Crafts with Baby Food Jars

Uses for glass baby food jars as suggested from the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.

Water Globes

One year for a craft bazaar idea, we made water globes from them. You just use contact cement (grown ups do this part ahead of time and let dry. You can ask each child ahead of time, the theme they want and get this part done ahead of time) and you glue tiny objects to the inside lid.

On the day of completing them, you add water with some drops of baby oil to them (the more oil you add, the slower the things fall down when shaken) then you can drop in glitter. Use contact cement around the inside lids ridge and put on the bottle, closing tight. They stay on always. When you shake the bottle then set the bottles upside down and you'll see it snow onto the objects that you had glued into the lids top on the inside.

You can also add tiny shapes from craft foam like fish stars etc punched from hole punches. Make themes like under the sea, trees for Christmas, use popsicle sticks cut for wooden people draw on them first with markers, put plastic beaded jewelry inside to move around when shook up. Or put a wooden stick in the center lid and add rings (toy kind) inside floating around to see if they can land them on the stick.

They are real fun to play with. And the kids can even paint the outside with their names, etc., curled up tiny pieces of ribbon work good too for floating around inside.

By Julie

Little Jar Candles

Last year I worked with some little ones and we grated old candles of different colors and put this in layers in the jars and put a wick in the centre. Worked real well, glass jars only.

By Dolly

Santa Candy Holder

Decorate to look like Santa on the outside then fill with candy. Use felt, wiggle eyes and cotton for the beard.

By Ann

Snow Globe Link

I really like the water globe idea! How about a Nativity snow globe? It's nearing the season!

• http://crafts.kaboose.com/snglobe.html

By melody_yesterday

Flower Arrangements

My sons' daycare made these for Mother's Day: little flower arrangements in baby jars. They attached silk flowers through the lid (I think through a hole) to the inside and then screwed the jar on the top. I actually got these two years in a row, once with the little jars and once with the bigger, taller jars. They look sort of old fashioned and very cute.

By Jess

Bible Story Jar And Other Ideas

You could put items that represent the bible story you are telling in each jar. I have seen this done during holidays, and also VBS. Another thing you could do is fill the jars with candy and put a Bible verse in representing Mother's day, Children's Day, Fathers day or any holiday you wish. The Bible verse would say something to do about Mothers, Fathers, Children or whatever event you chose. You could also use then for seed starters. Have fun.

By Wanda M. Rogers

Lighted Christmas Tree

Make a Christmas tree with a string of lights. Remove lids, turn bottles on sides. Use about 10 across for the bottom with hot glue in between to hold them together. Next row is indented on each end. Keep gluing and stacking until only one left for the top.

Take a string of mini Christmas lights and stick one light into each jar and secure with glue (test it first if using a glue gun),then, stuff fire proof angel hair in around the lights to hide the wire. If you wish, glue the bottom row of the tree on a narrow piece of wood (paint stick), and then set that on top of a short narrow cap or something to be the tree holder. I saw this at work and it was just beautiful with the lights on!

By Wanda