Apple Mason Jar Teacher Gift

Don’t forget an apple for the teacher on the first day of school! This darling Apple Mason Jar Teacher Gift is easy to make, and perfect for any teacher’s desk.

Today is our first day of school!  I feel like the summer went way too fast, and we just didn’t have enough time to do all the things we wanted to do. And…my twin boys are starting kindergarten, and I’m crying my eyes out. For reals. Their time at home goes so quickly–I’m never ready for it to be over.   I’m excited for them and their new adventures, but I have to admit, it’s hard for me.  So bittersweet.

Apple Mason Jar Teacher Gift

Between my tears (I’m kind of joking), I’m going to share our teacher gifts that have been safely delivered to the school this morning. Our fun tradition teacher gift for the first of the year is to give an apple–in some form.  Some years it’s been a caramel apple, and other years it’s been apple soap. This year I decided on these darling apple mason jars full of pencils–perfect for a teacher’s desk!

Apple Mason Jar Teacher Gift

I just love them!  I like to give practical gifts at the first of the year especially, and these definitely fit that category. They don’t have to be for the first of the year–they can be an anytime gift! Here’s how I put them together…

SUPPLIES: 

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pint mason jar

red paint 

sealing spray

-cardstock & scrapbook paper

-double stick tape

distress ink (optional) 

-ribbon

pencils

DIRECTIONS: 

1.  Clean the outside of the mason jar really well, and let dry completely.  Apply the first coat of your red paint (I used Americana Primary Red) and let dry for at least 4 hours before adding the next coat.  You’ll need two coats of paint, possibly three.  Just make sure you give it plenty of drying time in between coats, because the existing paint layer can come off if you do it too soon.

*I’ve used several different kinds of paint on these jars, and you can really use whatever you have–chalk paint, spray paint, craft paint.

2. Once your all your paint coats are finished, use a small piece of sandpaper to remove the paint from all the writing and designs on the jar.  I wanted mine a little more distressed, so I roughed up the paint all over the jar. You can remove as much as you like!

3.  Spray your jars with a clear sealing spray–I used Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic spray –and let dry.  I love the Krylon because it’s ready to touch in 10-15 minutes!

4.  I typed up the teachers’ names in Word, using the Penmanship Print font, then printed onto white card stock.  Cut them out, and mat on a green card stock using double stick tape. I distressed the edges using Distress Ink–it’s one of my favorite things and I use it on all of my paper projects!

5.  I used my Silhouette to cut out leaves out of green polka dot scrapbook paper–it’s one of my favorites!! You could also cut these out by hand.

6.  Punch a hole in both the name and the leaf, then thread them on ribbon and tied them on to the top of the jar.

7.  Fill jar with pencils!!

Apple Mason Jar Teacher Gift

More ideas you might like…

*Originally posted September, 2015. Updated June 2020.

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6 Comments

  1. LOVE this! I’m going to make these for my friends I teach with! THANKS…again…for such a fun, easy, great idea!
    :)sharon

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