5 Craft Projects from Glass Jars

Many kitchen essentials come in jars: pasta sauce, jam, jelly, pickles, the list goes on. But these jars serve more purposes than just keeping your food safe, they can also be used for a plethora of craft projects. So the next time you find yourself with an empty jar, let the creative juices flow and upgrade its environmental value with these great craft projects.

How to Start:

Before you start you will have to remove the label from the jar. This can be a bit tricky sometimes so I suggest soaking the jar in warm soapy water overnight. You can also use orange oil to take off a stubborn label. Once you have removed the label you can reuse the jars in many ways. These craft projects are a great way to start!

Glass Jar Craft #1: Make Your Own Infused Vodka

You heard right. You can make your own flavored vodka with the use of a glass jar. Just find some fruits, herbs, or veggies of your choice and let it sit with your favorite vodka for 2-3 days in a glass jar. Don't be afraid to go experimental with this one! Some great infusion combinations include lemon cucumber, basil, pear, and whole vanilla bean. For more detailed instructions visit

Glass Jar Craft #2: Make Some Unique Drink Glasses

Some of you may already use jars as glasses at home. Kick it up a notch by etching some of your own designs onto the jar! You can do this easily by sticking on some vinyl letters and then smothering etching cream on top of them. Make sure to let it stand as long as indicated by the manufacturer's instructions.

Glass Jar Craft #3: Make Decorations for Your Garden Or Home

You can always decorate your jar with anything from tissue paper to buttons in order to make your garden more interesting. One of my favorite projects is to glue colored tissue papers all around the outside of the jar and place a small candle on the inside. This gives you a great stained glass feel that can be used in the patio, the bathroom, or anywhere in between.

Glass Jar Craft #4: Make a Terrarium

With a little potting soil, some gravel, and some moss, you can create a great natural looking windowsill decoration! For specific instructions visit Craftzine.com

Glass Jar Craft #5: Sand Art

Making sand art using old jars is a great project for kids! You can find colored sand at your craft store and layer it in the jar to make some great designs. The best part is that no two ever come out the same!

With these simple crafts you will never be stumped by an empty glass jar again! For more fun projects, including how to make a magnetic spice rack, visit Crafting a Green World.