I have a confession: I hoard glass jars. I buy mason jars whenever I get the chance. When I finish a jar of pickles or mayonnaise, there's no way that glass jar is going in the recycling (thankfully, they're easy to de-stink). And when my sister gives me a basket of her homemade jams, she can forget about ever seeing those jars again.
Invented by Philadelphia tinsmith John L. Manson in 1858 for canning and preserving perishables, mason jars are experiencing a major resurgence in the DIY community. In addition to being a handy storage device for both food and non-food items, its old-timey, quaintly antiquated look also makes for good drinking glasses, candle holders, flower vases and eye-pleasing decorations.
Mason jars are a DIYer's best friend, nearly on par with duct tape and paper clips. Why? Because you can use mason jars for so many things besides just canning and drinking, and I'm not talking about other obvious uses like basic storage containers or miniature terrariums. I'm talking about MacGyver-style ingenuity. With a little creativity, the uses for those jars are practically endless.
Feeling inspired by the incredible Biosphere 2 project? Make your own aquatic biosphere and witness the incredible phenomenon of a self-contained marine ecosystem right on your desk. This is a simple project that won't take more than an afternoon to put together, but could last for years.
A mason jar is a great way to preserve your food, but did you know that you could use a mason jar with a blender?
Gina Kometani posted such a cool tip to the community corkboard, I had to illustrate it!
This would make a fantastic illustrated Yumi-guide. According to Simply Recipes, apparently most blenders can be used with a standard mason jar (or wide-mouthed). If your standard blender container is dirty, occupied or lost, you may be able to swap in that old spaghetti sauce container. Pictures below.
Take one plain Mason jar or glass jar. Add your favorite scraps of fabric, ribbon and other embellishments. Decoraate with lace, beads, sequins and applique. You now have a lovely upcycled glass jar, perfect to give as a gift or favor.
You're better than a can of Reddi-wip, which is why you should always make fresh whipped cream at home. It's extremely easy to make, won't have all those nasty preservatives, is thicker and creamier in consistency (like cream should be), and tastes much richer.
In order to prepare Homemade Yogurt, you will need the following ingredients: 3 mason jars, sugar or honey, vanilla extract, dehydrated milk, measuring cups, a large pot, a candy thermometer, a heating pad, plain yogurt, a spoon, a towel, and a cooler.
This wonderful video takes you step by step on growing your very own grain sprouts. You can also use this tutorial to grow all types of grains like, barley, kamut, oats, rye, spelt, triticale or our grain mix. Grain sprouts are so fast and easy that they've included directions for sprouting in both a , mason jar and an easy sprout sprouter in this one video. After this video you'll be sprouting all over the place.
Greasy fast food. Snacks. Candy. Empty stomachs. What do these all have in common? They're all things that people commonly have for lunch during the week, because it beats the hassle of having to plan, make, and pack lunches before their workday.
We like our Egg McMuffins around here, albeit homemade with our preferred ingredients: whole wheat (or homemade sourdough) English muffins, a slice of thick Tillamook cheddar cheese, a meat, perhaps, like Canadian bacon, and finally—that perfectly-fried, perfectly-shaped egg.
To make your own Krautini (i.e. a Sauerkraut Martini), you will need the following ingredients: fresh cabbage, sea salt, an olive, and vodka.
As crazy as it sounds, there are times when bottles of wine go unfinished. I love a glass or three of vino, but am often guilty of not finishing the bottle. Sometimes I don't have the time to finish it, and other times I like it so much that I open bottle number two and can't finish that.
Rubik's Cubes are classically frustrating on their own, but what if you want to go that extra mile and make your puzzle impossible to solve?
Who doesn't love a corndog? They remind us of childhood and going to the county fair or beach. Well, luckily with this video's help, you won't have to leave your house for one of these summertime treats. Check it out and make your own, step by step.
Love or hate 'em, you've got to admit that cupcakes really had their moment. They started rising in popularity back in 2003 with the opening of Crumbs Bake Shop in Manhattan, and quickly became one of the most annoyingly ubiquitous food trends to date. Seriously. Type "cupcake" into Google. While I wouldn't turn it down if you put one in front of me (red velvet, please), I can't say that I was particularly disappointed to hear that the cupcake trend is coming to an end. I'm more of a cheeseca...
The wonderful thing about a "farmhouse brunch" theme is that most of the materials you'll need to decorate are natural and quite affordable. From sprigs of flowers to brown string to burlap, you probably already have most of the things you need lying around the house.
Learn how to mix a Dirty Dog cocktail from a hot girl in this instructional bartending video! Ingredients:
Dulce de leche is a beautiful, caramel-like spread that you can slather onto bread or use to flavor cakes, cookies, or flan. You can also use it as a drizzle for ice cream, chocolate candies, and pastries. It tastes like heavenly toffee, translates roughly to "milk candy," and is popular all over Latin and South America. A version of the confection is also popular in the Philippines, in Russia, and is known in France as "confiture de lait." The traditional way to make dulce de leche is to slo...
My kitchen isn't nearly as well-stocked as I'd prefer, and I often come across recipes that call for odd tools and appliances I don't have. Let's just say I've resorted to some unconventional methods to get the job done without them.
This this is a tutorial explaining how to make a ledge slide. If you want to do this professionally, you need lacquer and a mason's stone, but for this video, only common materials were used.
This sounds a little crazy, and it is—in a good way. Cooking food in the dishwasher while it cleans your dishes multitasks your appliance and saves time and energy. And who doesn't want to spend less time over a hot stove? How Dishwasher Cooking Works
Two slices of whole-wheat toast with lots of butter. Two eggs, poached to a firm yet custardy texture. The yolks should absolutely not be hard-cooked and the whites should be tender, not rubbery. That's my idea of the perfect breakfast.
Want to play like the great Brent Mason? This free video guitar lesson will get you started. Regardless of your preferred style of music, if you want to be great, you'll need your head and hands on the same page. And there's no better way to get your head and hands on the same page than to practice. Happily, the Internet is awash in video tutorials like this one.
You don't have to throw out those glass jars! Every little bit counts, so you can feel good about making a small different if you start reusing your glass jars. Show Me The Curry has all the guidance you need to ensure that you get the most out of your glass jars and do your part to protect the planet. This video will show you how to resue glass jars.
There is very little in this world that tastes as good as a glass of fresh-pressed juice. The flavors in fruit and vegetables are more clean and immediate on your palate, while the chlorophyll and nutrients seem to zip right into your bloodstream. A really great glass of fresh juice makes you feel more alive and the pasteurized versions on supermarket shelves just can't compare. However, as much as I love a glass of fresh juice, if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't buy a juicer. The o...
This is a great and inexpensive Thanksgiving craft idea you can do easily - turn a glass jar into a scarecrow! You can create this clever fall home decoration with the jar, some scrap fabric, straw batting and a few sewing tools!
In this video from JenniferCornbleet we learn to make raw food granola with almond milk. Place a nut or seed in a mason jar about halfway. Fill the rest with water. Sit over night. Drain, and you can use right away or store in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. Almond milk is a great cereal milk replacement. To make it combine almonds, water, and a couple of dates to sweeten the milk. You can use a different sweetener of your choice. You can flavor with vanilla extract as well. Blend in a bl...
Do you even know what a Leyden jar is? Well... it's an early form of capacitor made from a glass jar with layers of metal foil on the outside and inside. This video tutorial will show you how to make a Leyden jar to store static electricity. This Leyden jar will give you a powerful shock!
Making a ceramic covered jar requires precise measurements for a properly fitting lid. Learn how to throw a covered jar on the potter's wheel with this free ceramics video series.
Pickling isn't rocket science. In fact, anyone can make their own speciality pickles using just about any fruit or vegetable. For example, I've pickled everything from lemons, watermelon rinds, and apples to red onions, carrots, radishes, and cucumbers.
McDonald's is probably the most recognizable fast food chain in the entire world, with over 34,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. In may not be the healthiest place to get a meal, but like millions of kids in America, I grew up on McDonald's unquestionably delicious products—and I'm still alive.
Want a quick meal, but the jar won't open? Here are some tips: try slamming it on your kitchen counter-top upside down, but not with enough pressure to break the jar. Another option is running hot water over the lid of the jar, to loosen it up. You can wear rubber gloves to give yourself a better grip, as well. This should solve any hurdles in the way of last-minute dinner preparations.
Hyrbid picking is most commonly used by country guitarists (Albert Lee, Brent Mason, John Jorgensen etc), but also by blues guitarists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, as well rock guitarists such as Eric Johnson. Watch to learn from Kristofer Dahl how to play using this technique.
Why buy lanterns for your backyard when you can recycle empty jars into beautiful ones? This video will show you how to make lanterns out of old jars.
Great unique and interesting glassware gifts. Learn how to etch glasses, jars and and other glass items in this homes crafts series from a glass project expert.
In my opinion, vodka gets a lot of undeserved flak. It seems like most people have a bad experience in college with a plastic bottle of vodka and never go back. I can't blame them; it took me a few years after graduating college to start to enjoy vodka again—but now I adore it.
We're always looking for great food hacks to help us become better cooks who can create delicious food with less waste, fuss, and hassle. You never know where the next good tip will come from, so we've all learned to keep our eyes and ears wide open.
