fudge

Thursday 23 April 2015

How To Make A Firefly Jar

Apologies Joe - this IS another (crappy) crafting post ...

As I mentioned before, it's Miss Mac's Birthday next week and she will be 16.

It's a big day, it's a BIG year.  This year marks the culmination of 11 years at school and the end of her childhood as she, as I know it.

Soon she will be knee deep in exams.   The preparation for them has been going on for months now with before and after school revision session and lots of time spent in her bedroom surrounded by books.

I want her Birthday to be a day away from all of that.  She will have to go to school on the day but I plan on asking some of her friends around after for a small party and obviously cake (still working on the design for that shoe box cake!).

She's already had her main present from me as seen here but in addition to that there are lots of little gifts that I've been gathering together over the last few months.

But I wanted to make her something special!

So, combining the ideas of a couple of posts I've read recently and I thought I'd try my hand at making her a Firefly Jar for her bedside table.

The first thing I needed was the right jar.

I settled on an empty  Douwe Egberts coffee jar:




I like the shape of the jar so I soaked off the label (removing any sticky leftovers with nail varnish remover) and removed the plastic seal from the lid.

Then I fixed on some heart shaped foam stickers I had left over from another crafting project many years ago when Miss Mac was into all things pink and glittery:



Then, using the empty cardboard inner tube from a roll of kitchen towel to give me something to hold onto and so that I could hold the jar away from myself and turn it to ensure even coverage I sprayed the whole thing with glass etching spray (you can pick this up in any good craft shop for about £5).

And then I left it on the mantelpiece to dry still resting on the kitchen roll tube (it only takes a few minutes).


When it was dry I carefully peeled the stickers off leaving a clear glass heart pattern all around the jar:



I decided to leave the lid clear as it has grooves in it which the spray would probably settle in giving an uneven finish.

All I needed to do then was to fill it with some battery operated fairy lights with the battery case blue tacked to the bottom of the jar to keep it upright and remembering to make sure the switch was at the top.

I've added some decoration around the top with a few of those teardrop beads threaded on the silver wire but I'm not sure if I will keep them, it might be a bit too much.

And behold!





A bedside Firefly Jar!
Again, I've chosen something that's really hard to photograph - in the flesh this looks far prettier.

It was SO simple to make.  Really inexpensive.  The lights cost me £2.99 from Primark.  The jar I had anyway as well as the beads and wire and the glass etching spray will do several other jars/things (I have plans ...).

I'm really pleased with the way it's turned out :-).

I'm hoping Miss Mac loves it as much as I do.

Linking up with Anne at Domesblissity


10 comments:

Karen @Baking In A Tornado said...

It's beautiful and such a great idea. I love gifts that someone has taken the time to make themselves.
Happy Birthday Miss Mac!

stacy sews and schools said...

I love this so much!!! So pretty!! I bet my girls would love it!

HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN MISS MAC!!!

Unknown said...

So... I totally want to make one of these now! Such an awesome project.

Sarah said...

I like home made gifts too Karen and I really like making things for people, some turn out better than others :-)

They would Stacy and it really was so easy to make! thank you for the Birthday wishes.

Do it Robin, honestly, it took about an hour in total to make it and it looks so pretty.

Holly said...

You clever thing! This is amaZing!! Would love something like this for me!!

Sarah said...

I would make you one Holly but I don't think it would travel well. You could easily make one yourself - honestly, if it wasn't easy I couldn't do it!

kate n said...

It looks really good and so simple yet effective :) I'm sure she'll love it!

Sarah said...

I hope so Kate - I think she will :-)

Domesblissity said...

You know Sarah, if I was having an evening wedding I would be definitely making these. They are so damn cute, you clever thing you. I'm so glad you linked up with me this week. You're always welcome. I'm featuring this at my party tomorrow so there! LOL Have a great weekend lovey.

Anne @ Domesblissity xx

Sarah said...

They would be perfect for a wedding wouldn't they Anne - glad you like it and thank you for featuring it :-) xx