Hello everyone. My name is Lauren Donaldson of Lauren Elise Crafted and Cottage Journal and I was just thrilled when Amy asked me to craft something special to share with all of you. What I find beautiful about Amy’s designs is that unique, personal touches abound in all of her work. She is constantly encouraging all of us to get more hands-on with our creativity. So I wanted to share a DIY that spoke to that same spirit. And I know just how much we love the charm of Fujifilm Instax Cameras!

I designed these Mason jar cards that start with a template but then leave a lot of room for customization. Your own personal touches will only add to the charm of this project.

And why Mason jars you ask? Well the classic appeal and charm of a Mason jar is definitely undeniable. I have been quite smitten with them for a long time. But recently I had the opportunity to write my very first craft book that was inspired by my love for these jars. Mason Jar Crafts is just getting released and it offers 30+ unique DIY ideas that will encourage you to see canning jars in a whole new light. Amy will share more about the book with you in a separate post but for today I wanted to give you an idea of the types of projects my book has to offer. Here is what you need to get started:

Materials:

- Kraft cardstock

- Mason jar template

- Metal ruler

- Pencils

- X-Acto knife

- Inkpad

- Fujifilm Instax Camera + film

Directions:

1. Load film into the Instax Camera. Pose with props and have someone snap pictures of you or capture friends and family yourself. For this example, messages of love were printed out to give the cards a graphic element and a personal touch. Instax film works like a polaroid, it takes a few minutes for the photo to expose properly.

2. Print out the Mason jar template onto kraft cardstock. For this example, the card was sized to 4.5” x 6.25”. Use an x-acto knife and metal ruler to cut the cards down to size.

3. Position your Instax picture in the center of the Mason jar card. Hold it in place while you mark the location of two opposite corners. Remove the Instax picture. At each of the marked corners, position your ruler at a 45 degree angle and cut a small slit with your knife. Repeat this for all of your cards.

4. Tuck your Instax pictures into the cards. The two corners of the picture should slip into the slits you cut in the previous step and hold the photo in place.

5. Make a mini heart stamp out of a pencil. Draw a small heart on the surface of the pencil’s eraser. Use the x-acto knife to cut around the heart, defining the stamp. Press the eraser into an inkpad and stamp your heart onto the cards around your Instax pictures.

6. Tie up cards with twine, slip them into glassine bags, add confetti, or adorn them with some of your favorite notions. These cards would be sweet to slip into lunch boxes, purses, or bags to remind loved ones how much you care. They would also make for great Valentine’s cards for children and adults alike. Love is sweet and these cards would be a great way to share!

And now that we’re all exciting about crafting with Mason jars, I have something even more special to share. I am giving away a free copy of my book to one lucky Amy Tangerine reader! The book is full of ideas that will keep you inspired and busy this summer. And with a crafty bunch like this, I know you all will come up with some spectacular creations. GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

1. Leave a comment below telling us why you love Mason jars and what you’d like to craft with them.

2. Follow @cottagejournal on Instagram. I will be sharing more Mason jar inspiration and other giveaways in the weeks to come. Leave me a comment, say hello, and let me know you came over from Amy Tangerine.

Extra Entry:

Share this DIY or giveaway on social media. Share it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or your own blog. Use the hashtag #masonjarcraftsbook so we can keep track. And come back here to let us know with another comment. Share the link if you can!

Giveaway closes Saturday, July 6 at 9am PST and a winner will be announced on this post shortly after. Good luck!

The winner is #21: Kristin Tweedale says: July 4, 2013 at 11:53 am

Oh! I love mason jars for canning and then using them as glassware for fancy cocktails! Love your project

CONGRATS!