This year, I am using jars for my Advent calendar.  I think my creation ties in well with my woodland holiday theme and jars are great for stashing surprises.

I started collecting baby food jars about a month ago.  Some of my coworkers thought it strange when I offered them baby food at lunch break, but geez…who wouldn’t want free organic fruits and vegetables as part of their lunch!  (Granted, they were in pureed form!)

After eating all the baby food and cleaning all the jars, I spray painted the outside of the jars with a cream colored spray paint.  I didn’t want any paint inside the jars since I planned on putting edible items inside them…I didn’t want to risk chipped paint in my woodland treats!

Paint will chip off glass, though this was not a big concern for me since my calendar was planned for a one-time use.  A clear coat can be applied if a more durable finish is desired.  I sprayed the tops in forest green and created labels by cutting shapes from chalkboard Contact paper.

As a decorative touch, I added some bells around the rims – also a great security device to discourage any premature jar openings!

What am I putting in the jars?  Some examples include spiced nuts; maple sugar candy leaves; candy rocks; marzipan mushrooms and acorns; and gummy bears, worms, snakes, frogs, and spiders.

The fun part is arranging the jars on the mantle among forest inspired items.

This is a great project that can be easily adapted to any theme and can be arranged creatively in any nook, shelf, or corner – stack them up or spread them around.

If you plan on making one of your own, I highly recommend buying plenty of banana mango baby food…it was my favorite. ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by, Jackie