Sun Catcher Re-Purposed Jar Project

A lot of projects I have done for summer school have been the result of wanting/needing to use up materials we already had on hand, or items I ask for in my parent letter I send home at the beginning of summer school (items like paper towel tubes, bags of beans & rice & noodles, old puzzle pieces, old CDs, baby food jars, etc).

The project below was made from baby food jars. I call it a Sun-Catcher jar, because they look really pretty in a sunny window - kind of like stained glass.

The kids and I talk about how we can use lots of items from our homes for art projects, instead of just throwing stuff away. You should see all the teeny-tiny bits of construction paper that they've been saving in our scrap bin since then... I guess our little conversation worked, lol!

Here are some of the uses the kids and I thought of for these cute little jars:

• Desk organizers for Mom & Dad (for paper clips, etc)
• School supply holder (pencils, crayons)
• Money Jar
• Candle Holder (we talked at length about this being an adult-only idea)
• Super Secret Stuff Holder (lol again)
• A pretty art piece
• Toothbrush holder

Supplies Needed:

• Baby food or other small jars (labels removed; lids not necessary)
• Glue (watered down; see the clear cup in below photo)
• Tissue paper
• Small paint brushes
• Wax Paper, if you have it

Instructions:

1. Take labels off of washed jars. Last year at summer school, the lids were hard to decorate, so this year I just recycled them.
2. Cut several colors of tissue paper into small squares. For the tissue paper, I told the kids it doesn't have to be brand new tissue. I explained how I save the tissue paper from presents I get, and either re-use it for a gift I give, or use the tissue for art projects.
3. Mix a small amount of glue with equal amount of water to make the "decoupage" glue.
4. You're ready to get started. Start by brushing a some of the decoupage glue onto the jar. Then add one piece of issue paper to the glue spot. Then brush another layer of the glue on top of the tissue paper. It's important to put glue on top the whole piece of tissue paper, not just part of it. Repeat this process for each piece of tissue paper you add.
5. Do not add any glue or tissue paper to the bottom of the jar. It'll be a mess when it's dry! :-)
6. Let dry over night. It's best if you cut a small piece of wax paper for the jar to dry on, so the pieces near the bottom don't get ripped up after it dries.