3 Ways: Distressed Autumn Mason Jars

It's no surprise that I have an obsession with distressed mason jars. Here's my super easy & affordable take on how to paint & style them for the Fall season :) I find that each one brings a different light & tone into the space it occupies. The beiges & browns add a coziness & home-y feeling while the more golden & cream tones brighten up the room. So if you're indecisive as to which one you should do, ask yourself what the room/space needs. No matter what you choose - beiges, cream, & browns go along with so many different colors that you won't have to worry about whether or not it will match the color scheme in your home.

Before you start painting your mason jars, first remember to clean them with soap and water. Wipe them down to dry and then apply rubbing alcohol on the outside of each jar with a cotton ball. This will ensure that all dirt and oils have been wiped away so that the paint will adhere to the glass surface. To distress, I used 150 fine grit sandpaper for each tutorial listed below.

#1: Halloween Mason Jar

Paint used:

Wheat used - Hobby Lobby $3.00 each:

 

Apply 2 coats of orange paint to a clean mason jar. I mixed equal parts Terra Cotta & Orange Spice.

When that has dried, apply 1 coat of Burnt Umber and let dry. Distress with sandpaper. As you sand, you will begin to see the orange color peak through Burnt Umber! Add some twine & wheat and you are done :)

I placed mine on my kitchen counter, next to my basket of lotions :)

#2: Beige & Brown Mason Jar

I have an entire blog post detailing how I painted this mason jar here >> http://jessicarosehomedecor.blogspot.com/2015/06/distressing-tutorial-easy-cheap-how-to-make-anything-look-antique.html 

Wheat used - Hobby Lobby $3.00:

After painting & distressing, add twine & the brown wheat, and you are done! I placed this arrangement in my bedroom. The brown tones make the bedroom feel so comfy & home-y :)

If you are curious about the Pottery Barn-inspired glass window, I have also done a tutorial on it as well. They were made using pictures frames from the Dollar Store! LINK HERE >> http://jessicarosehomedecor.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-to-diy-rustic-window-dollar-store-picture-frames.html

#3 Cream & Golden Mason Jar
Paint used:

Wheat used:

Apply 1 coat of White paint. Ley dry. Then apply 2 coats of Parchment. Using White as the base coat brightens up Parchment. When that has also dried, distress with sandpaper, add twine & wheat, and you are done!

I decided to place this on my kitchen bar :) The golden & cream tones really brighten up my living room!

 Add an heirloom pumpkin for a pop of color ;)

And there you have it - 3 different ways to paint & style mason jars for the Fall season!

How-To: Hydrangea Wreath Tutorial

I can't believe I'm saying this, but with Memorial Day coming up in less than 2 weeks (WHAT?!), it is now that time of the year to begin thinking about all things Summer! And what better way than with a front door wreath (big surprise coming from me, ha)! Artificial summer flowers can sometimes be hard to work with. Most of the ones in various crafting stores are too saturated. To me, that actually makes it look too fake & can come off a bit tacky if not styled properly. So I focused on cool (temperature, NOT state of self) colors to avoid this dilemma & this inadvertently makes the room seem cooler (temp again) - a future necessity in the weeks to come :( In addition to twine, wire cutters, and ornament wire, you will need the following matertials:

Light bulbs(Hobby Lobby) - $1 each, originally $2 each; Baby's Breath(Hobby Lobby) - $2, originally $4; Hydrangea(Michaels) - $6, originally $16; Bouquet(Michaels) - $10, originally $20.

 I have had this obsession with hydrangeas for too long - I mean who doesn't?! They are so luxurious & tranquil-looking. So when I purchased this one a year ago (talk about delayed gratification), I knew I had to make it the focal point/inspiration of a Summer decor project..and here we are :)

Cut the stem leaving 1/2 an inch to 1 inch with your wire cutters.

If you find that the proportion of the flower to the bouquet doesn't mesh well to the eye, simply trim the branches at the bottom in order to size-down the circumference of the hydrangea.

Place hydrangea as shown:

Secure by looping twine around the branches surrounding the stem of the flower, as shown. (You can also use a glue gun in addition to the twine.)

Next up, bulbs. Trim 12 baby's breath pieces, as shown.

Carefully insert three stems into each bulb. I used a chop stick, but you can use a pen, etc.

 Seal.

Take your twine & wrap around the top of each bulb, knot at the base to secure.

How much twine you should use depends on how low you want them to hang from the bouquet. Once you determine this, knot at the top.

Secure to the bouquet with ornament wire. Placing the wire right under the knot helps it from sliding down, but feel free to use 2 pieces of wire if needed.

Place, THEN secure. 

1...

...2...

 ...3...

DONE!

This piece is so unique & something you definitely won't find in any craft store. The mixture of soft whites with cool turquoise adds the perfect pop of Summer color into any room...

...inside...

...or outside!

 

Share with me your Summer home decor projects in the comments below!