Nothing is better in the summer heat than a cool glass of lemonade, or pink lemonade in our case. But the only downfall, especially for parties, is that bees are as attracted to this sweet drink as we are. Not only did we come up with a solution that is functional, it is also very pretty and lends a very decorative touch that is worthy of its own display area.
For this project you will need:
:: Ball jars (at least one per person – these were one of the most popular items at Lily’s birthday party!)
:: Additional jar lids for transporting, display or storing in the cooler
:: The same quantity of rubber grommets as jars (can be found at Home Depot or Lowes in the Hardware Section)
:: Decorative straws (I bought ours on Etsy)
:: Drill
:: Drill bit (measure the straw diameter, purchase grommets that have an inner diameter similar to the straw diameter, and note the drill bit size)
How to make:
First, mark the center of the metal lid.
Then drill the hole with the proper size drill bit. Be sure to drill on a piece of wood to protect your counters, floor or workbench. After drilling, be sure there are no burrs or sharp edges that could harm anyone. Remove the imperfection, or discard them if you cannot.
The grommets look like mini Oreo cookies with holes in the center:
Insert the grommet in the lid.
Seat the grommet all the way on both sides.
Fill jar and seal with a unaltered lid. You can also get plastic lids at most stores.
You can put jars in a cooler, refrigerator or display in buckets of ice. Place a container near the display or cooler that holds the drilled and grommeted lids and straws. Guests can swap out an unaltered lid with a grommeted lid and insert a straw for sipping! (We displayed our jars a little different – we plugged the grommets with non-toxic, um, glue sticks that the guests pulled out before sticking in their straws.)
You will also want to set a container next to your drinks for empty jars and lids so guests don’t discard them when they are finished drinking.
These were a serious hit!
