
It's true. Mason jars are everywhere. Whether it's mason jar rim bangles, pendant lights, coffee mug lids, or planters, pretty much everything comes in mason jar form these days. But what happens when a mason jar hooks up with a pair of fishnets and a can of gold spray paint? Beachy golden awesomeness, that's what. We can't wait to try this out with vases, glassware (a la Candy Cane Cups), and obviously a fishbowl.
Materials:
– jars (mason jars, jelly jars, mustard jars, etc)
– fishnet stockings! (or any netted material)
– gold spray paint
– tape (electrical + painter's)
– string
First, clean your jars. If they've got labels, soak them in hot water until the labels peel off easily. For our material, we used two different varieties of fishnet. Cut up your material so its rectangular.
Cut a piece of netting so that it wraps nicely around your jar. Stuff the jar with newspaper so no spray paint gets inside. Tie each corner of netting around the jar and fasten with a piece of string. You'll have a few wrinkles here and there, but that gives your pattern added texture.
To spray, you definitely want to get outside. We used our teeny tiny balcony and set up a spray painting station with cardboard and newspaper. Take your jar outside and spray away! Spray paint takes about 15 minutes to set, so rotate and spray again after 15 minutes. Keep rotating until your jar is well-covered.
Unwrap, and voila! Pattern time!
Aren't they just darling? Now, onto the large netting.
These ones remind us of a honeycomb. Perhaps a mermaid-meets-queen bee scenario?
Next up, stripes.
These are definitely the easiest ones. All you do is wrap electrical tape around each jar, spray, and remove tape.
Lastly, we created polka dot jars using oil cloth and a giant hole punch. For these, take a strip of oil cloth (scraps are available at any craft store for under $1, could also try using fun foam or a magazine cover), punch holes in it, tape to your jar, and spray. Make sure to let these set for a full 15 minutes before removing your stencil.
Remove the tape, and there you have it!
These would be great for weddings, birthdays, Easter Sunday — pretty much any party! We could see them filled with tea lights, flowers, confetti, or cocktails.
Bonus: If you're not up for spray paint and just want a cute way to package jars, grab some netting and simply bundle up your jars. These definitely take a cue from the Colorful Tights chapter of our 12 Days of Wrapping Series.
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.