I think wedding favors are one of the best perks of attending a loved one's ceremony.
Don't get me wrong; the union is beautiful, and I love catching up with friends and family, and dinner and dancing are always a treat, but the favor is always special. Its a little gift, for me! Having little treasures to bring home is nice. Its a sweet little reminder of the occasion. Useful favors are wonderful, and I especially love anything edible.
I didn't come up with the idea o gluing animals to jar lids (there are several versions on Pinterest), but I did think, "What if they were glued to tiny jars and handed out as wedding favors?" So, here's my idea:
You will need:
jars
ribbon or twine
a round punch (that cuts circles with at least a 1" diameter)
hole punch
old manila folder (or pre-cut tags)
super glue
marker or ink pen
small plastic woodland creatures
spray paint
candy
Start the project by collecting small jars. Ask everyone you know to keep them for you. They can be baby food jars, tiny jam jars from gift baskets and restaurants, or little canning jars. You can also buy small jars in bulk from craft stores sold just for wedding favors. Use Goo-Gone to remove the labels, then wash and soak in bleach water to remove any stains or smells.
Collect a variety of small plastic forest animals such as: deer, owls, birds, mice, chipmunks, squirrels, frogs, raccoons, foxes, and rabbits. Mine are from Goodwill Outlet Center, but my friend Billy saw a tower of various plastic animals in the John Ball Zoo gift shop for .75 cents each. Use the super glue to attach an animal to each lid. Allow them to dry for an hour or so.
While the glue dries, make your tags. Find a worn manila folder. The texture is softer, almost like tree bark and adds a great heirloom feel to the favor. At an outdoor reception, this will look beautiful. Using the round punch, cut circles from the manila folder and add a hole with the smaller punch to each one for tying. With the marker or pen, write your names, date, or a small message on each tag.
Set the animal lids on paper in a well ventilated area to paint. Spray the lids lightly and give them fifteen minutes to dry. Due to the details on your plastic animals, the lids might need several coats of paint. Be sure to apply thin coats. If you get crazy with the paint, it will run and pool up around the base (this might be a preferred effect if you are having a weird, Salvador Dali style wedding and want melting animal favors). Allow the lids to dry overnight. Like painted nails, if you touch them too soon, you might get fingerprints in the paint.
Fill the jars with candy. I chose chocolate covered almonds, but avoid chocolate if your reception will be outdoor on a sunny day (again- if its a Salvador Dali thing, then go for the melted candy). String the tags on ribbon or twine and tie a bow around the neck of each jar.
Non-wedding uses for these Baby Food Animal Jars:
* Birthday party favors - hand out at a child's birthday party filled with bright candy or small toys
*Night light - drop in a battery powered tea light and screw on lid for a portable night light or soft patio lighting at an outdoor get together
*Shower gift - Fill with diaper pins to wrap up with diapers as a baby shower gift
*Change jar - Keep this little guy in your cup holder to collect quarters for the parking meter
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