Friends of the West End Park

Historic West End*Atlanta*GA

REUSE: PAPER + JARS July 28, 2009

This is a great idea. Re-use jars and scrap gift wrapping or scrapbooking paper. You can use these for birthdays or wedding favors, to organize your crafting space, hold children’s small toy pieces, give dried herbs (or tea) to friends as gifts or fill with treats for the holidays such as the Day of the Dead. The possibilities are endless.

Thanks to Design Sponge (guest blogger Laura Normandin)-very clever!

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Instructions for pencils

1. Cut a strip of paper that is 1″ by the length of your pencil before it’s sharpened. My pencils were 7″ long. Brush Mod Podge on the strip of paper. Lay pencil on one edge of paper, and then with clean fingers smooth down by rotating the pencil. You can roll on a flat surface to make sure paper is adhered. Brush a little Mod Podge under edge of paper if needed. Let dry 1/2 hour before sharpening pencils. Try all different patterns for these, they look great when displayed together.

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Instructions for jar lids…

Materials

paper scraps
Mod Podge in matte finish
pencil
scissors
medium craft brush
jars with screw lids
plain wood pencils unsharpened

Instructions for jars

1. Wash jars thoroughly. Remove any labels with Goo Gone or similar product. To remove smells, soak in a bleach solution. Let dry.

2. Lay jar lid face down on the back of decorative paper and trace lightly with a pencil. Sketch a circle that is bigger (the height of the lid plus 1/4″) around the circle. You can use a round object to trace if you can find a similar one in size. Cut slits about 1/4″ apart that go right up the first pencil tracing. Coat inside circle with Mod Podge and adhere to lid. Press down thoroughly with clean fingers. Lay face down on surface and begin gluing strips in a clockwise direction. Coat 2 or 3 strips at a time and fold each one up and over the edge of the lid. Continue until all the strips are glued.

3. Turn lid over so pattern is facing up. Coat with Mod Podge to seal. Let dry and then screw onto jars.

 

Canning and Freezing June 25, 2009

Okay, so the garden is in place and you have more tomatoes than you can eat? You can share them w/ neighbors or donate to a soup kitchen. You still have some left? Well, canning or freezing is one way to preserve some of your fruits and vegetables. The National Center for Food Preservation provides some useful information to get you started.

Their website:  http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html

canning