Witches Stitches - Painted Jars

If you look on pintrest and other sites you can get a good idea on what the hot new decorating trends are. Everywhere I look I see painted jars. I love the way they look and they make great additions to any decorating look. I have done several. Some in primitive country style and others in shabby cottage chic style.  They make great vases and with Spring finally here fresh flowers are always a plus for getting rid of the winter blahs.  They also make great storage containers. You can paint a few in a different colors for you kitchen and as long as there is no paint inside the jar and you have the lid you can store food items in them. You can store dried beans, pasta and so on. You can have a few and add tealight candles to them, you can put the dried makings for cookies in them tie on a receipt card and give as a gift. Anyway…here is how to make them on the cheap.

You will need the following:

Jas - (you can get these at your local food store, they are less than $12 a dozen) (You can also use any  jar, pasta, or gravy jars. You can rinse them out, remove the labels, and wash well or run through the dishwasher) These wok well if you will be adding a label. If you add a label, there can be no raised lettering where the label will go.

Paint – (You can use calk paint or latex paint, I go to Home Depot and look in these area where they have the cans of mistake paint. You can get a gallon for $5)

Soft paint brush

Lace or paper labels if you will be adding these

Medium grit sand paper

Step 1 - Make sure the jar is clean.

Step 2 – Paint our jar with your paint choice. Do several light coats instead of one heavy cote.

Step 3 – When the jar is dry, this will take a few hours, you can sand the jar lightly. Sand the areas with raised lettering. This will remove the paint and give the jar a time worn look. If this is not a look you want, than skip this step.

Step 4 – Add a label if you want one, I use white glue to adhere it to the jar. You can find all kinds of labels on etsy. Or you can get some free ones from the website www.thegraphicsfairy.com

Step 5 – If you have used chalk paint you will want to cover it with a coat of clear wax. If you want an aged look on top of the clear wax use dark wax and then wipe it off and buff it.

Step 6 – If you used latex paint, you will want to seal it with a spray on clear coat. You can use whatever finish you want. They make semi-gloss, gloss, matt or high gloss.

Step 7 – Add charms, keys or whatever you want with twine or ribbon. You can also add lace too.

I am adding 2 pictures of bottles I made and a link to one of my pintrest boards that is all painted jars.

http://www.pinterest.com/faithconroy/painted-ball-jars-and-other-painted-glass/

Make some of these for yourself. Or make one and add a tealight and give as a hostess gift.  Enjoy.