Sustainable gifting is a hot topic these days. As givers OR receivers, more and more we all want to "feel good" about what we spend our money on - we want to be smart with our dollars and mindful of our planet.
At JTayArt we are all about sustainability and we work this into our shop wherever we can, with a focus on up cycled glass. Why glass? In the United States we throw away 10 million tons of glass every year, with just 33% of this glass getting recycled. The rest...ends up in the trash pile. Whether you put it in the recycle bin or not! It's a major bummer. The best defense to this dilemma is to keep our glass items from ever ending up in the recycle bin or trash can to begin with. So at our house we take our glass bottles and turn them into something new, in the hopes they never make it to the trash pile!
Salsa bottles, pickle jars, wine bottles and even salad dressing jars are all sanitized and cleaned up. We then split the glass and smooth down the edges so we can create something new for the Shop. Mini pots, candle holders, bowls, trinket dishes, terrariums, planters and more...are all made from up-cycled and repurposed glass.
You can repurpose your jars at home, too! No glass cutting needed. Find some small jars and follow the DIY steps below to create gorgeous tea light table decor!
1) Pudding Jars (small sized jar)
Create gorgeous tea light table decor in just a few easy steps!
What you'll need:
Small Jars (we used 3)
Alcohol Inks - a mix of light and dark colors work best
Rubbing Alcohol - for emergency clean up
Foil lined baking sheet
Twine
Glue Gun or crafters glue (I used Tacky Glue)
Wax paper and paper towels (for mess management!)
An oven
Tea Lights
Steps:
1) Wash out your small sized jars with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly. Make sure the label and adhesive are removed.
2) Set up your paint station using the waxed paper and paper towels - alcohol inks can stain, so be careful! If any inks spill, immediately wipe up using the rubbing alcohol.
3) Holding your jar horizontally and over your "mess station", slowly drip your alcohol inks onto your clean glass. Start with your lighter colors first and use these more liberally to establish a layered look. With your light colors applied as a base, begin to add your darker shades on top one drip at a time - spin or tilt the jar to move the inks around till you get a look you love. You can also blow gently on the inks to move around your design and speed up the drying process.
If you need to start over, use the rubbing alcohol to clean off your jar and wash again with soapy water. If you get any inks on your hands, immediately wash with soap and water to limit the "stain" on your fingers!
4) Allow your jars to fully dry (about 30 - 60 minutes), then place onto a foil lined baking sheet and place into your COOL oven. Do NOT warm up your oven.
5) With the jars inside, turn your oven on to 175 - 200 degrees.
6) Bake your jars for approximately 1 hour. Be careful to turn on your vent and open windows.
FULL DISCLOSURE
I'm not a chemist. I'm not a scientist. I'm an artist. Everything I've read states this process is safe given the low temperature. However, I believe it's a best practice to always create ample ventilation when working with ANY chemical. Please proceed at your own risk.
7) After 1 hour, turn off your oven and leave your jars in there until the oven and jars fully cooled.
8) Take your fully cooled jars out and wrap the "lip" with twine. Glue in place using your tacky glue or glue gun. Be careful to hold the jar on the edges to avoid smearing glue over your artwork! Allow to dry for 30 minutes, using a clip to hold your twine in place during the drying process.
9) Place your tea lights into your decor jars, and TAA DAA!
Table top decor to strike a mood and a conversation.
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