For links to the entire series, look way down at the bottom and you`ll find a tag to each of the posts in this series.

When it started to get cold a few weeks ago I bought some nice new socks….of course only a couple of weeks later…one of the socks decided to ‘get lost’, so I was stuck with one, lovely, clean, hardly worn sock…so sad. Then I thought it would make a nice ‘sweater’ for a Jar of Pickled Carrots. The ‘bling’ is a vintage chrystal broach I bought for myself at a flea market many years ago…I love it, there are lots of these to be found at flea markets and they would make a great gift for a girlfriend, aunt, grandma, mum….everyone can find a way to use a pretty broach to fit their style. The gift of pickled carrots is super nice, using it to ‘wrap’ the ‘real gift’ makes it a nice surprise as well.

REMEMBER * you only have until MONDAY to submit your ideas to our Pimp that Preserve contest: you could win a copy of “Canning and Preserving with Ashley English”, and best yet…you’ll have one of the gifts knocked off your ‘giving list’ too!!

Here’s the Details:

* Embellish, package or otherwise ‘dress up’ your favourite  jar of preserves with anything you like as long as it doesn’t damage the contents or break the seal.

* Send us a JPG of your creation to wearewellpreserved at elevenideas dot ca subject line: Pimp my Preserve.

All entries must be received by 10pm EST November 29th, 2010.

For links to the entire series, look way down at the bottom and you`ll find a tag to each of the posts in this series.

** sorry for the late post today! Joel and are are working out the communication bugs with being in two different time zones**

I’m going to be doing a series of posts in conjunction with our “Pimp that Preserve” feature. (click here to see how you can win your own copy of “Canning and Preserving with Ashley English”). The goal is to inspire you to get creative and share your thoughts on how to dress up preserve gifts for the holidays.

I’ve been collecting ‘bits of stuff’ for the past week or so. When looking for things to decorate the jars with…I want to keep them accessable/inexpensive and use the opportunity to re-use, find things from flea markets and thrift shops, or find something that otherwise may have gone to waste.

- I spent a fun sunday morning (big coffee in hand) poking around the stalls at the St.Lawrence Flea Market

- took a stroll down the street during a work break to a really fantastic decor/upholstery fabric store MacFab (I always relish and excuse to go in there)

- I turned up some interesting things at our neighbourhood Value Village (i have no idea why i have to say that store’s name with a ‘french accent’, similar to Targét).

- sorting through a couple of drawers of random things i’ve collected over the past while, gave me an excuse to clean them out and find uses for them.

Grouping things together (and regrouping) to come up with themes keeps me from getting overwhelmed at the possibilities…could be color, could be personality, sometimes inspired by the preserve itself and sometimes inspired by the possible recipient. It’s been fun so far, i’m looking forward to seeing the results of your creativity.

So here’s the first one….I know a few teachers, they get all kinds of wonderful (and weird) stuff before the holiday break…If you’ve got kids, get them to help you dress up a jar for their favourite teacher…I thought applesauce was appropriate:

*I bought a BIG spool of gold ribbon a few Christmases ago, now i’ve used up the last of it so I can get another color this year!

*The little apple and leaf was in a bag of random vintage ‘holiday adournments’ found at the Value Village (probably the best $1 spent, I’ll get lots of mileage out of those).

*I happened to have a little deck of vintage flash cards that I bought at a flea market a while ago – ‘J is for Jar!’ perfect!

* Last year Joel gave me a button maker for Christmas – it’s been very useful this year (making buttons for clients, friends, jokes…etc.).