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Saturday 24 April 2010

Earth Day Blog Hop

So here we are on the  Earth Day Blog Hop set up by Michelle Perkett which is where you started from assuming you started at the beginning. 

This is the spec for this hop 'Create something using only recycled material (other than ink and markers/paint) cards are fine but lets get creative with your recycled plastic, paper, cardboard and whatever you like, as long as its recycled!!:)




Also, there must be some green in your design as well!

Ok so this snowballed for me. I got some inspiration from one or two creative friends and this is what happened. My recycled item started and pretty much ended with a jam jar lol. This one i already had in my craft room housing a load of marbles. I took some handmade paper and some mesh material and glued it onto the jam jar. I took a Lilly of the Valley fairy, now i have had these fairies for some long time they came coloured but i glittered them and clear embossed some but never got around to using them so in a sense i recyled them :) Just to finished things off i added some yellow paper flowers with GREEN leaves lol and some half pearl embelishments which i have also had forever and never really found a use for and decorated the jar with them. I decorated the lid with the same handmade paper, mesh paper some gold trim and pearls. I appreciate that not everything i used was recyled but i felt so chuffed to have taken a plain jam jar and turned it into a work of art and something useful and made use of one or two things that have done little more than sit around for some long while...







So placed inside this jam jar is a little tea light candle which as you can see shines beautifully through the handmade paper/mesh and therefore makes a beautiful, in my opinion decorative candle holder, when not in use the lid can go on and prevents little fingers getting hold of candles. Once the tea light is finished you can tip it out and simply replace it with another one or anything similar. Providing the candle is encased as tealights are your jar should stay relatively clean and continue to be used for some long time, you can use scented tealights too :)


This was my second one of these candle jars and i have since made another one and whilst i type this (bearing in mind it's the 19th) i may have more made by the time the hop starts. You know me when i get an idea in my head and this one has been so successful so far. So when your washing out your pots and jars give some thought to what else they can be used for. This jar was a well known coffee jar and could equally be painted using glass paints and used for storing coffee, teabags, sugar, flour or any number of things. Anyway enjoy the journey ahead and Happy Earth Day. Oh yes and while i'm sitting by candlelight i'm saving money and energy too.

 Please don't leave candles unattended!!!


If you came here from Lynnes blog here the next stop on your journey should be Jennifers blog found here 
Enjoy your hop :)

25 comments:

Michelle said...

Oh, Kerri! this is beautiful!! A much nicer use of of a jam jar, I must say!!:) What a gorgeous job you did and how pretty it looks all lit up!!! Thank you for such a lovely Earth Day entry, Kerri!!:)

Rhonda Miller said...

Wow Kerri, this is wonderful. I love the jam jar idea and the handmade paper/mesh. Great job.

Sammi said...

wow! that's gorgeous!!!
xxx

Claire said...

Wow Kerri, your project is stunning, I really love it
Claire xx

Lynne Armstrong said...

These are beautiful Kerri! What a brilliant use for an old coffee jar :) Would never have thought of doing this...might have to case your idea!!

Pauline said...

What a wonderful project for the coffee jar! I keep my jars, and use them in my craft room... also for reuse in the kitchen...I've never thought to use them for tea candles! Maybe because I'd need to use Church candles --- I have big coffee jars! Thanks so much for sharing this project!
Hugs,
Pauline

Marilyn Webb said...

These are beautiful Kerri, fabulous idea!

Robyn said...

Kerri, this is just beautiful. I'm wishing I had some jam jars just so I could try this. Thanks for the awesome inspiration!

Fotf said...

Thanks for all your lovely encouraging comments ladies. I so had fun with this challenge. Tommorow/tonight, if i can wait that long i will post one of my other creations, along the same lines :)

Tammy said...

This is FABULOUS, Kerri!!! Now I know why you was so excited to share it!! Your creativity soared with this awesome project sweetie!!

Fotf said...

:) Thanks Tammy

Jennifer Scull said...

such a wonderful project! I, too, save my jars, but have never used one for a candle. thanks for the great idea!

H2 :) said...

Hi Jean.
What a clever idea, looks so pretty with the tealight shining through, highlighting your cute fairy. :)

ileana said...

Wat a gorgeous way to put make a luminary for your candles!!! I love it!!! what a great idea, thanks for sharing. Hugs!

Unknown said...

Hi Kerri! That is a great idea! Love the colors & the fairy.

Pattie G said...

Wow kerri, I love this creation. What a great use of an empty jam jar.

Hugs
Pattie

pinkglitterfae said...

What a brilliant idea! I will have to keep this in mind since there are always jars to be recycled. I recognize that coffee jar too, lol! The sweet little fairy adds to the magic of the piece :-)

Therese said...

sweet. I love the pearls.

Tana said...

Very pretty! So gorgeous when they are lit!

Melissa S. said...

This is awesome. Love the jam jar. My husband is alwaws saving jars. This would be the perfect way to recycle them.

cr8iveme said...

what a wonderful idea.

{hugs}
M.E.

Trish said...

Kerri, you have certainly been busy. What a great use for an old jam jar and it looks good when lit.
Hugs,
Trish

cottagerca said...

Lik the beads/pearls around the top of the jar. Great re-cycle ideal. I have lots of pearls I now have a re-cycled purpose for.

Randi WS said...

Oh, this is just WONDERFUL! You are really talented in making candle jars!
Hugs, Randi

Sherry said...

kewl idea :-)