It’s time for another round of Crafting with IGE! Today’s project:
DIY Spruce and Berry Jars
It’s been a grey and blustery day (although surprisingly warm) and I couldn’t help but feel the holiday spirit creep in as I ran around town doing my errands this morning. Every store I stepped into was dressed to the nines in cheerful, red & green decor.
I made a split second decision to stop at the craft store on my way home and pick up supplies to decorate my mantle with cheerful berries & rustic spruce fronds stuffed in shabby-chic mason jars.
Whee! First Christmas decorations of the season!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 7 mason jars
- 7 votive candles (mine were 1.4oz each)
- fake berries in any color
- fake spruce
- Hemp string or twine
Step 1
Drop the votive candle into the mason jar. Cut 4 pieces of spruce about the height of the votive and place them on 4 sides of the votive.
Step 2
Cut the berries off of the vine. These were attached by a thin wire, which I was able to cut with regular scissors.
I also used the mason jar lids to corral them.
Step 3
Drop the berries in between the spruce pieces. Because of the size of my votive, I was only able to add the berries to the front, which was fine because you only see them from the front.
Step 4
Cut a length of string/twine/hemp and tie it around the neck of the mason jar.
Step 5
Repeat!
I honestly had no intentions of putting up any additional Christmas decorations today, but the votives looked so lonely and out of place all alone up there!
So I did the damn thing.
Just imagine there’s one of these going on in there. ;)
I couldn’t have been more happy with how the jars turned out – and for so cheap!
Cost Breakdown
Mason jars = free from my Mom (thanks Ma!)
Berry springs = $.69/piece (used 6 total)
Spruce spray = $2.99
Hemp string = $1.79
Votives = $2.79
Total cost: $11.71
Gah, it feels so deliciously 1900s in here! ;)
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Are you a crafty kind of person? Have you started putting up holiday decor around your house yet?
Normally I wait until after Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t help myself this year. :)
Instead of actually votives (I don’t think I’d light those!)get some of the battery operated votives that are out now. They even flicker like candles. Same effect, only much, much safer.
I’m working on 6 of them right now and watching Eclipse! Got to get ready to see Breaking Dawn! In addition to the red berries, I found some pretty white pearly looking ones. I’m excited to put on my fireplace.
[…] cheery feel for under $15, doesn’t that sound even better? Iowa Girl Eats creates shabby chic spruce and berry filled mason jar that is easy to create and easy on the bank account. So get excited for the holiday season and […]
I’m not sure – I haven’t tried lighting them yet! I’d imagine the glass around the candle would get hot, but maybe not *that* hot?!
I love these jars! I admit to being a scrooge…I’m single and live alone so I only put decorations up about once every three years. :( Just don’t really see the point of going through the effort just for myself…and my cat said she doesn’t care either! ;) BUT…I actually think I might hit Hobby Lobby tonight and make some of these!
One question, though. Can you actually light those candles?! I feel like they would catch the spruce on fire. No??
[…] Decorating Idea DIY Holiday Decor from Iowa Girl […]
These are just beatiful with the mantle lights and greenery behind them:) You’ve got me excited about decorating the house for Christmas now:)
I did decorate for Christmas this weekend too! Husband was out of town and my mom was over, so no surprise! :) Most of it came from the basement or other rooms of the house, but I did find some adorable pillows at Target. The one new craft this year was to make a garland of fabric Christmas trees in various holiday fabric. It took awhile to sew them up but I love them swagged on the fireplace! Cute mason jars – I love candles around this time of year
Like the new look! I just posted some DIY holiday gifts on my blog the other day…and now I need to do some decorating!
I love this! How cute, and I have tons of Mason Jars lying around! Too bad I don’t have a mantle, hmmm I’m sure I can find a place to put a couple of them :).
Oh, and love your new blog design! Looks great!
I’m uncreative and uncrafty – but I’m trying to tap into that part of my brain more. I made that pine cone garland you blogged about and I love it! It’s already on my fireplace ;)
I use my mason jars for every season, they are so easy and cheap to work with! Yours look great and now I am putting up my decorations so I can have the warm cozy too!
I’d consider myself a pretty crafty person and those would look great on our mantle this holiday season- thanks for sharing! It’s my first year living with my Dear so I need to start thinking of and buying holiday decorations :D
These are a-dor-a-ble! Love them. If I had a mantle I would totally make these. Maybe I’ll turn our dining bar into a makeshift spot for these during the holidays.
BTW — I’ve been reading the site via my mobile RSS reader… I LOVE the new site layout – it is to die for!
Love the new blog!
We decorated the house for Christmas yesterday. I did a few Christmas word art designs and put them in frames and then did a Christmas countdown from Pinterest. I love crafts but don’t ever have too much time for them!
This is such a cute idea! And for cheap, too!
Love the new look!
I am a crafty person, and made the pine cone garland you posted about a couple weeks ago. I wrapped a small string of Christmas lights around the garland to make it a little more wintery. Love it! But my next project needs to be making another stocking. I made mine and my husband’s last year, but now we have a new little guy who needs a stocking of his own! Gee, wouldn’t it have been smart to just make 4 stockings right away instead of 2? :)
These are so pretty!! We put up most of our decorations today too — but mostly out of necessity, since if we didn’t do it today we wouldn’t be able to until Dec 5! And we like to do it right after Thanksgiving :)
Gasp! IGE, with a new look! Lookin good! Perfect timing too, right before Thanksgiving. Its like how in college when you go home for Thanksgiving Break, you want to look all cute because you haven’t seen your high school friends in months. Oh, that was just me? Oh. :)
I totally know what you mean Molly! :) Haha, I was thinking the same thing!
I LOVE your new site design! I’m not sure if this happened a few days ago, but regardless, it’s great! And I’m totally going to try to get my roommate to help me make these for our apartment. :)