easy, pretty jar DIY

A few weeks ago I shared a recipe for caramel apple pie floats and ended up with three empty glass jars. I couldn't stand the thought of throwing the jars out since I really loved the shape, so I decided to DIY them! I LOVE how they turned out, and they were so simple! Go make a float for someone you like, and then make these cute jars!

Start with three empty jars - I used the empty Martinelli's Cider jars that I bought from Target. Rinse the bottles out to make sure there isn't any cider left in them, and scrape the labels off with a butter knife while they're still wet. Turn them upside down to dry completely overnight.

Once the jars are clean and dry, empty any color of acrylic paint into the jars and pat the sides to make sure every inch of the jars are covered in paint. I decided to paint the inside of the jars to maintain the glossiness, but you could choose to paint the outside if you want! It's totally up to you! Make sure you use enough paint to coat the inside, but not too much. I used too much paint on the pink jar, and two large globs of paint dripped off the sides - thank goodness for the burlap!

Once all three jars have been painted, turn them upside down on a paper towel again to dry overnight. After the paint has dried move on to decorating with twine and burlap!

For the twine jars, start with a dot of hot glue on the mouth of the jar, and wrap the twine around a few times. Place another dot of hot glue a few inches down, and wrap again. More glue, more wrapping…you get the idea! To finish, dot a small amount of hot glue between to pieces of twine and secure the last bit of twine to the jar so it hides the end. 

For the burlap jar, cut a small amount of burlap from the roll. Fold the burlap in half and hot glue the edges together. Make a vertical line of hot glue on the jar and secure the end of the burlap to the hot glue. Wrap remaining burlap ribbon around the jar, and secure with another line of hot glue. Trim any excess, and you're done!

Originally I sat these jars in the corner of my bedroom, but now I've moved them above the cabinets in my kitchen and I love it! Once I find something taller to put in them, I think I'll move them back. Anyone have any ideas?

Glass jars - empty Martinelli's cider jars I bought at Target. 

Paint - Martha Stewart Crafts Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paint in Couscous Couscous, Poodle Skirt, and Wet Cement from AC Moore. 

Twine - I bought mine a billion years ago and I can't remember where it's from, but here's something similar. 

Chevron burlap - Mine was from Hobby Lobby 50% off (WOO HOO!). I couldn't find it on their site, but here is something similar. 

cinnamon sugar kettle corn with spiced chocolate drizzle

A few weeks ago I bought a few bags of this popcorn and fell madly in love. I really wanted to recreate it at home, but I woke up one night with an ingenious idea - a spiced chocolate drizzle. I absolutely LOVE the flavor of chocolate with the heat of cinnamon and cayenne pepper mixed in. You get a nice extra hint of sweetness from the cinnamon, and a nice kick from the cayenne. 

Making and personalizing your own popcorn at home is so simple, and you can make it as healthy or as decadent as you want. I used a mixture of coconut oil and butter for this recipe, but you could easily use all coconut oil to make it a little less naughty. I also used dark chocolate for the drizzle so this is practically a health food! 

Cinnamon Sugar Kettle Corn with Spiced Chocolate Drizzle

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. After the coconut oil has melted, increase the heat to medium-high and melt the butter.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Once the butter and oil have melted, add the popcorn kernels and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture as evenly as possible and cover with the lid.

Once the kernels begin to pop, remove the pan from the heat and gently shake so the sugar doesn't burn.

Move pan back to the heat and shake continuously until the kernels begin to pop.

Once the popping begins to slow down, turn the heat off, and crack the lid to release the steam. 

Once the popping stops, remove the lid and sprinkle with salt.

Immediately pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Be careful not to touch the popcorn since the sugar sill be really hot.

For the Drizzle

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

While the kettle corn cools, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Add the ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.

With a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled popcorn. 

Let the chocolate set for several minutes before enjoying. 

Popcorn will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.

PS - spicy and sweet make a good valentine treat.