With the 4th of July this weekend it seemed only fitting to do patriotic themed DIY! Masons jars are so great and handy for all sorts of things- food, drinking glasses, storage, decorations, and DIY projects.

Supplies:

• 3- 32oz wide mouth jars!
• Paint- red, white & blue
• Paint Brush
• Star Stickers
• Masking tape
• Optional: Candles & Twine

Step One: Get your Mason Jars and Supplies

Mason Jars are pretty easy to find. They are carried at Target and just about every hobby store, but I choose to get mine from thrift stores! All three used I picked up at my local goodwill outlet and not to mention for cheap! The Goodwill I went too allows you to purchase glassware by the pound- I spent about $2 for all three and even got a cute little 1/2 sized one too.

Any painting supplies I didn’t already have a home, I picked up from Hobby Lobby! I used the FolkArt Chalk Paint in Imperial and Nautical. They were out of the white but I had some leftover from another project. While I was there I picked up some paintbrushes and star stickers– I was focused more on the size and shape rather than the colors as I would end up painting over them.

Step Two: Figuring out the Design

There are tons of patterns and designs to choose from. I actually took to my iPad and colored out a few to see how they would look! It also helped that I found some fake patriotic mason jars (fake because they were ceramic decor not glass) at T.J. Maxx! But at $7.99 a piece I was definitely going to make them myself!

Step Three: Cleaning and Preparing the Jars

As soon as I got my Mason Jars home they when straight to the kitchen sink for a good scrub! Just to wash out all the dust and get rid of that pesky price tag goo.

After I let them sit to dry for a few hours, I brought out the stickers and masking tape to block off the sections I didn’t want to have paint. The goal here is that the stars and masking tape leave sections of the mason jar clear so you can see the color and light from the candle inside.

Step Four: Painting

White: I painted the inside of the jar first. This allowed the inside to dry while I could still handle the jar to paint the outside- reducing dry times. I had some leftover white paint that I mixed with water to thin out the paint in order to get a more translucent look. I wanted to see the light from the candle but have a strong contrast of color while unlit! You can totally skip this part if you want to see the whole candle or paint the inside with just the white paint if you are only using for decor or for flowers!

Red & Blue: The red stripes and blue areas are very similar to paint. Just brush on the sections you want the color being gentle around the edges of the tape and the stickers! I did two coats of paint in order to have a strong color. Then let dry!

Step Five: Clean Up

My masking tape and stickers worked pretty well but there was some spots that bled through. This isn’t anything to worry about since you can scratch off the paint with a tooth pick! A quick fix! The toothpick worked great when peeling up the edges of the stickers that were fully covered in paint!

Step Six: Optional Sealing/ Clear Coat

I chose not to seal or clear coat my jars because I like the matte of the chalk paint along with the gloss of the glass areas. Also, they will only be holiday decor! But if you would like to leave them outside or use them frequently then got ahead and seal them! I would recommend something similar to a spray polyurethane or even Mod Podge!

Step Seven: Extras

I added candles, the ring of the lid, and twine bows to mine! Feel free to get crazy with this! Some ribbon or faux flowers would add a cute touch to these jars!

Finished!

Inspiration From Pinterest-

Planning for Keeps: How to Paint Mason Jars

Addicted 2 DIY: Patriotic Mason Jar Lanterns

This process can be used with different sizes, types of jars, and colors! Below is an example of a bathroom set I made for my first apartment!

Have a great 4th of July and use the hashtag #makingitmad when you make your own!