There are certain tricks that every ReadyMaker comes to learn as they progress throughout their DIY career. Things like "everything can (and should) be made into a lamp," or "spray paint can solve almost any woe," or "owning a powerful drill/driver is more important than matching bed sheets."

And, in case you haven't heard, the Mason jar is one of the most versatile blank canvases available. Even if you haven't gotten into the magic of canning and preserving your own food (you should! you should!), keeping a case of these dudes on hand is a goldmine. They're like the original Tupperware, except way better, and they don't warp when you put them in the dishwasher.

And so! Ten fun things to do with 'em, besides just storing food inside. Some are food related, some are not. But, all of them are easy, and worthwhile tricks to know.

A bit of wire and some sand turn Mason jars into elegant outdoor lanterns for tea lights or votives. [via Re-Nest]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, you can plant herbs or flowers inside, but head to the CSI Project to see how to give them a colorful update on the vintage milkglass look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ReadyMade's assistant editor Alexa Fornoff came up with a quick trick to turn a quart-sizes jar into a makeshift cocktail shaker.

Liz whipped up this on-the-wall storage idea using pipe straps and a length of scrap wood. She opted for bathroom storage, but imagine all the cool stuff you could put inside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These individual pies-in-a-jar might be my favorite. They're adorable, they're clever, and, well, there's pie involved.

ReadyMade blogger Sonia spotted this awesome"fresh cut flower" shelf from Brian Johnson. You can buy a premade one on Etsy, or head to Sonia's post to learn how it's done.

At first look, this might look like a "you can drink out of a Mason jar" mention. But, if you head to YumSugar, you'll see that this cocktail is actually made from something that's often stored in a jar - jam. Right?! [via Design Crush]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you're prepping to entertain, peep this tip: use mason jars to portion out treats, like ice cream, or jar up tea or lemonade, or pitchers of mixers for drinks; just stir in the spirits!

Here's a brighter take on the Mason jar lantern. Hang the jars with wire, as in the instructions above, then fill with string lights along a length of rope or clothes line. Festive, yeah?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, seeing as it's summer, Mason jars are a perfect home to...kill stuff! By which I mean, er, catch those pesky fruit flies that often come home with you from the market.


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