge number of jars as quickly as possible? The first option is to surrender to battle. But the average price in the country is not very attractive - 85 rubles per ton. Second, if you don’t have the desire and ability to do this, throw them in the trash. Glass, unlike plastic, is an environmentally friendly material that will sit in landfills for decades without causing any harm to the environment.
Lamp
And again, the main element will be the glass jar that once contained baby puree. You need to tie it at the base of the neck. It is better to use twine for this. The walls can either be painted by hand or decorated with rhinestones. A candle-tablet is placed inside. To get an original street lamp, you need to tie several jars together.
Beautiful “pumpkin” jars
You will need:
- acrylic paint
- glitter paint
- brushes.
1.
Start painting the jars. You will need 2-3 layers of paint. If the theme is “Autumn” or “Halloween”, then you can use orange paint (like a pumpkin).
2.
Once the paint is dry, apply a coat of glitter paint on top.
3.
You can use a brush and black paint to paint eyes and a mouth on the jar.
* Fill the jar with sweets and you're done!
fireflies
You will need luminous paint prepared on the basis of a phosphor, which has the ability to accumulate light energy during the day and release it at night. Make tiny dots of this paint inside the glass jar (the more there are, the more beautiful it will be). Another option: cut a neon stick, pour the contents into a jar, then add glitter. For the firefly to start working, simply shake the jar after closing the lid.
glowing paint