Upcycling Glass Jars

Eco-Friendly Tissue Holder: Upcycling Glass Jars

Looking for an eco-friendly way to store your tissues? Learn how to upcycle glass jars into stylish and functional tissue holders with this DIY tutorial.

As you are making dinner, do you ever wonder what can I do with this jar instead of throwing it in the trash to be hauled off to the landfill for all eternity?  If so, you are not alone.  I often have these thoughts, the reason being I have accumulated quite a stash pile of glass jars here lately.  

Years ago I was purchasing real maple syrup from one of the gals I worked with.  The maple syrup was always distributed in glass ball jars, in fact the one pictured above is one of those jars.  I held on to the jar and always thought I will do something with this Ball jar, but always found myself busy with other projects.

As I was going through the cupboard the other day, I decided today is the day this ball jar gets a make over.  You see, as I was perusing the World Wide Web of a billion and one things I can do, I scrolled through and saw where someone had taken a vase and put tissues into it.  I thought oh, what a great idea.  I never liked those plain old boxes either so I began to think along the same lines, yet a bit differently.

If you're looking for a creative and eco-friendly way to store your tissues, why not upcycle a glass jar? With just a few simple steps, you can transform an old jar into a stylish and functional tissue holder that's perfect for any room in your home. Follow this DIY tutorial to learn how.

Gather your materials:

1. Ball Jar with threaded lid, you will omit the metal top of the threaded lid
2. Decorative paper of your choice 
3. Paint of your choosing, I used regular craft paint
4. Scissors
5. Paint Brush
6. Tissues for once you have completed your new tissue holder 

Clean and prepare your glass jar.

Before you can start upcycling your glass jar into a tissue holder, you'll need to make sure it's clean and ready to use. Start by removing any labels or stickers from the jar. You can use a mixture of hot water and dish soap to help remove any stubborn residue. I usually run it through the dishwasher to ensure everything has been properly cleaned and sanitized at the dishwasher temperature. Once the jar is clean, make sure it's completely dry before moving on to the next step.

Paint glass jar with craft paint color of your choice.

Once your glass jar is clean and dry, it's time to add some color! Choose a craft paint color that matches your decor or personal style. Since glass is a slick surface, it's best to sponge on the paint rather than using a brush. This will help prevent streaks and ensure an even coat. Allow the paint to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

I began by painting the jar a pink color since I knew I wanted to put this in our bathroom.  I used regular craft paint and found it was having some difficulty with it staying on the slick surface when I brushed it on.  

This did not deter me, I began blotting the paint onto the surface, and this seemed to work just fine, plus it added a bit of texture to our surface.  At the time, I did not think about adding baking soda to my paint, but I am sure I could have done this and it would have had better staying power being brushed onto the glass.

Paint the threaded lid.

While the glass was drying, I decided to smooth Rub-n-Buff over the threaded ring lid to give it a different look.  I simply smoothed it over the metal with my finger and set it aside to dry.

Trace, cut and prepare the paper lid.

I traced the original lid onto the decorative paper I planned to use and then cut out the circle.  

I then cut slits into the paper to create an opening for our tissues to be pulled through.  I did this by holding the paper in half in each direction and cutting an X to create the opening.

I decided to go back for another coat of paint and texture so you could not see through the jar.  I set it aside and let it dry, I know... it is so hard for me to wait too! 

Add tissues.

I grabbed a small stack of tissues and added them to the jar.  Then I placed the paper in the top of the jar lid and threaded it around the jar, and viola we have a new way to displaying tissues in our bathroom.

I love our vintage tile in the downstairs bath.  I plan on keeping it.  I can never decide if it is beige, pinkish or peachy, but I throw in as much pink as I can into that bathroom.  I like a few girly touches in our home every now and then.  

Since we do not use bar soap at the sink, I thought our tissues perched on the soap tray was perfect, and then I had a better idea.

A friend of mine gave me these vintage cut glass plates since she knows how much I adore all things from the past.  I was over the moon when she gave them to me.  

Originally, I had a silver plated tray in it's place, but then it began leaving a rust mark on the countertop so I removed it and put this glass plate in it's place.  I love the look of the glass on the counter holding our everyday items.   

Doesn't that tissue holder look so cozy and at home on the glass tray?  I thought so too.

I am not a perfume wearing kind of gal, I much prefer body spray from Bath & Body Works over expensive perfumes any day of the week.  Moonlight Path has always been my favorite, but for some reason it really bothers my asthma these days so I have been leaning towards fruity scents recently.  

Well, what do you think?  Would you give a ball jar a makeover like this?  It was an idea that popped into my mind when I saw the jar sitting in our small pantry, and I thought oh, let's give this a try and see what happens.  I had a small leftover piece of paper from our cardboard upcycling project and I wasn't sure what I could use such a small scrap for, but guess what?  I found a use for it.  

Getting more creative lately has been so much fun!  In case you have missed recent posts, you can find a tin can upcycle, how you can reuse packing paper, or even how to make a bag from paper.  

You just may be amazed in the coming weeks with what I have been up to.  Before I throw something in the trash, I place it on the counter in the kitchen and give it a long and hard thought about how else I can see each item.  When I began doing this exercise with myself, I began having all sorts of thoughts on upcycling trash in our home!  Crazy?  Ingenious?  You can decide!  

Ciao,

Cara

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