Vintage Inspired Painted Mason Jars 

Transformation Tuesday - Post #1

 

Hey All!  I hope y'all are having a great day!  I'm having one of those days where I just can't seem to concentrate because my mind and thoughts are going in a million different directions.  Do y'all ever have those kind of days? 

 

I mentioned in a prior post that I have been easing into fall and making a few changes here and there with some of the décor in our house.  For those that know me well, I make small changes here and there quite often.  (It's a  joke amongst my family and friends that I can pretty much transform anything with a can of spray paint.)  Anyway, getting to my point.  I got to thinking as I was working on some of these projects/changes that I should start a new series -  "Transformation Tuesday"  where I show you how I transform "stuff" whether it be with a can of spray paint or whatever.....  (In this case, it's the whatever!)

 

So here it is!  Post #1 in my Transformation Tuesday series......

 

 (picture via Pinterest)

While shopping a few antique stores, I found vintage inspired painted mason jars selling anywhere from $3.95 for the small 1/2 pint jars to $8.95 for the quart size jars.  Wow!  So to Pinterest I went and let me just say, there are a ton of tutorials out there for these.  So after reading through a lot of them, I came up with a method that I thought would work best for me, giving me the look I wanted, and using supplies that I already had on hand!

Here are the things you'll need:

Mason Jars (any size)

Chalkboard Paint (found at craft stores, Lowe's, or Walmart)

Acrylic Craft Paint  (found at craft stores or Walmart)

Clear Acrylic Spray - matte finish (found also at craft stores or Walmart)

Foam  Brushes

220 grit sand paper

Wax Paper (or anything to paint the jars on) 

 

 

Step One:  Grab your supplies and be sure your jars are thoroughly clean and dry. 

 

 

 

Step Two:  Protecting the painting surface with wax paper (in my case, I used a drop cloth), layer a coat of chalkboard paint on the outside of the jar with a foam brush.  (I painted the bottom and half way down the jar first.  Waited for them to dry, turned them over, and painted the other half and the rim.)   Let them dry overnight. 

 

 

Step Three:  Paint the outside of the jars with the acrylic paint.  (I used the same method as when I applied the chalkboard paint allowing adequate drying time between coats.)   It will take several coats; especially for the lighter colors.  Again, let them dry overnight.

 

 

Step Four:  Using the sandpaper, lightly sand over the raised letters and the rim.  (I sanded a few other small areas around the jar...it's entirely up to you.)

 

 

Step Five:  Carefully wipe off any sanding dust/residue.  Take them to a well ventilated area and spray them with several coats of the clear acrylic spray.  This will give the jars a protective coat and prevent the jars from chipping.

 

 

Step Six:  Enjoy!  You are all done!  You can pretty them up with raffia, jute string, lace, burlap, ribbon.....

 

  (To this one I added a mason jar soap dispenser kit found at Hobby Lobby for $4.99.  Of course, I used my 40% coupon bringing it to $2.99)

 

**** To care for your jars, wipe with a damp cloth.  Do not submerge them in water!****

 

These are so simple and budget friendly!  They can be used for so many things, with any décor,  and the color options are endless.   What great centerpieces they would be filled with fresh flowers for a wedding, bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, or just about any occasion! 

As always, I hope you found some inspiration and thanks for spending time with me!  Look for more posts coming soon in my "Transformation Tuesday" series!