Uses for Used Canning Lids

Feedback About This Post:

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

You can use them for educational games. Glue capital letters on some and the small letters on others, have the children match them up, or do the same with adult animals and babies. Things that go together, you get the idea.
Rhonda

Post By Rhonda (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

I make beautiful Christmas family picture ornaments.Here are some of the things you will need.
1# Make copies of favorite family photo's
2# Use primer and paints(primer causes paint to stay on flat tops)and glitter if desired.

3# you will need flat tops, glue a nail, hammer, ribbon, or yarn, small pieces of pine and any decorative things you can think of.
Make hole near top of flat top using nail and hammer WATCH YOUR FINGERS! Paint top with primer let dry preferably overnight. Choose paint colors and paint (day after priming) flat tops.

Glue glitter (after paint is dry ) and apply to tops.
Take a glass and trace the bottom of it so you will have circle to use as your pattern. Cut out pictures using guide and paste onto center of flat top.

Place some pine or candy canes around rim of picture or better yet be creative and use your imagination.
Place ribbon through hole and hang ornament onto tree.
It's easy and fun and children love to do this craft with an adult. Hope you try it and recycle the old flat tops

There are so many types of paints you can use such as silver spray paint, metallic. I also tape off the the tops into grid patterns and so on and spray paint over them, then pull tape. I enjoy making them for friends and selling a variety of flat top ornaments at the craft fair near my home town.

Post By Charming (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

Hello fellow member's like me you have or access to a vacuum food sealer and the lids we're removed carefully. I put a mark on them for identification to me that they have been used and then I use then to seal quarts or pints jars, oyster crackers jelly beans yada yada yada. The one thing I do is open a large can of coffee and fill quart jars or smaller if you need after filling my everyday container which is a smaller version of my brand. Then when I need a fill-up of fresh coffee for the weeks to come I open a quart and " ppchhh "-fresh. I do like all of the tips for reuse of the lids, but I'll give it 6 months before I start crafting again, La La La it's spring : ) : )

Post By Cindy in o H I o (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

If you are someone who does cross stitch -- take a sizeable piece of the Aida count frabric you like best and draw circles with the size of the outside of the lid. Go to any craft store and find a book with small items that you can needle craft to that size ring and then glue the finished work onto the lid and make it full of whatever you like, candy, small toys, bath beads, etc. Whatever fits in the jar. Tie a ribbon and attach a card -- instant gift and you can always have one ready on short notice. These are so fun to do. I have done so many different types of cross stitch animals and just "Happy Birthday or Anniversary or new baby" The used lids are a perfect fit for the cloth and dress up any jar as an all occassion gift. I love to shop for the bath beads most of all because they come in so many different shapes and scents. Now I am going to start giving some potporri candles - they fit and smell wonderful.

Just thought I'd give you one more great idea that I didn't see already listed.

Post by Trickymom

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

I USE THE CANNING LID RIMS FOR MY GRANDBABIES; I TIE THEM TOGETHER WITH A STRONG RIBBON; THEY PLAY WITH THEM FOR HOURS; THE LID RIMS CLANG TOGETHER AND ALSO MAKE GOOD TEETHING RIMS; I DISINFECT THEM AFTER THE BABY PLAYS WITH THEM

Post by WandaJo

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

Hi, do a lot of canning also and have bunches of used lids in a box along with some rims that are fine on the outside but have rust spots on the inside.

For fun, I made some mobiles/windchimes out of them. Just strung them on different lengths of sturdy string or thin wire. A friend of mine has a girl scout troop, and I gave her most of mine so the girls could create there own. But now, the box is slowly filling up again! I think I will try spray painting them(lids and rims)all different colours and make rainbow windchimes.

Post by Suejaney

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

You can hang them from a string around your garden. Shiny things, like these lids, or old AOL cds, scare birds away.

Post by bulrush

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

Thanx all for the great suggestions. Now to get started creating.

Post By Karen (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

Karen,

I agree with Luvyabye. I have reused canning lids many, many times. First I carefully look at the lids. If they are bent or are rusty or damaged on the underside or if there is some of the rubber missing they are thrown out. But otherwise, I wash them and then I place them in a pot of boiling water and boil them for about 10 minutes. The rubber bounces back and looks like a brand new lid. I have recanned with the lids for years and years and have had nearly 100% recanning ability by using the used-once-before lids.

Try it on something like jam where the batch is small and can be stored in the fridge if you find that your lids do not reseal. I've never had a problem.

I take the old lids that definitely cannot be used again and store my empty jars with those "bad" lids on them, on the shelves in the pantry. (I do not place any rings on the jars though because if it ever gets damp, then the rings can rust onto the jar and then there is a problem to get the ring off the jar later.) With a lid on the jar, no dust can get into the jars and the jars stay cleaner for future use.

Post by valleyrimgirl

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

how about a coster for drinks on a wooden table

Post by a406

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

The rings of the lids are reusable if not bent. It's the flats you usually have to replace. But, I have used some flats over that looked in good shape. And they worked just fine. Just inspect the flats closely.

Post By Glinda (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

What great ideas!!! I was going to say (and still am...lol) the same thing as Louiecat said....magnets. All kinds of magnets!!! I'd probably print photos of family and friends from my computer and put them on the lids as refrigerator magnets. What fun and cute gifts!!!!

Post by Luvyabye

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

Your local girl scout council would LOVE to have them if you don't have a need for them. They make all sorts of crafts from lids.

Post By Yvonne (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

"Mixes in a jar" are a great gift idea...many recipes on the net...if that is something you'd do, those saved lids would work great for that since the mixes in a jar don't require a new (vacuum) seal.

Post by marinewife5

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

I would ask your local elementary school if they would like them - I bet the kids would make some type of craft with them.

Post By Kathy Riggs (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

I used lids from cans I cut off veggie cans..they were white on one side and metal color on the other. You can make snowmen out of them...paint and make ornaments...tin punch a design and make ornaments....decoupage things on and make ornaments..use in scrapbooking ect. If you would email me I can show you a pic of a can lid that is a snowman's head.
ucmelaffn @ aol . com (remove spaces)

Post By Michele (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

You can punch/drill a small hole on two sides and spray paint them , then string them together for garlands to trim outdoor trees and bushes for Christmas. Or string them in groups of 3-5-7 to hang down from the branches.

Post by Great Granny Vi

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

I made Christmas ornaments out of the lids one year. Most of them I made-up different snowflake patterns and put on the top with permanent marker (Dots for the pattern as in tin punch) Then I took a hammer and nail or ice pick and punched the design on them. You could also punch designs such as Christmas trees, crosses, etc. Then I took gathered white lace and glued it all along the outer ring. I also made a loop of white ribbon for the hanger. You could also gather homespun material around the outside and even use jute for hanger.
Another idea is to use your lids when you make gifts in a jar--lots of recipes on internet. Hope this helps.

Post By Crystal (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

I made olympic gold medals out of them for a party at church. I don't like to throw them away either, but really haven't thought of a more useful idea than this. Just let it go, it's OK.

Post By Angelique Farmer (Guest Post)

RE: Uses for Used Canning Lids

karen, if you can find no use for them i will gladly take them off your hands, i make magnets (hand lettered), to supplement my disability cheque and am always in need of canning lids or orange juice (frozen type lids)

louiecat - canada

Post By louiecat (Guest Post)

Disclaimer: ThriftyFun.com cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site. Read the full disclaimer: http://www.thriftyfun.comdisclaimer.ldml If you find any information on ThriftyFun.com or in our newsletters that is either erroneous and/or potentially harmful to others, please Contact Us, immediately.