The Fun & Simple DIY That Makes Your Mason Jar Look Vintage

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Pretty vintage mason jars are having a moment. But finding one at a thrift store or estate sale can be challenging. Even if you manage to find one, you might have to duke it out with your fellow thrifter to bring it home. So, instead of getting into petty fights or spending a pretty penny on them in other places (like eBay), try out a fun and simple DIY to make your mason jars look vintage. Simply paint them in a color of your choosing and add a decorative image inside to turn your old mason jars into vintage-style home décor.

In case you don't have any old ones lying about since you repurposed jars for clever storage in every room of your house, head to Dollar Tree and get cheap Clear Glass Canning Jars. You'll also need a few decorative images, some Mod Podge, and chalk paint in your favorite shades. Moreover, gather decorative elements, such as stickers, twine, ribbons, or dried flowers, to add a little oomph to your vintage jars. Finally, bring out your old newspapers and flattened cardboard boxes to avoid covering your workstation in paint splatters and minimize cleanup later. Once you have everything and you cover the surrounding surface, get ready to DIY vintage picture jars.

Start by using this brilliant hack to remove stickers from your glass jars with nail polish remover. Next, use soapy water to cleanse their insides. You can skip this step if you're using new ones. Let them air dry before wiping their exteriors with rubbing alcohol to ensure the paint adheres well to the glass surface. Once you're done, find some decorative images you'd like to put inside the jars. You can hunt non-copyrighted ones online and print them out, or cut beautiful pictures from glossy magazines. Whichever way you go, be precise with your cutting since sloppy edges will give away your DIYed jars. You'll also need a clean piece of paper about the same size as your image so you don't accidentally paint over the latter.

Then, apply a little Mod Podge to your image's top. This will seal it and protect it from damage. Carefully put it inside a jar and lay it out flat against the curved interior of your jar. Brush on some more Mod Podge to the other side of your picture to help it adhere well to the glass surface. Put the clean piece of paper on top of the picture and paint the rest of the jar. Give it a few coats of chalk paint to achieve the desired look, but don't forget to let the prior one dry completely. Follow this up by painting the lid and gluing a sticker or tiny cut-out matching the image on top. Ta-da! Your vintage jar is ready to be displayed around the house.

A great way to personalize your vintage mason jars is to distress the paint a little. This will make their "age" visible and lend them some character. You can use 80 grit, anti-slip sandpaper, like 3M Pro Grade 9 x 11 Inch Sheets, to get the job done. Move it gently over the painted surface for a lightly distressed look. Alternatively, rub it against the etched details, such as the name of the brand or measuring scale, to beautify your plain mason jars. Add decorative details, like ribbons, twine, or dried flowers, around their neck to prettify them further. Regarding the images, you could even print out black and white images of your loved ones and put them inside for a bespoke jar collection.

In case you aren't a big fan of the thick coats of chalk paint, combine a little Mod Podge with 3 to 4 drops of food coloring. Feel free to add more drops or combine two or more shades to customize your jar's coloring. Add a little water to the mix for a paint-like consistency. Now, turn your mason jar upside down over some plastic cups or old newspapers and drip your prepared paint over it with a paint stir stick. Be cautious since you don't want to leave thick globs over the glass surface and ruin the final look. Spread the drips evenly to cover the entire surface and ensure your mason jar looks professionally-made.