handcrafted polymer clay sculpture around a glass jar
“Teddy Bear Picnic” handcrafted polymer clay sculpture around a glass jar

Recycled Jelly Jar

I’m a sucker for a cute label. It can make me reach for a product on the shelf and it can make it hard to throw the jar away once the product is gone. This Crofters Fruit Spread jar is a perfect example. It was just begging for a second chance. Doesn’t it work well as a flower vase teamed up with a playful teddy bear sculpture? This “Teddy Bear Picnic” flower vase is available through my YoungCreative shop on Etsy.

I’ll let you in on a secret. This whole project is a little bit of a recycling project. I originally created the concept in 2012, but I wasn’t 100% happy with the results. The bear’s eyes in my original piece were way too small. I also felt that the dark “basket weave” didn’t provide enough contrast with the brown of the bear. (See photo below.) When I found this similar jar with a light blue label, I decided that it was time to try a do-over. I created a brand-new design for the jar portion. And because you can re-cure polymer, I took the opportunity to enlarge the bear’s eyes and add new polymer  “lace” details to her gingham blouse.

 

old version
old version