Upcycle a mason jar into an affordable and thoughtful gift using supplies you most likely have on hand! This makes a great DIY gift!
This post originally appeared on the blog several years ago and I recreated the project just for fun today!
I’m Savvynana and every month we get a project challenge…should we choose to accept it? In March, we were tasked with presenting the Radiant Orchid color of Pantone’s Valspar. I recently gave you 3 tips for decorating with Radiant Orchid. This is a bold color and definitely not for everyone. For this project, I wanted to create something in Radiant Orchid that is easy to replicate, appeals to many, and screams YAY SPRING! I came up with a simple mason jar photo frame vase. I think this would make a great Mother’s Day gift, right? It’s simple, and kids can do most of the steps on their own with adult supervision.
SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR MASON JAR PICTURE VASE
For this project you will need the following:
Clean mason jar
Pantone’s Radiant Orchid paint by Valspar
Paint brush
Vinyl shape or sticker and picture
Painter’s tape
Clear spray paint
STEP 1: PLACE VINYL OR PAINTER’S TAPE OVER JAR AND PAINT.
To create your picture frame window on your jar, place vinyl or painter’s tape on the area that you don’t want painted. I used my Silhouette machine to cut out a decorative square in black vinyl. There were some gaps in my vinyl, so I filled them with painter’s tape. If you don’t own a Silhouette, you could create a square using painter’s tape and decorative edge scissors. Paint the outside of the jar and immediately remove your sticker. You do not want to wait until the paint is dry or else it will be difficult to remove your sticker.
STEP 2: CUT A PICTURE TO SIZE AND ATTACH TO JAR WITH PAINTER’S TAPE.
I tried out a few different pictures before deciding on the one I liked best. I sized my pictures in a Word document and then just printed them off on my laser printer. The painter’s tape allows you to easily change out the picture.
STEP 3: “DISTRESS” THE LETTERING ON THE JAR.
This is an optional step. I like the look of the lettering and pictures on mason jars and wanted it to show more clearly. I took a metal file and scraped off the paint where I wanted the lettering to show.
Here you can see what the back of the jar looks like with the paint scraped off of the lettering.
STEP 4: SEAL THE OUTSIDE OF THE PAINTED JAR WITH CLEAR SPRAY PAINT.
The paint will easily scrape off of the jar if it is not sealed. To add durability to the paint, spray it with a clear spray paint.
STEP 5: PLACE PAPER CUP INSIDE JAR TO HOLD FLOWERS.
Your picture will be ruined if you fill the inside of the jar with water. Place a paper cup inside the jar, fill the cup with water, and place your flowers in the cup. I used a foam cup and had to cut off the lip of the cup in order for it to fit but it worked great.
You can also fill the jar with epsom salts or a sugar scrub!
Or just fill the jar with your loved one’s favorite candy for a thoughtful and inexpensive gift!
Note: Some of you are having difficulty finding the right mason jars. Use Golden Harvest mason jars
