Turning your trash into treasure
By Melanie Kriel
T
his month’s upcycling idea is one that everybody can benefit from. I have found a dozen
different uses for this idea and it will work
for kids, adults, for art supplies, tailors, jewellery makers – the list goes one.
As someone who absolutely loves glass, I always prefer buying foods and sauces in glass jars as opposed
to tins and plastics. As a result I always end up with
hundreds of little glass jars for which I desperately
want find a second life.
I came across this idea on the internet a while ago,
which is a glass jar storage wall unit. You can store
absolutely anything your heart desires from art supplies, beads, herbs for in the kitchen to nuts and bolts
and even tools.
You will need:
Glass jars – as many as you require
A plank of wood – preferably a section of an old
sleeper (as big as you need)
Large pipe clamps to secure glass to wood
Some nails
If the plank is unfinished you may want to give it a
coat of varnish, or a coat of paint. Following on that,
space a few guide holes along the length of the plank.
Hammer in the nails a little way and then at right angles so that the pipe clamps can be held securely in
place. See the image on how to do this. Do this for
all the pipe clamps.
Once all the fasteners are in place, slip in the glass jars
and adjust the fastener mechanism so that the jars
securely in place. You can achieve a real authentic
look by using different sized glass jars, but it is just as
effective with uniformity.
Now you’re done with the basics – this means you can
start with adding your own personal touch.
Depending on the intended use of the jar wall panel,
you can decorate the jars by tying different coloured
ribbons on each one, and even painting on the glass.
Go wild!