You probably know I’m not exactly blessed with a natural craft talent. Still, I’ve always been drawn to crafting and I love the idea of it.
The honest truth is that many of my attempts have ended in minor burns, a few mishaps, and a lot of frustration. Most projects don’t turn out the way I imagine, and plenty have ended up in the garage or the trash. It’s part of learning what suits you.
Those experiences taught me one important thing: I’m not patient enough to take on complicated, tool-heavy projects by myself. Knowing that keeps me from wasting time on projects that will likely fail or worse, cause injury. It’s better to focus on simple, enjoyable crafts that actually work for me.
That rules out anything involving hammers, knives, nail guns, sewing machines, or power tools. I avoid those tools like the plague. As I like to say, safety first. Leave the complicated builds to people who love them.
Once you accept what you’re not good at, you gain the freedom to say no to projects that cause stress and to embrace the simple ones you enjoy.
If crafting intimidates you, you’ll appreciate the easy projects I stick to. Simple, low-risk crafts can still be beautiful and satisfying. When you find a project that works, you can repeat it and refine it to your taste.
I’ve been making mason jar candles for years. I use them for every holiday, party, and season. The basic concept stays the same: a filler in the jar and a small votive candle. Most of the time I use Epsom salt as filler. It becomes “snow” in winter and “sand” in summer—use your imagination.
This project is nearly foolproof. The main pitfall is overdoing it. For example, using a red candle can create unexpected messes when it melts. White candles are a dependable choice. Keep things simple and safe.
Approved variations include small rocks, candy, or cranberries instead of Epsom salt—these are all fail-safe options.
After blogging for a while I decided to give my tried-and-true mason jar craft a fresh, slightly rustic update for the holidays. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel—small tweaks make a familiar craft feel new while staying very easy to make.
Behold my Christmas mason jar for 2010:
Also known as the Jingle Bell Jar.
How to make a Jingle Bell Jar
Make a regular mason jar candle with your chosen filler and votive. Then wrap the jar mouth with jute twine and thread a few small jingle bells onto the twine. If you prefer a neat look, glue the twine in place in tidy rows. If you like a more relaxed, rustic look, let the twine sit loosely. For a little sparkle, add small snowflake brads to the twine and spray lightly with glitter. That’s it—simple and festive.
If you have more holiday decorations out, you can hang tiny ornaments or balls from the twine for added impact.
Here’s a Fall-to-Winter variation:
The Cinnamon Stick Mason Jar
For lovebirds:
Key to Your Heart Mason Jar
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, housewarmings, or any time you want to give a small, heartfelt gift.
And a preview from my upcoming summer collection:
The Starfish Mason Jar
I’ll share this beach-inspired version again when summer arrives.
Now I’m just showing off.
I’ll stop—well, almost. I’m experimenting with glitter accents next and I have a few ideas I want to try.
Related post:
DIY: Glittery Snow for your Mason Jar and Candles
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