Put some pep in someone's step.

My entry into Shwin&Shwin's Link Party  sponsored by Appliances Online.

Absolutely anything is cuter in a mason jar.  Case in point?  This milk and cookies pick me up.  This sunshine in a box.  And this hair... uh, stuff.  You must know I love a good mason jar project.  After all, I have an entire pinterest board devoted to the subject.

I happen to have acquired a PLETHORA of mason jars.  And by plethora I mean peach crate upon peach crate brimming with mason jars haphazardly stacked in my garage for wont of a better spot.

What can you do with a plethora of mason jars??  Suffice it to say, you will likely be seeing many more mason jar projects around these parts...  But for this first (of about 50 million) mason jar projects, I wanted to show you how to package up a cute little "feel better" gift.

First.  I have a question for you.  Say your bestie is having a horrid time of things.  You know, one of those MONTHS that just goes on and on and nothing is going her way?  Or say your sis IL is recovering from a particularly grueling cesarean birth?  Or say you want to give a good friend a pick me up?  Or someone just needs a little girl time?  

WHAT DO YOU DO?

The answer to all of the above is, of course, take them for a pedicure!  (though maybe not all at once.  You don't want to overwhelm the little shop.)

A little pampering (especially at someone else's expense, I might add) can be the perfect pick me up.  

Problem.  My bestie lives 4 hours away.  And my sis IL? A good 1200 miles away.  I can't exactly make us an appointment, pop in the car and be on our way...

And that's where the mason jars come in.  Because honestly, what ISN'T cute when packaged up in a mason jar?

The fact that it's currently summertime only makes this pick me up gift even more perfect.

So, let's talk about the supplies, shall we?  First off, you'll need your standard pedicure type accoutrements.

1. Polish - obviously.  I included three perfect hues for painting on little flowers.  You know, for summer.  Found these cuties very reasonably priced at Walmart.

2. Foot scrub, foot soak, exfoliant, buff, and lotion.  These tiny little bottles are also from Walmart and are only $0.99 each!

3. Cotton swabs and Nail polish remover - again, a miniature bottle.  From Walmart.  Cheap.

4. Pumice stone.  $0.99 at Walmart.  Are you detecting a pattern?

5. Little tube of mini emery board, clippers and tweezers.  Not sure what use the tweezers will be for a pedicure, but regardless, the tube was only $0.99.  Where?  Oh, Walmart. (However, you can also buy a pack of three miniature emery boards for cheap as well, if you want to skip the clippers and useless tweezers.)

6. Cuticle thingiemabobbers.  Also cheap.  Also from Walmart.

7.  Not pictured (how did that happen??) Toe dividers.  

These are the pedicure essentials to this project.  Of course, I may have gone a teensy tiny bit overboard since, as you'll see, it didn't all fit in one jar.

Once you've got your pedicure supplies, you'll need a few other things, as well.  

A jar with a lid, for instance.

tape.

paper doily.

pedicure in a jar printables (see below).

And my current (quite obvious) obsession:

Yes, washi tape.

So.  Pretty up your pedicure necessities with washi tape.  You may need to remove them from the store packaging - I did this with the pumice stone, cuticle thingiemabobbers and the toe dividers, then just wrapped them with a bit of scrapbook paper and taped it with the washi tape.  I also took some of the cotton swabs and wrapped them in scrapbook paper and washi tape - not because the packaging was garish, as with the other items, but because I couldn't possibly fit the whole long tube of them in the jar.  (And, yes, I DID try, thank you very much.)  I cut some of my washi tape pieces in half the long way to make the strips skinny.  And you can see I went a bit crazy.

Pop your items in a jar - much like this one (Or two) - 

along with your cute little card (see below).

Put the top on.  Roll a piece of tape and put it on the lid.

Place a paper doily on the tape.  Then just screw on the sealer thingie.  (I am full of very technical terms tonight.)

 I was very OCD about the fact that my jar lids did not match.  So I wrapped the gold one in washi tape.  To hide it?  Or just draw attention to it... whatever.  Cut out your "pedicure in a jar" circle printable (see below) (Is this a record for most "see below's" in one post?).  Tape it to the top.  In one case (the gold lid) the sealer thingie screwed down tightly over the circle to hold it in place.  That was pretty handy.  But I think I'm still partial to the wider mouth of the silver one... 

Then you just wrap it up all good and tight in packing paper or bubble wrap, stick it in a shoe box and send it off!

Now, when I can't take my favorite ladies for a little girl time, I can at least send them a little girl time in a cute little package.

And if you want to send a little girl time in a cute little package, here are my printable (see below) (just kidding).   Obviously, the top image is the outside of the card.  Below are the circle for the jar and the inside right of the card.
Just click to enlarge and print from the internet, or right click to download and then resize in your favorite photo editor.

Here's a simplified version for you as well:

I pared it down a bit so it would all fit in one jar.  And this version used no washi tape, just in case you're not as washi tape obsessed as me!

Put it all together:

Make sure you print out and add the little card!

Good for a birthday.  Good for a pick me up.  Good for get well.  Good for "happy summer!"  Pretty much good for "just because."  Put some pep in someone's step!

*Be sure to check the right sidebar for all the fun parties I link to!