Small Storage Containers RECYCLED

 With the way grocery products have skyrocketed this past year, it has somehow made the containers they come in seem more valuable. To be transparent, I have always saved glass jars from jam, pickles, and spaghetti sauce.=) You know, small, medium and large. I also saved yogurt cups, sour cream containers, etc. When I was painting furniture and mixing colors, the small containers came in handy. This past summer I got a good laugh when I found a stack of yogurt containers in the back of a cabinet in my studio...at least 60! Needless to say those made it into the trash. More recently I have collected a fair amount of plastic containers with lids that are similar to the food saving containers you buy for that purpose.

These are fairly large, about 5x7 inches and approximately 3" deep. They are great for leftovers but also good for storing a multitude of other smallish items. The bottoms are see through which makes them perfect for organizing hobby/craft and workshop items.

But once again, does anyone need sixty of these taking up space only to be found five years from now in the back of a cabinet?  Of course not.  And yet, you know I wasn't going to just pitch them. With the holidays on the horizon, I had the thought to give them to my neighbors, friends, and even some of my relatives for Christmas. NO, not empty! I'm not sure yet what will be inside but they would be good for homemade granola, fudge, peanut brittle, brandied fruit, cranberry salsa, candied pecans, bite-size cookies... the list is endless.

The contents are to be determined.  For now I needed to make the outside of the container look more inviting. I hit several stores looking for those small decorative picks that were a cluster of three or four complimentary items and sold for 79 cents. Now one skimpy sprig of artificial greenery is marked $1.79. I was pretty sure I had better looking materials in my storage bins at home.

I had to do some digging but I came up with a few items that included wrapping paper, ribbon, buttons, sequins, beads, small ornaments, stickers, and some old Christmas cards. With those, a pair of scissors and my glue gun, I set to work.

This project became a challenge to see if I could decorate 12 lids from items I could scavenge from my own closets.

Not because I was trying to be frugal, but rather because I didn't see anything in the stores that appealed to me and was worth the price.

I save Christmas cards that I think I might recycle in some way.  I was happy to add some sequins to this one and finally use it.

I'm sure my friend will know this one wasn't lying in a drawer for a year or more.  It in fact came in the mail yesterday.  I couldn't resist putting such a cute little snowman to good use. She repurposes too so I doubt she will mind.

The little metal circle layer on top of the striped circle says JOY.

And this label says Santa Claus.

I don't really need all these so my plan is to give some to my daughter. She always gifts her neighbors with a little treat of some kind.

And now the only thing left to do is fill them with something tasty.