DIY Spend, Save, Share Bank Mason Jars

This post is brought to you by Plaid Crafts and Blueprint Social. The opinions are my own.

I love the matte finish of chalk paint.  FolkArt Home Décor Chalk, from Plaid, is a no-prep acrylic paint and wax that dries in minutes and can be layered and sanded to give you the perfect distressed look and feel. You can transform your everyday items into one of a kind treasures.  For this project I am creating Spend, Save, Share Moon Jar Banks using mason Jars.  For those of you who aren't familiar with a "Moon Jar" it is basically a way to split your earnings and teach kids (or even adults) how to budget.  The titles are pretty self explanatory, spend is the bank you put for money you will spend, save money you will put away, and share money that goes to charity.  I wanted to make a more adult version of this bank for a teenage niece that is in college.  

I decided to use the FolkArt Home Décor Chalk paint because it is easy to use. Very forgiving and requires little or no surface preparation.  I could paint on glass without any issues.  I finished the top of the bank and the jars with Mod Podge Chalk Finish to protect the surface.

Materials needed: Folk Art Chalk Paint, Wax, Chalk Mod Podge, foamies letters, brush and mason jars.

Stick foamies letters on jars.  If jars are old, then be sure to clean the jars for good adherence.

Paint jars with chalk paint, then cover with Folk Art Wax and then Mod Podge wax. Allow 2 hour drying between coats.  I had my daughter paint this.  I love this stuff because it is made in the USA and is very durable.

To make bank lids cut out cardboard in shape of mason jar lid.

I covered with some wood scrapbooking paper.  Punch two hold with a hole punch.

Connect the holes to make a slit.  Paint over with Mod Podge to protect.

Wait for jars to dry (2 hours) add additional coat, wait to dry and then cover with wax or Mod Podge chalk finish.

Perfect little banks to teach a little financial responsibility. 

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Inexpensive Gift Ideas For Christmas

Trying to stretch your Christmas budget to include everyone can be quite stressful. In fact, it’s the kind of thing that can distract you from focusing on the more positive aspects of the holiday season, and you deserve better than that.

With that thought in mind, why not take advantage of some inexpensive gift ideas for Christmas? First of all, you can start by looking for coupons to such shops as Kohls, which should be easily found on Discountrue or other helpful websites. It will allow you to save a great deal on the items you already know you're going to want, and leave you with more options. When you find the appropriate coupons the savings can be astronomical. And after that step, there a few other cheap X-Mas gift ideas you can consider.

Moving, deeply personal Christmas presents don't need be expensive. There is a plethora of ideas that keep go well with the fact that most of us have to work with a very tight budget, and as they're DIY your loved ones will surely appreciate the effort and thought you put into their gift. If you’re stuck without knowing what to give to some special person this holiday season, consider the following:

Personalized playlists/mixtapes: If you want to go old-school, why not make up a mix CD of music you know your friend or family member is going to love? There is also the option to create an entirely digital playlist for that special person, which makes it more modern.

Personalized coupon book: This is also a great idea for a cute Valentine’s Day gift. Make up a list of cheap-yet-sincere things you know someone you love is going to love in turn. Put all these ideas into a fun, distinctive “coupon book.” The receiver of this book can then redeem the coupons for anything from free backrubs to free dinners, or anything else you might have in mind!

Write a poem: Have a creative side that loves any opportunity to come out? Think about writing a personal poem to someone you care about. Really, you can apply this idea to any artistic endeavor you can possibly imagine. It's highly personal and all the love you put into it cannot be underappreciated!

Make cookies: This doesn’t sound very exciting, but trust us, it can be a wonderful holiday gift for someone who deserves the very best.  After all, who doesn't like to indulge in sweets from time to time? There are tons of creative, inexpensive recipes that you can turn into reality for someone. Think about what she or he likes best and surprise the person in question with a treat they’re sure to love. You can try making these yummy sugar molasses cookies.

Handmade crafts:  Gifts such as a custom ornament or these easy paper dolls make great gifts for kids.

A real photo keepsake: This also is an old idea, but it’s still a goody. In a digital world, a physical photo keepsake can be absolutely delightful, reminding you of all the wonderful memories you share.