Using food to decorate

I use food items in my home to decorate a lot.  Especially at the holidays (candy corn in the fall, peppermint drops for Christmas, conversations hearts at Valentines Day, etc.) but I also like to use pantry items to fill glass containers and jars for decoration in my home all year long.  Here are a few ideas...

In this large jar that was my late Grandma Pearls, I use a mixture of different colored beans to make a layered affect that matches my kitchen...

My chicken feeder is always filled with an item that is yummy (it still has a few Christmas M&M's)...

I found this old metal milk carrier a few months back for a great deal and instead of spending $7.00-$10.00 on each milk bottle I have used empty Frappucino jars that I peeled the label off of and ran through the dishwasher.  I have then filled the bottles with a ton of different things.  Oatmeal, brown rice, popcorn, small pasta, mini chocolate chips, coffee beans, so stinkin cute...

These glass hurricanes are the ones that I used on my mantel at Christmas with ornaments in them.  I have now added two different kinds of pasta and have them on my kitchen counter...

A few popcorn kernels added to an old jar finish off my nook with an antique metal lunchbox and plant...

Here is a hurricane, grapevine wreath and candle.  Add a few candies and it is complete...

Here is one of the cake plates that I made.  I added a candle and some wooden berries to finish the look I was going for...



You could also use lemons, limes, oranges, apples, tomatoes, artichokes and other fruit/vegetables.  They will go bad within a few days to a week though, so I try to use items that will not need replaced for a while.  I hope that these ideas will bring a little decorating inspiration to your New Year!!  Sweet decorating-J