Habitat TV

Give the glass jars in your recycle bin gorgeous second life as part of this clever DIY advent calendar – just in time for xmas.

You will need:

• 25 jars in different shapes and sizes
• Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer
• Resene testpot brush
• Testpots in your choice of colours; we used Resene Timber Green, Resene Middle Earth, Resene Yucca, Resene Pewter, Resene Gondwana, Resene Laurel, Resene Envy, Resene Surf Crest, Resene Pale Leaf and Resene Edgewater
• Ribbons and tags to decorate

Step 1 Give each jar and lid a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to dry completely.

Step 2 Paint each jar and lid using your choice of Resene testpots. We used Resene Timber Green, Resene Middle Earth, Resene Yucca, Resene Pewter, Resene Gondwana, Resene Laurel, Resene Envy, Resene Surf Crest, Resene Pale Leaf and Resene Edgewater for ours. For best results, cover the jars in two coats, allowing adequate drying time in between.

Step 3 Pop small gifts, sweets or decorations into the jars.

Step 4 Tie ribbons and numbered tags (1 through 25) around the jars. You could make your own tags by painting or handwriting numbers on to them or create them on your computer and print them out.

Top tip: Just as you used a variety of Resene testpots to paint your jars, using a variety of ribbons will add further interest to your finished display.

Step 5 Display your advent jars on a flat surface, such as a sideboard, buffet or hall table. For our display, we layered plain cardboard gift boxes underneath our back jars to create more height.

Wall and floor in Resene Rice Cake, sideboard in Resene Permanent Green. Round Jute Rug and cardboard boxes from Kmart; all other props are stylist’s own.

styling Vanessa Nouwens?
images Bryce Carleton, Ben Whorwood
videography Ben Whorwood