Sweets jar: farmer style

(Almost) Everyone loves sweets and confectionery. It is a very common gift, just like wine and flowers. But it can be personal as well, nicely packaged candy is even more sweet!

You will need:

• a jar
• acrylic paint
• paper, pen and pencil
• scissors
• paintbrushes
• hot glue gun
• a ribbon, but I used an old shoelace
• sharpies

This time I decorated a big jar which originally contained pickled cucumbers, so it required intensive cleaning. Make sure you rinse off all the glue from outside. Take a sheet of paper and measure the approximate inner surface placing it around the glass from the outside.

Using the green paint, create a base on the bottom of the jar. To achieve a grass-like effect, with a smaller brush, draw lines from the edges of the paint. Let it dry completely.

Meanwhile, take the paper sheet, and plan your design. This step is not necessary but helps to feel more confident with the paint. On my farmer style jar there is a cow, a pig, a sheep, a rooster and a small chicken, from the biggest to the smallest. Place the paper with the design inside the dry jar, so you can use it as a draft from the outside. Secure it down with tape!

Here comes the messy but fun part, when you paint the glass! Since it is a round surface, it is recommended to use less water mixed with the paint to avoid dripping, and always leave time to dry before you move along to the next figure. I completed the animals with sharpies, and also added their sounds (just in case my art work is not recognisable :) ). Since I gave this present to a real farmer, I named the jar: Sweet Crops, but any funny title works well!

As for the lid, take a card and measure the lid by placing it and cutting it around, decorate with a wavy effect, and write a message on it. Glue it on the lid. Then with starting at one point, slowly, step by step glue the shoelace or ribbon (or whatever you fancy!) around the lid on the side, ensuring that the lines are tightly placed next to each other. When it is all complete, make sure, that the end of the shoelace is glued down well! My shoelace gave the lid a very nice grip and its dark colour a bit of manly touch.

Fill the jar with sweets and candy, close the lid on top and your gift is ready to be presented!

                                  

Moo:)