Cool Beans: Mason Jar Fillers from the Grocery Store
Today’s post comes straight from our new Ask Brit feature, and involves one of our favorite DIY tools/objects/materials: The Mason Jar. Our friend Matt asked us for advice on neat and unique mason jar filler for candle holders and centerpieces at his wedding.
Classic mason jar fillers include marbles, pebbles, sand, and sea glass. Well, those materials are all well and good but the truth is, they lack the personal pizzazz your wedding requires. So, it’s off to the grocery store bean and grain aisle for today’s wedding decoration hack! Got a thing for The Black Eyed Peas? This aisle’s your buddy. Film buffs? Popcorn kernels to the rescue. And if you want something basic, white beans, quinoa, and pearl barley are all in it to win it.
As for as step by step instruction goes, the how-to couldn’t be easier.
Get your mason jars in order. You can buy these at most craft stores, hardware stores, garden stores, and grocery stores. Or you can Amazon it up.
Then go to the store, pick up a bunch of colorful dehydrated beans, rice, grains, nuts, etc, and fill your mason jars. We recommend trying natural food stores where you can buy in bulk. But at any grocery store, you can get lentils, black eyed peas, and more for under $1 a bag. Fill your jars about a quarter or third full and place candles on top. Press a little bit so the candle is firmly in place, and you’re done!
Green Lentils have an earthy grassy feel to them, perfect for a springtime wedding.
would be whimsical touch to a black tie wedding event, especially in the winter months. (And be sure to save them for
for a little bit of luck!)
This mixture is a pre-made mix for Bean Soup. So colorful!
We love the speckled pattern found on Pinto Beans.
Popcorn Kernels! A great party favor for guests, or pair with a popcorn machine for a post-dance party snack fest.
Plus, if you use votive candles or tea lights that come in thin metal casing, you can actually reuse the beans or grains after the wedding, or give them away as favors with your favorite recipes attached.
And if you’re down to get down with LED tea lights, the possibilities are really endless. Some of our filler ideas that would work well with LED are: confetti, glitter, tissue paper, beads, buttons, potpourri, tea leaves, M&Ms, Skittles, Runts, crayons, sprinkles, yarn, paper hole punches, lavender, mini pinecones, and so much more. Stay tuned. ;)
