The Paisley Farmhouse

by Emily Kirk

Looking for ways to reuse those Loaded Toffee and Rosemary Bar Nut mason jars you got from the Paisley? Here are some fun ideas to get you started:

1. Toss that teapot! Now that the weather is heating up, your jar is perfect for a single serving of old-fashioned sun tea.
   
   
   
2. Whether it’s a special occasion or just dinner with the family, adding fun filler and a tealight candle dresses up any meal. Some fun centerpiece ideas:
   • Jelly beans for Easter
   • Cinnamon hearts for Valentine's Day
   • Sand for a beachy centerpiece
   • Hard candy at Christmas
   • Pebbles on a picnic
   
   
   
3. Teaching your kids to save in tough times? Why not make a bank? Stay in for a night and help them decorate a jar bank. Bring out the construction paper and glue... they’ll want to hang on to every penny! (Tip: Cut a coin slot in cardboard or a pasta box to top off your bank.)
   
   
   
   
4. Fresh taste is at your fingertips when you plant your favorite herb in your jar. Keep it in the kitchen and add it fresh to your cuisine.
   
   
   
   
5. Road trip or rainy day, when your kids can’t go out and play, make them a treasure hunt in a jar! Fill the jar almost full with small fish tank rocks, orzo pasta, small dry beans, or even birdseed. Leave about an inch of space. Add 15 to 20 different everyday items such as paper clips, rubber bands, coins, marbles, or anything else you find lying around. Mix them in well and seal up the jar. Your kids―or fellow grown ups―will love looking for all the loot by turning and shaking the jar. Bet they can’t find it all!
   
   
   
   
6. Whether a single stem or a simple spray, a jarful of flowers will brighten your day.
   
   
   
   
7. It's your pet's turn to enjoy treats from your jar. Decorate your jar to suit your furry friend, then pamper your pet with a jar full of treats. Looks like it's her jar now!
   
   
   
   

What are some of YOUR favorite fun ways to reuse things?

You need: old crayons and a cookie cutter
(We now have cookie cutters at The Paisley Farmhouse! These photos show our bunny cookie cutter.)

This is a great way of recycling old crayons into new, even more fun crayons! I took a bunch of runty old crayons and placed them (unwrapped) in an old baking pan in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Here's the goo all melted into a liquid of swirling colors.

Let the pan cool and use a cookie cutter to make out the shapes when it is still slightly warm to the touch.

Here's the sheet of melted crayons cooled off. Let it cool completely before you handle it and release your shapes. Be gentle.

And here they are: bunny crayons! I LOVE how all the colors melted together to make beautiful swirls of color. Cool, huh?