Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Make Vacation Keepsake Globes

The last few weeks have been deliciously random and so productive for us! I think we should bounce around from room to room all the time like this… at least until we dive into a big renovation that demands all of our attention. So far this week we’ve painted raindrops & a pink door in Clara’s room, had some fun with Shannon’s design dilemma, finally finished our big sunroom floor project, and we’re actually starting to work on something in the kitchen for Monday (ahhh! that room needs more help than I did in Calculus class).

And this week’s little crafty project didn’t bomb, which is a huge relief because there were definitely a few moments of doubt. I decided to tackle something I’ve been meaning to do for, oh, about two years: displaying our vacation keepsakes in a charming and easy-to-see way. So here’s where I ended up…

Memory Jar0

It’s sort of like a vacation-memory-jar-meets-snowglobe-or-cloche, and it was actually really easy and only ran me $2.79 to make each one.

But let’s grab a ride in the Delorean and go back in time for a second. Once upon a time (back in 2008) I made six vacation time capsules here… but I haven’t been displaying them for the last few years because I just don’t love them anymore. Which is sad because I love the keepsakes – I just didn’t like the containers as much anymore.

Memory Jar 2

I certainly think canning jars are crazy charming (and they’re probably more “in” now than ever) but I didn’t like that when you looked down at them on surfaces like console tables or desks or dressers, almost all that you saw was the lid instead of whatever was inside (see above).

And I also didn’t love that when you lowered your gaze to stare at them head-on (or placed them in high places like up on a bookcase) the glass was wavy, so it blurred the items inside. Here’s a comparison of how the canning jars obscured the contents compared to a regular stemless wine glass. See how much clearer the objects in the glass on the right are?

Memory Jar3

I also thought the scotch tape labels that I had added so many years ago were hard to read, especially depending on what’s behind it (you can see one in the picture above). So I wanted to come up with a way to accomplish three things:

  • more clearly label the contents of each jar
  • display our keepsakes behind non-wavy glass
  • make them visible from above and the side instead of just from the side if at all possible

At first it felt like a tall order, but I was inspired after coming across this project, which made me realize that there might be a way to use inexpensive stemless wine glasses or vases from the craft store along with little slices of wood and some type of adhesive or caulk to connect them. It definitely could have bombed (uh… sand everywhere) but I had a few lucky breaks along the way.

For one, I couldn’t find any tree branches of the right thickness to slice in our yard or at a local firewood spot (they were all triangular or too narrow, and free of bark) and I couldn’t even locate any pre-made wood slices in the craft store (other than some too-large birch ones for $15 a pop online). But when I walked around JoAnn I did notice these little 4 x 4″ round wood plaques for 79 cents each (in their wooden box/birdhouse/plaque area). They also sold stemless wine glasses (in their party/glassware area) for $1.99.

Memory Jar4

It was nice to find both potential items at the same store because I could flip the glass over on top of the wood plaque to see how they’d work together. It kind of felt like a miracle when they lined up so well.

Memory Jar5

So as soon as I got home, I jumped right into painting the wood plaques. I debated everything from a bold color to white or charcoal or even a whitewash or a stain, but in the end I liked the idea of a timeless neutral taupe-y color the best so the items in each jar could be the focus – and I already had leftover Revere Pewter from the bathroom project upstairs. Two coats did the trick without any bleed-through from the wood (which is nice because I didn’t use primer, so it was sort of a gamble).

Memory Jar 6

After they dried I used a sharpie to write each of the places we’d been on the side of each one, along with the year that we traveled there. It’s so much clearer and easier to read than tape on a wavy glass jar!

Memory Jar 7

Next I decided that clear silicone caulk would be a good way to seal the glass to the wood. Here’s why: some types of adhesives/glues are thinner/runnier and I worried the seal wouldn’t be as tight as it would with a more thick/dense line of something to stick them together. The other reason that I went with clear caulk is that it can easily be sliced with an exacto knife and peeled back to free up the contents of these jars. So I don’t have to Hulk-smash them like an old school piggy bank to access things (which definitely could have been the case with crazy glue). Instead, I can just score and peel the silicone caulk to open these up again whenever I’d like. But in the meantime they’ll be nice and secure – even with things like sand floating around inside.

I just ran a thin line of it around the top of the glass like this (I used GE Premium Waterproof Silicone II Caulk in the clear color). Tip: try not to make the opening in your caulk tube too wide or caulk will pour out a lot faster/thicker and you’ll end up with a drippy ol’ mess (this is universally true for practically every caulking project, so it’s a good skill to master).

Memory Jar 8

Update: I’m a paranoid prego, so I wore a ventilator and worked the caulk gun like Darth Vader (since caulk can get fumey sometimes), but I later learned that this type of caulk is on the green list. Hurrah!

After getting a thin ring of caulk around the top of the glass, I pressed the wood round onto the cup while it was still in the upright position (didn’t want things to spill all over the floor, which I was certain would happen if I flipped it over before joining it to the wooden plaque).

Upside Down

Once they were joined, I could easily turn it over without anything spilling. So I placed it on the table and made sure the glass dome was centered. Then I pressed the glass down with one hand (to keep it centered, since it can slide around a little before things start to set) and used the other hand to wipe the edge down with a paper towel to remove any extra caulk that was oozing out.

Wiping Jar 1

It only took them three hours to dry, and they were sealed up and pretty dang seamless looking. Here’s the sand, all nice and contained (you can sort of make out the clear shiny line around the base, which is the caulk doing its job). I shook that thing like a snow globe and there wasn’t a sand explosion or anything. So glad.

Memory Jar11

Right now they’re chilling on various surfaces in the office and living room, but my dream is for them to eventually end up all together in our bedroom (we’d love to add a wall of built-in cabinetry in there to make our bed feel like it’s tucked into a nook – and I can just picture them all lined up on one of the shelves). Sigh. Can’t you see it?

Memory Jars Out

I’d love to keep making more over time as we travel to new places, so the paranoid collector in me is tempted to buy at least ten more wood plaques and glasses just to keep around for future vacations so they all match. Is that crazy? What do you think?

Is anyone else out there displaying vacation keepsakes? How do you do it? In shadow boxes? Scrapbooks? With framed photos? I read somewhere once that “experiential purchases” bring you the most happiness. So instead of buying a new car, if you spend money on an amazing vacation, the effects can last longer and you won’t take the purchase for granted like you might if you upgraded something that you’d use everyday and would soon become accustomed to (I found an article here about it, although I’m not sure this is the same one). Certainly makes me want to make the most of our little vacations and memorialize them when we’re back home – even though they’re usually just road trips as opposed to exotic foreign locales. Maybe someday I’ll have a vacation jar for Morocco or Australia. A girl can dream…

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Comments

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yup, I just shook them and tapped them on the tabletop and the sand settled to the bottom and things popped up at the top like coral and shells. I also tried to place those things in the cup first (with sand dumped over them) so when I flipped it over they were already near the top.

      xo
      s

  6. Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

    My husband keeps his “goodies” in treasure boxes. Some of the treasure boxes come from the travels and others are thrift store finds.

    When we moved, we had an entire box labeled “treasure boxes.” He even asked, “have you seen my treasure boxes box?” as we were unpacking. He has them in his office, and one day they’ll be in the living room.

    In fact, in order to honor her Dad’s love of treasure hunting, I’m making our little girl a treasure bag for her first birthday. She already has a treasure box (I made it for her birth), but now she’ll be able to collect treasures as she explores with her Dad and Mom.

    Reply

  7. laura says

    This is one of the best DIYS you guys have done in a while- I love this!! Oh- and I am TOTALLY on team “buy a bunch of glasses and plaques now before they stop selling them or something” so you for sure have them for future trips! I made my sister and her husband these snowflake ornaments from wooden ones at Michaels and bought a few extra so I could give them another for each kiddo they had (since they already had plans to have 2!) so each of my nieces has a matching ornament- so glad i bought them all together because i cant find the same ones anywhere now!

    Reply

  8. Sheri says

    Those look fantastic!

    I don’t think going to buy a few more glasses and plaques is crazy at all! In fact, I’d go after a couple dozen if I were you :)

    Reply

    • Allen says

      I came to say the exact same thing! It would torture me if I had a collection that wasn’t matched. Unless that was the point, but for this I think it would be both prudent and wise to stock up!

    • Ann says

      I agree–this is such a good idea… so you might as well have extra :) they would probably make good gifts too.

    • Bren says

      I agree! Those are too cute to not stock up on (and perfect). You’d kick yourself later if you didn’t have more on hand, new ones would never match. And…if for some reason you change your display, you bought wine glasses. Awww yeaaahhh!

    • Renee says

      I agree, buy lots more (the price is great too)!
      At least the plaques as I’m sure you’ll be able to find glasses.
      Actually as I started reading I was already thinking ‘hope they got spares for future holiday globes!’

  12. MOnique Kadnar says

    This is an absolutely adorable idea! My Bethany Beach shells are going into a similar globe this weekend. Definitely go buy the glasses and wood pieces so you match up and can preserve memories for years to come!

    Reply

  13. Ashley A. says

    I’m a long time reader of the blog, and the original project (mason jars) is one of my all-time favorites. I made vacation keepsakes myself after reading that post, but I spray painted the lids of the mason jars with chalkboard paint so I could write the location/place right on the lid.

    But now I’m loving this wine glass idea SO MUCH MORE! I see a craft project in my future…

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ooh chalkboard paint on the lids sounds really fun!! You could do chalkboard paint on the plaques too and write on them with chalk markers! Love that too!

      xo
      s

    • Maddie says

      I’m totally the same – I was inspired by the first project and have a bunch of vacation jars too! Love your chalk paint idea though, wish I had thought of that :)

      Sherry, this is totally awesome and I totally want to switch to this method now too!! So fun and lovely.

  14. Reagen says

    This is just ridonculously awesome! And yes, you should totally go grab more plaques and glasses for the future. I also love the idea of a giant “art” project on a wall. They could each have their own tiny shelf displayed in a grid pattern (that’d be cool over a bed!) or randomly amongst one of your art gallery walls which I know will be coming down the line. Once again you guys amaze with all your craftiness =)

    Reply

    • Jennifer says

      Yep, what she said! ;-) This might be my favorite craft you have done in a while. I wish I had read/seen this years ago because I have so many adventures that weren’t captured. Makes me kinda sad. (I’m a long time reader, but the jars didn’t grab me like these did) Oh well, here’s to future adventures that will be snowglobed (ha, that’s a thing now)! Going to buy supplies now! We should all stock up!

  16. AmyM says

    Love this! My husband and I currently have water bottles filled with sand and water from oceans we’ve been to. This is a much more attractive way to display them!

    Reply

    • Cortney says

      Hmm…this comment makes me wonder if there’s a way to be able to do the same thing, but with water in it…really like a sand globe! I love the idea, but with something like ocean water…that salt is so corrosive, I wonder how you could get away with that?

  18. Erin says

    We buy postcards or greeting cards by local artists – most souvenir shops or galleries have them. I have a stack that needs to be framed, and I’m debating writing the location and date either on the mat, or back of the frame. Thoughts?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s really sweet! Hmm, linen mats could be fun with little metal scrapbooking label holder things with a label for each place glued to the linen mat, centered under the picture. That makes sense in my head, but does it translate? Instead of linen you could just use the mats that come with the frame too, I just love the idea of texture in there too with a metal tag on it to identify each place.

      xo
      s

    • Sassy Apple says

      I’m not as creative as Sherry, but I definitely think you should put the location and date on the mat. It will make them even more interesting to guests who look at them, and I think more meaningful for you.

  19. Jess says

    Sherry,
    BUY MORE!!!! I am such a paranoid collector of all things. But it has paid off well, and I am at peace knowing things will match (OCD much?)…. anyways, I say buy more. If you don’t end up using them, there will be other uses for them.

    Jess

    Reply

    • B says

      The whole time I read the project details I thought “I hope she bought lots of extras for future trips!” I’d hate to have a mismatched collection, unless maybe the format of the souvenir changed for different chapters of life, i.e. pre-kids, just Clara, two kid family, all grown up, etc.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      You guys have officially convinced me to stock up! JoAnn here I come! Well, probably around 7pm since I can’t leave the house without turning green and running to the bathroom before then…

      xo
      s

    • Heather says

      I think I might be the only one who loves the idea of a variety of mismatches jars/bottoms. Or maybe mismatched tops but the same bottoms. Though, I have definitely been caught wishing I bought more of something later on – so if you definitely want them the same I say STOCK UP!

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I thought about the mismatched thing being charming too! I think the key might be to have just as many of one type as another (and not three sad ones who are shorter or fatter or something when the rest are all the same). So if I someday ran out, I’d try to take a lot more trips (maybe when we retire we can do a bunch, haha!) with some new format of container so they’re evenly in the mix, I think.

      xo
      s

  20. Ellen says

    Great idea! I would definitely buy AT LEAST 10 more! You will never be able to find them again in 10 years and cloches are timeless! Under 3 bucks for a vacation souvenir, you can’t beat it. Get back there and buy them up, girlfriend!

    Reply

  21. Jennifer says

    So so so cool!

    And go back and buy a bunch; these will be keepers and fun inspiration for family stories as Clara and baby #2 grow. Another awesome idea on how to make your house a home. Bravo!

    Reply

  22. Anne @ Planting Sequoias says

    My mom gave us “treasure boxes” when we were young, and I’ve continued the tradition through today. The only problem is that the items aren’t readily visible, and this seems like a great solution!

    This could also be a great keepsake for small, well-loved toys that kids grow out of. Not that I have kids, but I’m just throwing it out there!

    Reply

  23. Alex the Airhostess says

    I have a Rubbermaid bin full of French baby clothes I’ve purchased on trips for the baby I don’t have yet with the husband I don’t have yet. So before you ask yourself, why is she sharing this odd story? It’s to agree that future planning is just fine, get those cool wood rounds & supplies and put them in storage. A very clever idea, thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  24. Diane Taylor says

    Sherry I LOVE this so much. I had been looking for a meaningful way to store (and display) some memories I have from my son and I (I have all of his things from after he passed away) and this would be perfect. I want to look at them and smile instead of the way I have them now – just laying around and making me sad. I hope you don’t mind me stealing this idea….thanks for sharing as always.

    Reply

  26. Megan @ Delightful Domicile says

    Those are fantastic! I would have bought up every plaque and wine glass in the store. The only real keepsaking I’ve been doing is the sand in various small jars from our travels which I love but this would be great for all the bigger pieces I’ve tucked away. The husband and I have picked up a new habit where we try to buy something for the house while we’re on vacation. A picture frame, small piece of artwork, vase, serving piece, etc. so it’ll be fully functional (my clutter tolerance is drastically low) and still remind us of our fun trip.

    Reply

  27. Jaya Saigal says

    Umm…this seriously is my most fav project!! Wow – what a great idea! I never know what do with seashells/sand from vaca..as usual you have inspired me :)

    Reply

  28. Katie says

    As I was looking at that last photo before I scrolled down to read the end of the post, I was thinking “if I do this I should buy at least 20 so I have them for the future”. Great minds think alike.

    Reply

  29. Erin says

    Very cute! I was in Dollar Tree yesterday looking for some jars and came across these identical stemless wineglasses in clear and cobalt blue. I’m a sucker for cobalt blue glass so those came home with me. #score

    Reply

  30. Brenda says

    I totally thought it was a snow globe from the first pic. Wineglass + wood bottom is such a clever idea! I love that it’s not a forever commitment so you can switch it up down the road 10 or 20 years if the mood strikes.

    Reply

  31. AlisonG says

    When you told me the crafts were on Thursday, I assumed it was pumpkin crafts. You fooled me. Your keepsakes look much nicer, good job. And yes, I can see your vision. PS Life is all over the place, why shouldn’t projects be the same? Happy Halloween to you.

    Reply

  32. Carrie says

    Yes, go back and buy more supplies. Because you know what’ll happen…the next vacation you’ll want to make another and you won’t be able to find the wood and glasses…then you’ll wish you had listened to yourself originally. And if you never use them again – well, I’m sure another craft project will present itself soon enough.

    Reply

  33. Megan says

    Those are perfect! I started thinking right away that you ought to buy more supplies right away so you’ll have them on hand to make more as you travel more. I would definitely do that and even paint the spare wood now so they all look the same later. Any ideas for things to collect on vacations other than sand/seashells that could be displayed like this? We vacation, but hardly ever to a beach so I have very little chance of collecting those. Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Let’s see, we have a stone from a hot stone massage we got on our honeymoon in Alaska along with a little ceramic bear in one of them, and we have a metrocard and our business cards and our favorite restaurant punch card in a NY one that we put together after we moved to Richmond. I would just save anything from a trip that is small and represents something you did (ex: broadway play ticket, train ticket, tag from something you bought, small nature find like a heart shaped rock or a tiny dried out pinecone, etc).

    • Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

      Megan,

      When I lived in Boston and volunteered at the New England Aquarium, the Aquarium staff organized a scavenger hunt through Boston.

      Perhaps before you and your husband/family go on vacation, you could do a little research and come up with a scavenger hunt list. The items found would go into your globes or other display.

      It could be a simple list of things related or not to the vacation spot, and you’d always have the memories of finding the items.

      If you want to simplify it, you could do it by letter and number. 1 thing that starts with A, 2 things that start with B, etc. or choose a letter (S for example) and find a set amount of items that start with S.

    • Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

      & they teach so much, Sherry!

      You could do a “new sibling” scavenger hunt with Clara for any number of things in preparation for The Bean meets The Bun.

      Find 2 things that you’d like to share. Find 3 things that we might not want The Bun to play with.

  35. Isabel says

    LOVE this little craft project! And so much simpler than I would have thought! As a scrapbooker, I make layouts/albums of all my vacations but they’re much harder to display and it’s always a challenge to incorporate 3D stuff like this. I have a bunch of seashells I brought from Costa Rica that I was using as vase filler during the summer, but this will do them so much more justice. And you just gave me an idea for the perfect X-mas gift for my sister. We went to Peru 2 years ago and brought back a bunch of desert sand that has been sitting in a plastic soda bottle ever since – oh the shame! – but not for long!! Thank you!!!!! Oh and Happy Halloween to Daenerys the Mother of Dragons, John Snow, the Fairy Queen of Jellyfish and Burger the Seal!

    Reply

  36. Yvette says

    We do the same thing as Erin- postcards or pictures from the places visited. For the most part- 3 cards all of the same orientation (horizontal or vertical) Framed in black frames- always the same color white mat- place and year marked in the lower corner of the mat. They are all hung together in our entry hall. Starting to run out of room- love your jars, they are a bit more portable and versatile than the frames.
    And of course,you should buy more jars!

    Reply

  37. Kerry says

    Def stock up, Sherry!

    There have been times when I’ve visited Homegoods and seen something I like and thought, “I should get a few extras.” Then, I think, “Nah, I don’t need FIVE (fill in the tchotchke blank),” and two weeks later, I’m scouring the shelves every HG on the East Coast in a frenzy of non-buyer’s remorse.

    Moral of the story, Sherry — grab a few extras — don’t pull a Kerry

    Reply

  40. Sam says

    I love this idea! We just got back from a trip to London and Paris, so I’ve been working on travel/souvenir related projects lately. I bought a lot of cute prints while we were there so I’ve been hanging them around the house.

    I’m kind of a ticket/pamphlet hoarder too, so I’ve been making travel keepsake boxes (inspired by a Martha project) to hold all of the papers and pictures from our trip. I bought a couple wood boxes at Michael’s, painted them light blue (for London) and navy for (Paris) and stenciled the locations on the front. I put them on the bookcase in our living room so I can see them while we watch TV and reminisce on our trip.

    Reply

  41. Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says

    1. Those are adorable and I absolute love them.
    2. Yes, yes, yes, go out and buy more so you have them because you’ll never be able to find them again.
    3. I never brought home more than a T-shirt or trinket from my travels and now I wish I had. I do, however have a friend who collects sand from beaches with the intention of someday traveling to all those places to return it (I so hope that actually happens, she deserves it) so I always bring sand for her. When we brought back sand from Muriwai Beach in New Zealand it was so cool I had to keep some for myself. It is shiny, pitch black and as fine as powder. We keep it in a dish so we can play in it and touch it.

    Reply

  42. Kimberly says

    I love the way these turned out! So awesome…and so many ideas are floating through my head now! Thank you for another awesome post. And happy Halloween!

    Reply

  43. Heather says

    The only things I keep in glass jars are buttons, food goods in the pantry, and beans I’ve saved to plant next year in the garden from this years crop. Vacation keepsakes tend to be just photos. *face palm* Who brought the party to the comment section? THIS GIRL. Put me on the list of most exciting people to meet.

    Reply

  44. Cindy says

    Super Cute Idea! I think this is something that everyone struggles with – finding a cute way to display memories. I’d be paranoid like you that those materials wouldn’t be available and would probably go pick up at least 10-15 more. Also, I’d probably paint the bases with the paint now so you don’t have to worry about slight color variations!

    Reply

  47. Ana Silva says

    I love this! Pinning now. I want to make these but don’t have anything to put in them. I guess I better start vacationing more and collecting :)

    Reply

  49. Kayla aka Kilo Bravo says

    Definitely buy more! I’ve jumped on and off a few different vacation tchotche bandwagons (magnets, coffee cups, etc.) and I think I’ve finally settled on one I like – Christmas ornaments. We do multiple trees through out the house, so while some of them are all matchy and super chic, one of them houses our vacation memory ornaments…and when I can’t find an ornament I like because we are somewhere in July, I usually pick up a keychain and stick a hook on it for hanging on the tree. I also like that I don’t feel like I have to have these things out all the time (I’m constantly editing what is out and about in our apt), and it feels extra special looking through them as we hang them on the tree each year.

    Love your faux globes, and love these little crafty projects lately!

    Reply

    • Kellee says

      Kaylay – we do that too! We find/buy something small and representative of our trip and make it into an ornament. I totally agree that its extra special pulling them out each year and hanging them up on the tree.

      We also try to do something silly/touristy to hang up on our walls. We’ve done a caricature drawing, old timey photos, etc. and hang them up on our gallery wall for something that is out on permanent display.

      Sherry – I’m on team stock up on supplies! Love your globes!

    • Miranda says

      We do the Christmas ornaments as keepsakes, too! Every time we go somewhere or do/celebrate something special, we either buy or make an ornament. It started with our wedding invitation [something like this http://www.pinterest.com/pin/72972456431744362/%5D and it sparked a mini-movement in our house! Now it’s the one thing we make sure we do for EVERY vacation!

  50. Alison says

    I absolutely love this!
    We started vacation jars after I read your prior post. They were great at first and then my son discovered them. He loves opening the jars and it wouldn’t be a problem if they all safely made it back into the original container. We’ve misplaced or broken a few momentos. Will have to look into making these – I bet he would even like helping out with this project.

    Reply

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