3 Ways to Recycle Jar Lids

Everyone knows what to do with jars. They can be used for just about anything, especially decor and organization. I love to use them as a simple flower vase or storage for my pens and pencils.

 

But what do you do with the lids? We've all made that one craft when we were little where we decorated the inside and glued a brooch backing so that we could pin it on and strut around in pride, but is that all you can do with them?

Nope. There's a whole lot more that can be done with jar lids! Let's check out a few!

How about this first one! Sew around a scrap piece of fabric to gather it, stuff it with paper or cotton, pull the strings to gather it, glue gathered side in lid, and it turns into a pin cushion!

Or this next suuuuper simple one, glue a large decorative shape onto the upside down lid (using hot glue) and place the jar on the lid behind. Now it's a decorated candle holder or a flower vase!

Just imagine that cute little vase is filled with pink peonies! pretty, huh? :)

and this last one. A jar lids best recycled use yet, in my opinion. Use it as a dappen dish for glue or paints!

and that's it! Just 3 simple ways to recycle jar lids!

DIY: Paper Flowers

I have a tutorial for you today! How to make paper flowers. These flowers have a flat underside which makes them perfect for a number of applications like a flower wreath, a hair accessory, or a special embellishment for a wrapped gift!

All you need to get started is:

• Paper – book pages, newspaper, scrapbooking paper (anything lighter than cardstock that you can tear, but is not too flimsy).  
• Glue – hot glue, Elmer's glue (with Elmer's glue use a paint brush and a dappen dish).   
• Your fingers!

Instructions:

1. Tear the paper into petal-like pieces. Make some large and some a little smaller. Be careful not to make them too small. Working with small pieces is a lot more difficult than larger pieces. It works out best if you make them big and "trim" them after the flower is done!

The size of my pieces range from 2" x 1.5", to 1.5" x 1.5".

2. Take a 1" square of paper and glue the tips of 4 or 5 large "petals" to form your base.


3. Take the remaining petals and glue + pinch the tips of them so that they lift up like a flower from the base when glued. Let them dry.

4. Now just use your eye to place the petals and glue them! I usually spiral them around layer by layer and then go back in and glue more in the bare spots.

The benefit to using a paint brush is that you can apply minimal glue and then use the tip of the handle to apply pressure and make sure it secures properly. Also, your hands get to stay somewhat clean :P

5. Finish off the center! This can get tricky, but you can do it! Use the paint brush to sneak in the glue, place the petal, and then use the handle to hold it in place until secure.

In the first image you can see a previous paper flower that I made where I crumpled up a petal into a ball and wrapped it with another petal to make a center button and glued it in the center. It was a little easier and gave me a different look :)

6. Lastly, after it has dried a bit, trim the petals that are too big. You can see in the below image that my base petals and one or two others need trimmed. Tear off the excess.

...and Voila! It's done! Your very own handcrafted paper flower!

To make a special Valentine's flower just use heart shaped petals and valentine's paper!

Current Projects:

Getting reacquainted with this girl and putting her back to work :)

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and finishing up a few more small bookbinding projects!

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Loverly Moments

 . . .

I love those moments when… (in no particular order)

you enjoy a bright & cheerful walk all by yourself.  

you find out you got a good grade on a difficult project/test.

you feel tired for a good reason.

you finally rest after cleaning the house.

you experience the goodness of God & his strength in the midst of a storm.

you understand something new about a Scripture passage.

you start a rainy morning with coffee & God’s Word.

you shoot a clay pigeon with a shotgun.

you connect with someone over a cup of coffee.

you start a book that you just can’t put down.

you performed better than ever & the only explanation you have is that it was by the grace of God. 

you look back and see all God has brought you through.

you see the sunrise after pulling an all nighter.

you figure out the solution to something that’s been bugging you.

you see the sunlight streaming through the breeze blown trees making creation dance & glitter. 

you are greeted by an excited waggy-tail puppy.

you hold a child & rock them to sleep.

you awake refreshed, ready to take on the world again.

you spend time praying just because you’re overflowing with gratitude.

you cling tight onto Jesus, pleading that he guides you as you take each step.

you realize how good God truly is.

you spend time with other believers, building up & edifying one another.

you see a perfectly precious baby with Down Syndrome smile at you.

you stand at the top of a building and realize how small & insignificant you are.

you read a missionary biography about someone who was treated unjustly & yet still they witnessed to their persecutors & proclaimed Christ as their Savior.

you drive through your parent’s hometown & hear stories from their childhood.

you see a glorious sunset on your drive home.

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The COLORFUL Nerd Within

 Sometimes the Graphic Design Nerd inside gets the better of me... :)

• It makes jokes about political correctness and design. 
• It makes jokes about kerning... 
• It understands jokes about kerning!
• It makes me look at ordinary things and laugh at what seems to "non-nerds" as nothing. 
• It maligns the very possibility of having a reputation of my being cool!
• It refuses to go into an oriental market that uses the font, Papyrus for the sign.
• It prefers to talk Theology or Apple over celebrities and TV shows.
• It knows the difference between tints, tones, and shades of color.
• It has caused my eyesight to go bad so that I have to wear black framed glasses ;)

I would say the most common thing my nerdi-ness does is turn every car ride and sports game I play into an analysis of color theory. No joke. I am THAT nerdy.

The nerd within isn't really all that bad though. I could name a few benefits, one being how I marvel at creation more now that I can analyze its colors. I cannot express how incredible it is to see the intelligence of God expressed in His creation! Also, when I observe handwriting, I see how God created each human being unique. Last semester while feeling discouraged with my attempts to draw a logo, my Professor encouraged me with this, "no one has your handwriting, Elizabeth, it is unique to You!"... Each one of us has a mix of gifts and abilities unique to us! How GOOD of God to give them to us and allow us to use these gifts in service to Him! It is my goal in pursuing graphic design to discover and nurture this "gift," whether it extends my roots in "nerdi-ness" or not, and use it in service to God and in ministry to others.