Summer is in full swing in New Iberia and parents and kids alike are looking for fun ways to enjoy summer break.
As we head into the summer heat over the next couple of months, being outside all day may bring more worries than fun for kids. It's the perfect time to take a break from the heat and get crafting with the kids!
On one of our summer segments on Good Day Acadiana, Alex Worstell and I crafted these cute summer table top decorations using everything from pickle jars to wine bottles and seashells.
Want More Family Fun in New Iberia, Abbeville, Breaux Bridge?
We’ve got all the details on local fun and more — delivered straight to your inbox each week.
👉 Subscribe to Macaroni KID New Iberia - Abbeville - Breaux Bridge now!
I promise this craft is simple and will keep kids of all ages entertained. I scoured our pantries, living room, and my craft station for items to use and came up with the following:
- Mayo jar
- Pickle and jalapeño jars
- Used glass candle holder
- An empty wine bottle
- Seashells from our last beach trip
It's an odd collection but then again those are the ones that seem to work best when you are crafting. Each item can be used together or independently for this craft, and allows your child, no matter their age, to create something fun for summer.
I am not sure which one of the crafts we made is my favorite, because I really liked them all! I created one with my granddaughter in mind since she loves mermaids, one was themed for the 4th of July, and I turned and old wine bottle into a centerpiece that could hold a few flowers.
Below is an empty mayo jar that we turned into the perfect table top decoration for any Independence Day celebration. You can easily make a few of these to hold plastic utensils or napkins for your 4th of July barbeque.
 Image by Mia Barletto |
How to Create Your Summer Décor Craft
First, make sure to clean your glass jars or bottles thoroughly. We had to let ours soak in soapy warm water overnight to clean the inside and pull off the paper and tags from the outside. Make sure to let them completely dry too. Here are a few other items you will need:
- Decorated paper napkins
- Mod Podge
- Paint and brushes
- Scissors
- Ribbons or bows
Paint your glass jar or bottle your desired color. Let that dry.
Next, pull apart your paper napkin to separate the backing from the decorated part. It should pull apart easily. I grabbed three different packs of napkins from Dollar Tree for our craft and they worked perfectly! If you have leftover paper napkins from a birthday party or the holidays, you can use those.
 Image by Tracie Ysaguire |
Once the backing of the napkin is off, then begin to cut your decorated napkin in pieces as you like. If you napkins have words, you can cut the different words or phrases out. You can cut the shapes to any size to fit your glass jar, using piece from different napkins for one craft.
Now that your glass jar is dry, place a small amount of mod podge on your jar, take your cut pieces of decorated napkin and press them in place around your jar. Here's a clip from the show to give you an idea of how to get started.
Once it's in place, then brush a small amount of Mod Podge over the entire napkin piece on your jar. It will look a little funky at first, but the Mod Podge will dry clear, giving your jar a bit of a shine.
You can create a themed jar for any holiday or let the kids come up with their own themes depending on the napkins you have. For example, you can use napkins that have their favorite cartoon character and they can make something for their room. Or, grab your empty wine bottles and make it a mom's craft night with your best girlfriends!
Happy Crafting Acadiana! |
Watch our past crafting segments with Alex Worstell on News 15 KADN on their YouTube Channel.
