Honey Jar Wedding Favor

I'm taking a little break from wedding planning to show you what my daughter and I came up with for her wedding favors. Cassie's having a rustic style wedding and she thought it might be cute to pass out honey jars... which is quite trendy from I've been told :)

I purchased the jars empty (I'll add the link to the empty jars below in the supplies list) and filled them with honey that I purchased at Sam's Club. One case has 160 jars. We decided to purchase them empty because, 1) it was more cost effective and 2) we wanted to create our own look.

Supply List: (Note: This tutorial makes 160 jars)

• 160 - 1.5 ounce jam jars w/lids  
• honey of your choice -- I used about 15 pounds 
• 1 1/4 yard of any fabric (we choose lace) cut into 4" squares
• cutting board (optional -- you don't need if you use scissors)
• rotary cutter (optional -- you could also use scissors or pinking shears))
• scissors (optional)
• measure stick (optional)
• 24 weight ivory paper
• paper cutter
• double-stick tape
• large clear elastics
• twine (I got the kind in the hardware section of Wal-mart... it ties easier)
• color printer

The jars come in a box with NO kind of cushion or wrapping. I ordered 2 cases and didn't have a broken jar in the bunch. So I suppose they know what they're doing :)

First, add honey to all your jars. I used about 15 pounds. Do not attempt to use honey from a 5 gallon bucket! I don't think that would work well at all. I mean you can, of course, if you'd like to but I personally wouldn't :) I used 3 / 5 pound squeezable bottles. 

I next cut out my 4" squares and added them to the lids with the clear elastic. I think this creates a better look than just adding the twine. Plus it holds the lace into place while adding the twine. 

Next, add twine or ribbon bows. We used about 17" pieces for our jars. We precut them to make adding them quicker.

Meant to BEE... Honey :)

I then created labels to add to the jars. I tried to use a label maker but it wouldn't line up right for me when printing them out. But if you're a pro with that, that's what I would do... much faster! If you use address labels, you obviously won't need the double-stick tape. My labels measured 1"x3" and fit perfectly.

That's it! We loved how they turned out! Only 9 more days until the wedding!

I'll be adding a lot more of what we are doing for the wedding when I make time for that... which might be after the wedding is over. We'll see!

Upcoming Family Events

I want this blog to be something I use to focus on my family and things I'm doing... things I can share with all of you for inspiration. Unfortunately, I'm finding blogging to be near the bottom of my list of things I "need" to do. But at the same time, we've got so many exciting things going on! So, my plan, is to update the blog with some awesome pictures when things settle down.

But before I do that let me just write what we've got coming up. Next week, Ali, will be home from her 18 month mission for our church! Which means we've got a big homecoming to give!! I serious can't think about it without crying!

Second, Cassie will be getting married on March 8... this is the main source of my busyness. I'm doing a lot of it myself, along with Cassie. I'm looking forward to sharing pics of center pieces, food, and other things I'll be doing. We've got her bridal shower taking place the day before Ali's homecoming.

We did just get the invites, so here's how those turned out...

Now to get them in the mail!

It's an exciting time in our family, for sure!!

Our Summer... BUSY but FUN!

We have A LOT going on this summer. We always do, but this summer seems particularly busy. But we have some exciting things happening. I want to write it all out, for my sake, to see it all written out in one place. I'm not adding our regular activities like music lessons, karate, scouts and regular church activities.

So here it goes...

May


May 8 - My Birthday :)
May 11 - Melanie's Birthday (which I still need to add pics of)
May 13 - Mother's Day, 24th Wedding Anniversary and WE GOT TO SKYPE OUR MISSIONARIES!!! Best Mother's Day gift ever!!!
May 18 - Brandon's dance party
May 18-20 - Cabin with Cassie, Allen and I
May 20 - Brandon gets on a Greyhound bus for Provo EFY
May 21 - Melanie and Cassie blood work early am
May 23 - Allen takes test in Kingman - Cassie's doctors appointment - My dad's 74th birthday
May 25-28 - Cabin with family
May 26 - Brandon returns and we move him into his apartment in Cedar
May 27 - My dad's birthday party with family - 4:30pm... going to try and make that.... we'll see!
May 28 - Cassie flies out at 4:30pm to England for a month
May 29 - Melanie's doctors appointment at 9:30am

June

June 4-6 - High Adventure - Melanie may be missing this as much as I don't want her to.
June 12 - Driving to Vegas to drop Melanie off at the airport for her Tongan Humanitarian trip
June 14 - Fly out of Vegas for England with Allen, Chris and I
June 16-25 - Have a blast in the UK!!! And maybe head into other parts of Europe!
June 25 - Fly home from England with Allen, Cassie, Chris and I
June 30 - Pick Melanie up at LAX

July


No plans except preparing for my upcoming school year. But I have a feeling it will fill up as well, it usually does. We usually do school year round (at least light school in the summer months) but the kids will be learning a lot from their travels this summer, so that's good enough for me. I'm planning to start school the first or second week of August.

Now that it's written out and some of it has happened already, it doesn't seem as overwhelming. I'm excited for all the traveling, even though it gets a little stressful. But once there, we always have a great time! I'm very excited for Melanie's opportunity to serve the Tongan people. Her group will be adding a bathroom on to a school. They will also be spending 2 days in Fiji (one of my favorite places in the world!) They will be donating books and school supplies to a village out there. She's going to love it!!

Melanie's and Christian's Music Recital

This was Christian's first year of piano. While he's not crazy about it, he knows we think it's important for him to play an instrument, so he's very good about doing it. He doesn't practice like he could but he's promised to do better this coming year.

Melanie has been taking piano for 2 years and voice for 3 and a half years. She loves music and plans to major or minor in it in college.

Both Melanie and Christian took about a year and a half of violin but their teacher moved and we weren't able to find another one so I started Christian with piano.

Christian had 3 short piano pieces he played at the recital. Melanie played 3 piano and sang 3 songs as well. It was an early birthday present for me this year! Chris DID NOT want to play Happy Birthday... he thought it was too babyish, but I said he would be playing it for me and not to worry about what others thought about it.  I love watching my kids developing their talents!

Chris playing The Gift to be Simple

Chris playing Blow the Man Down

Chris playing Happy Birthday

Melanie playing The Entertainer

Melanie singing O Cessate

Melanie playing Amazing Graze

Melanie singing Early One Morning

Melanie playing Over the Rainbow

Melanie singing Far From the Home I Love

Happy Birthday Ali Lou!

Ali, who just turned 22, spent her first birthday away from home and family this year. She's serving an 18 month mission in England and loving every minute of it!

We couldn't not celebrate her birthday... so here's how we celebrated and may I say, it was delicious!

She sent home a few pictures of her time there celebrating.

Opening presents :D

MORE PRESENTS!!!

Me on my birthday! :D 

We sure do miss her! Next year we'll have one of the chocolate cakes and she'll love it!

Happy Birthday, Sister Ali Stout!! We love and miss you!!

Happy Easter

Today is Easter and it's been quite an emotional day for me. I've spent a lot of time reflecting on my Savior and his great and infinite atonement. I'm humbled by his sacrifice for me and all who have and will ever live. My heart is full of gratitude for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."  ~  John 11:25-26

My Baby's 13!

It's hard to believe that Christian is 13 now. We spent the weekend before his birthday up at our cabin - we had a great time. There was still some snow up there and the last 1/2 mile up to the cabin is a dirt road and we just made. Our daughter, Cassie, who is going to SUU came for the weekend. It's strange having so half the kids gone and our gatherings are getting smaller and smaller.  But I know as they all get married and start their families, that will change. Something I look very forward to :)

Opening gifts at the cabin

He is such a sweetie :)

A quick, chilly pic just before heading home.

As we were packing, Cassie decided to make Christian a cake. The oven in the cabin doesn't work really great and with the elevation, we needed to add more flour - which we didn't have. We also didn't have frosting. She added Nutella to half the cake, in case it wasn't going to taste good. But it was wonderful. We couldn't get pieces out, so we all just ate right out of the pan. Chris loved it :) Oh, did I mention that he's pretty excited to be a teenager :D

The cake after we started eating. We decided it needed some strawberries as well. It made it even better. Doesn't look great, but it was and made a fun memory.

On our way down the mountain, we saw a llama. This is the first time we've seen one in all the years we've been going up to Kolob Mountain - 16 years now. It was in the middle of the street and one of the girls thought it was a horse from a distance, but we were excited to see a llama!

He is so cute. He was enjoying being sung to. One of the elders added his own version of the birthday song and Chris got a big kick out of it :)  

I love him :)  <3

We love having the elders over. They are lots of fun!

Happy 13th Birthday, Christian! We love you, SO much! :D