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Weekend Project:
Summer Vacation Memories

by | Jul 9, 2010 | Decorating Inspiration, Summer Decorating, Traditions & Memory Making

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Weekend Project: <br>Summer Vacation Memories


My son loves collecting little keepsakes and treasures. Sometimes we go on leisurely treasure hunt walks through our neighborhood, hand in hand, to see what we can find. We pick up pine cones, bottle caps, pretty rocks and leaves. I love going on treasure hunt walks with him. He also enjoys finding or buying little keepsakes on our beach trips.

Sadly some of those little treasures get stuffed in a drawer or lost in the hustle and bustle of life. We try to remember to put things like shells in the apothecary jars in our front entry or the lantern on our front porch, but I really like the idea of letting him fill his own jars as a creative project.

Why let those little moments be forgotten so quickly?

I saw these keepsake jars over at Martha Stewart and thought they were a fun way to capture those summer vacation memories. Aren’t they cute? Martha suggests using bendable wire to ease trinkets into the jar if the mouth is a little narrow. I would think you could even use wire to help mementos stand up or “float” within the jar.

These jars would also make sweet gifts or mementos for:

  • an anniversary (fill with keepsakes from dating or the wedding)
  • first year of baby’s life (put their first booties, hair clips, hats, hospital bracelets, hospital snap shots, pacifier)
  • a year in review (tiny mementos from the past year)
  • a gift for grandparents or for any other loved one or occasion in life
  • you could even make one as a teacher’s gift!

What other ideas do you have for using jars to hold keepsakes?

Look at these lovely aqua mason jars you could collect for memory jars! {I’ve been collecting these aqua jars in antique and thrift shops lately and I’m LOVING them!)}

inspiration: Martha Stewart

{this post was originally published in August 2009, but it bears repeating!}

What inspired you this week?

Please feel free to share a link about what inspired you this week! And thank you for linking back to The Inspired Room from your post!

24 Comments

  1. Alison Gibbs

    This is such a fun idea.
    What a great holiday project for the children
    Alison
    .-= Alison Gibbs´s last blog ..WHITE WEDNESDAY =-.

    Reply
  2. Lynn from For Love or Funny

    These memory jars might help reduce the amount of clutter in a kid’s room; they’d display their finds for a while, then replace them with new finds when the time comes!
    .-= Lynn from For Love or Funny´s last blog ..Little Green Men Like Me =-.

    Reply
  3. Michelle

    How sweet! I love this idea and might haveto start one today :0)
    .-= Michelle @ Dream Home DIY´s last blog ..The Long- Agonizing Wait =-.

    Reply
  4. Imperfect

    I think the bloggy universe is telling me something. This is the second time just this morning that I’ve seen this project. Maybe I should take a stab at trying it!
    .-= Imperfect´s last blog ..Infinitely More =-.

    Reply
  5. Liz

    I love this idea, very cool! I have lots of the aqua mason jars, and love putting them in groupings all over the house.
    Thanks so much for hosting!
    ~Liz
    .-= Liz@HoosierHomemade´s last blog ..June Favorites =-.

    Reply
  6. Patricia Torres

    This is a great idea.. I have to share this with my girls.. so they can do something similiar for summer..
    .-= Patricia Torres´s last blog ..My bench =-.

    Reply
  7. Jeannine B.

    My mom separated my wedding bouquet, dried the flowers and placed the whole bouquet of flowers in a large glass jar. It has moved around in my home over the past 13 years, but always holds a place of importance. I love what it represents to me, and I love explaining it to visitors who ask!

    We have also used antique Ball jars to hold our collections of seashells, rocks, sand and seaglass that we collect each summer at our vacation home in Maine. They are a fun home decor item and we love the continuous reminder of summer!

    Reply
  8. miss corner cape

    i am inspired by seeing my veggies grow!

    love that display of collectibles and your paint color, too.

    Reply
  9. Anita

    This is such a cute idea. I like capturing all those little treasures in a great looking jar. When my boys were little I was always finding surprises in their pockets!

    I have several of the aqua jars too and I love filling mine with flowers. I have 3 on my table now filled with Alstroemerias. Very inexpensive at the grocery stores and last a long time.
    .-= Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal´s last blog ..White Trim- can i get a hallelujah =-.

    Reply
  10. se7en

    I just love and adore this!!! Especially if it doesn’t fit we can’t keep it!!! We made a visual diary but we are going to have to make some “trip-jars” in the future.
    .-= se7en´s last blog ..Se7en’s Celebrities- MayaMade… =-.

    Reply
  11. Laura

    I have a simple clear glass jar with a silver screw top lid that holds a few of my father’s barber tools from the 60s. It keeps them dust-free and highlights the best of some fun memories I had growing up.

    :) Laura
    .-= Laura @ PARING DOWN´s last blog ..Food Rules- =-.

    Reply
  12. Nikki

    I love this idea. We just booked a little trip to San Francisco. I’ll have to collect trinkets with these jars in mind!
    .-= Nikki´s last blog ..Jackson turns 2 =-.

    Reply
  13. Barbara (WA)

    This is funny/weird because my #1 inspiration this week had been aqua mason jars, really !! I’ve had paint chips out next to my jars sitting on the dining room table where I plan and dream. One of my jars is full of pink roses at this moment.

    Reply
  14. Fiona Sanders

    Digging out my aqua mason jars from great grandmother Sanders! Love the idea!
    .-= Fiona Sanders´s last blog ..Coming Home…… =-.

    Reply
  15. Bela

    Hi, Melissa!! I really LOVE this project!! My little Aila caught some sea treasures last weekend and I am keeping them exactly this way!!!
    Kisses!!! Bela.

    Reply
  16. lorrie

    great idea thanks for sharing

    Reply

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