Step 1: Prepare the upcycled jars

Soak the jars and lids in very warm soapy water for about 30 minutes. This will soften the labels and glue.

With help from an adult, remove any leftover glue by rubbing with a cotton wool ball soaked in eucalyptus oil or methylated spirits or nail polish remover. Large patches of glue may need to be scraped off carefully with a butter knife.

Run through a hot dishwasher if you think the jar needs a bit more cleaning.

Step 2: Decorate the jar

Think about the purpose of your gift and the size of jars you have available.

Follow some of the ideas below or use your own imagination!

Decorate part, or all, of the jar. If you wish to paint directly onto the jar, you will need to use enamel based paints or specialised glass paints.

Step 3: Decorate the lid

If there is no lid, create a pretty cover for the bottle.

Draw a circle using a small plate as a guide on to some scrap fabric.

Cut out with scissors (or pinking shears make a zig zag edge) and secure the fabric circle onto the jar with a rubber band and/or string.

Step 4: Gifts will seem more luxurious with personalised labels

Upcycle a cardboard box from the pantry to create small, rectangular labels.
Use a hole punch to make a hole to thread string through.

Write the person's name on it or describe what is in the jar.

If you don't like your handwriting, print the labels out onto recycled paper using a computer to assist with fonts. The paper can then be glued to cardboard.

Step 1

Choose a jar (with a matching lid) large enough to hold 6 cups of ingredients (or adjust the recipe by half if your jar is smaller).

Sterilise the jar (as stated above) and decorate the lid while you wait.

Step 2

Cut a square of scrap fabric or upcycle a teatowel.

Trace around a small plate with a pencil.

Cut out the circle with scissors or pinking shears.

Step 3

Using a 50/50 PVA glue/water mix, spread glue over the top and sides of the lid with a paintbrush or sponge.

Keep in place with a rubber band until the glue dries.

For an extra feature glue or tie a ribbon to the side of the lid.

Step 4

Gather the ingredients listed on the recipe card (at the end of this tutorial) or use your own favourite recipe.

Step 5

Place the brown sugar into jar.

Tap lightly on counter top to reduce air and create a flat surface for next layer.

Continue layering flour, oats, salt, baking powder, chocolate chips tapping between each layer.

Step 6

Hand write the ingredients (in case of allergies) and the recipe onto a small card (or print the ingredient and recipe card provided at the end of this tutorial).

Be sure to include a "Best Before" date as part of the ingredients. Attach the ingredient list and recipe to the lid or the bottle with sticky tape or tie on with string/ribbon.

Step 1

Gather a jar with a lid, ribbon, cardboard packaging, scraps of wrapping paper, buttons and fabric.

Step 2

Cut a strip of fabric a few centimetres wide. Use a ruler as a guide.

Fray the edges for a rugged effect.

Step 3

Tie the fabric to the jar and secure with a couple of dots of glue or glue dots.

Step 4

Cut out some circles and rectangles from cardboard packaging or scraps of wrapping paper.

Glue a coloured circle to the jar lid (trace around lid for a correct fit).

Glue a button to the lid.

Step 5

Layer the rectangle and circle shapes to make a personalised tag. Add a small photo or drawing of the pet and the pet's name.

Fill with their favourite treats.

Step 1

Place a piece of baking paper on your table.

Gather your bottle, glitter, your 50/50 water/PVA glue mix, a paint brush, a wet wipe and some masking/washi tape.

Wrap a line of masking/washi tape all the way around your bottle about 2cm from the bottom of the jar.

Step 2

Wrap a line of masking/washi tape all the way around your bottle about 2cm from the bottom of the jar.

Paint glue under the masking/washi tape all the way around the bottle. Wipe away any glue that goes under the bottom of the jar.

Step 3

Pour out some glitter in a pile on the baking paper. Smaller sized glitter pieces are easier to work with than chunkier glitter pieces.

Roll the glued end of the bottle through the glitter until it is thoroughly covered. You can check for missed spots by looking inside the bottle while holding it up to a window or light.

Step 4

Wait about 10-15 minutes before slowly removing masking/washi tape. Carefully wipe any 'wobbly' parts with a wet wipe to create a straight line.

Leave to dry completely (overnight). Re-coat the glitter part with another layer of the PVA/water mix. Use a light tapping technique with the glue and paintbrush. Leave to dry overnight again.

Step 5

Gather some cardboard packaging, coloured paper, doilies, string and other embellishments (buttons, charms, etc).

Cut rectangular shapes of different sizes, layer and glue together.
Punch holes in the tags.
Write a personalised label and thread string through the holes.
Tie to your jar.

To finish, fill the jar with goodies.

Step 1

Gather a jar with a lid, ribbon, tissue paper or fabric, music or band themed paper (magazine or newspaper cuttings of their favourite artist) and strips of coloured cardboard.

Step 2

Measure the height of the jar and cut strips of paper to the height.
Most jars have a slight curve at the top and bottom.

It is easier to stick the strip to the flat part of the jar only.

Step 3

I have used layers of tissue paper to create the effect for this jar.
However, you could also use a circle of fabric (as in the Biscuit Kit Jar).
Secure with ruber bands until glue is dry.

Step 4

Cut a cardboard or paper circle for the top of the jar (trace around the jar to get correct size.
I have decorated the circle with music themed washi tape. You could use the same paper as you used for the side strips too.

Also cut some strips of card to write a label for the lid.

Step 5

When the glue on the lid is dry, place glue or double sided tape around the edge of the lid.

I threaded some charms onto the ribbon and then carefully stuck the ribbon to the lid.

Write the Savings Jar Fund Name on the cardboard strips and glue them to the lid.