10 Creative Ways To Use Empty Sweet Jars

Just what to do with your empty sweet jars once you’ve eaten all the tasty treats you ask? Here at Keep It Sweet we’re big fans of recycling and are all about re-using sweet jars so they don’t go to waste. Here are our top 10 creative ideas for you to try…

1.       Sweet Bars are the perfect way to treat your guests and ensure any party is one to remember. Presented in glass jars, a sweet bar centrepiece looks almost too good to eat and will bring a sense of nostalgia of childhood sweetshop visits for your guests. Re-use your old jars and simply fill them with more delicious treats for an easy way to please guests at a party or to have around the house! Here at Keep It Sweet we also offer pre-made Sweet Bar packages containing a selection of our most popular retro sweets to make it even easier for you. Our sweet bars are available in a variety of sizes to suit every event and budget and even come with tongs, scoops and paper bags to create an extra special traditional feel for your centrepiece. Or why not make your own sweet bar centrepiece to make it even more special? Simply choose your favourite retro sweets or sweets to suit your party theme and place in jars for a quick and easy way to wow your guests.

2.       One of the simplest, yet most effective ways to personalise a glass sweet jar is with ribbons. Simply tying around the bobble top lid is quick, easy and can turn a plain jar into a stunning decoration. To make your jar even more personal, why not colour co-ordinate the ribbon to the sweets inside? For example, if you choose pastel sweets such as Flying Saucers, using pastel ribbons would add a traditional feel, perfect for a wedding table decoration or a Christening gift.

3.       Another fun way to personalise a glass sweet jar is with glass paints. Choose your own design and unleash your creative side to add some excitement to an ordinary glass jar. Glass paints are a great way to create a unique gift for a close friend or family member. Paint their name along with a pretty design or pattern and fill with retro sweets such as Jelly Beans or Bon Bons to make a gift that is unforgettable. Or to make personalising a jar even easier, why not use stencils? For example, small glass sweet jars would make a great wedding favour. Make your own stencil with your initials and a simple heart or small design, to ensure not to block the view of the pretty sweets inside and paint away! Sure to put a smile on every guest’s face.

4.       Sweet Jars are also perfect for use at Branded Events and Corporate Functions. Here at Keep It Sweet we also have plenty of branded sweet jars and other products so you can create a sweet display to promote your brand or to sweeten up the office. Choose to print or etch any logo or message on a jar or to personalise a jar with a printed label for the perfect marketing tool or corporate gift that is sure to impress customers and clients or that will brighten up the mood in the office on a gloomy Monday morning. As well as branded sweet jars we have everything from small Sweet Pyramids to larger Sweet Hampers so you can create the perfect branded sweets or promotional tool that is sure to leave a great lasting impression

5.       Another fantastic way to decorate sweet jars is to simply add a tea light. Placing a tea light or candle in our smaller glass sweet jars is the perfect unique way to add a special touch to your home and is a must have addition to all the summer BBQs in the months to come. Why not create a collection of tea light jars or decorate sweet jars with lights in along a string to create your very own hanging fairy light effect? If you want to go one step further, you could even make your very own candle to go inside the jar and even create candles of different colours.

6.       If you want to decorate sweet jars without the mess of paints then stickers and ribbon are a great easy alternative. Let the kids go wild and decorate their own jar for the perfect summer holiday activity for those looong 6 weeks off! If you want a super quick and easy way to decorate sweet jars then simply tie a ribbon around the bobble topped lids of one of our sweet jars and you instantly have a beautiful jar for use as decoration at an event or to store things in around the house.

7.       Our next way to decorate sweet jars is to create your very own snow globe. Get crafty with whatever you want to put in your snow globe - whether it be traditional festive items or even photos and pictures and then simply add distilled water, a touch of glycerin and as much glitter as you please to create a truly unique magical globe. Just be prepared to unintentionally sparkle for weeks to come if you’re using glitter!

8.       Plants are another quirky way to decorate sweet jars. Simply choose your favourite small plant and add some soil to create the perfect coffee table accessory or you could even create a terrarium in your empty jar.  To do this, simply choose a few different coloured soils and pebbles, along with one or a few small plants and layer them to create a beautiful pint-sized greenhouse that is perfect for your home or office.

9.       Our next super simple idea on how to decorate sweet jars is to add fairy lights. This is a great way to create a pretty and unique night light for yourself or for children and paired with one of our brightly coloured sweet jar lids is great for giving your jar a glow. If you then decide to do so, its then super simply to take out the fairy lights and re-fill your jar with some tasty retro sweets - we recommend tangy Flying Saucers. Yum!

10.   Finally, you can decorate sweet jars with blackboard paint. This is a great way to create wedding table decorations or favours or to simply create a unique and fun jar to keep at home. Simply paint the whole jar with blackboard paint or use stencils, wait for it to dry and start getting creative with chalk!

However, personalising a sweet jar doesn’t have to be complicated and often less really is more! Why not simply use stickers to create a unique pattern? Or even alphabet stickers to create a small personalised area? Or why not add some extra sparkle to a sweet jar with glitter and glue? Filled with delicious sweets, a personalised sweet jar is sure to brighten up any occasion and will make it one to remember. View our full range of glass jars here and start getting creative!