Painted Mason Jar Vase

House of HepworthsFirst, I have to tell you how {EXCITED} I am!  Two of my posts were featured 

this past week.... this was my first time being featured since I started this blog 3 weeks ago!

Now, it's time for today's post. .......

This project presents many opportunities!  

~ It can be a simple vase sitting alone (mine is on my bathroom countertop).

 ~ It could be used as table markers at a wedding (or party).  

~ It could be used as a centerpiece.

 ~  Etc. (Leave your comments and tell me what YOUR ideas are....)

 Let's get started on the pics and how I did it.

First, I made spaghetti!  :-)  LOL! 

I needed an empty Mason jar and this one looked good... so my family 

had to participate by eating spaghetti!  (Not a problem, I doctor the jar sauce 

up so much that you can't even tell it's from a jar!)

I took my cleaned jar and some white and silver spray paint with my "spray paint box"

and headed outside to give the jar a coat of silver paint.   

I turned the jar upside down before I sprayed it.  

After the silver paint dried, I sprayed it with white paint.

Once the white paint dried, I scratched the 

paint to rough it up and make it look old.  

I had a small problem, when I noticed the expiration 

date was showing.  I could have painted over it, but 

I like a challenge!  So I decided to bring this project 

to a whole other level.   

So..... I grabbed my twine, burlap, some acrylic paint, 

chalkboard paint, chalk and super glue.  (This is

why these supplies are pictured separately above).

After I wrapped the twine around the neck of the jar, I used 

super glue to adhere the twine to the burlap tag.

(Ya gotta love super glue!)

I am blessed to have a hydrangeas in my yard... (my favorite flower)!

So, I just went outside and cut some fresh flowers to display in the jar.

Here is a close up pic of the jar and the bottom of the burlap tag so

that you could see the color coming through the burlap.  It is subtle,

but you can still see it.  I think it adds a vintage, shabby chic feel to it.

My one hydrangea bush produces a variety of colors.

It is pretty {FABULOUS}! 

I chose different shades to display in this jar.

So, now it is YOUR turn to decide......

I hope this inspired you to recycle common items that you may have 

at your disposal and make them into beautiful items that you can

use to decorate with or maybe give away as a gift!

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Also, I would {L O V E} for you to join my site if you have

just a minute.  You could also follow me by email if you'd like. 

Until next time, be blessed!

:-)  Tonya

Linking this post to these parties...

Tip Junkie
Knick of Time
Adventures of a DIY Mom
Coastal Charm
Nap Time Creations
Winthrop Chronicles
Full Circle Creations
Primp Your Stuff Wednesdays
52 Mantels
Southern Lovely
Live Laugh {Linky}
The Shabby Nest
Be Different Act Normal
Think Pink Sundays (Flamingo Toes)
Keeping it Simple Crafts

Chalkboard Decor

Today's post is about the refinishing of a chalkboard craft that I did almost 2 years ago.  When my husband and I got married, we had the song, "Everything" by Michael Buble' at our Reception.  It was one of our favorite songs.  In an effort to keep that romance alive, I took an old picture that I was planning to put in a yard sale and turned it into a chalkboard and wrote some of the lines of the song on the chalkboard.

I put about 3 coats of Rust-Oleum chalkboard paint on the glass (letting it dry in between each coat).

While the glass was out of the frame, I painted the actual frame and rubbed the paint on to give it an aged look.  I wiped paint off in areas so I could see the frame (to make it look like it was chipping off).

After the frame and the glass dried, I put it back together and used real chalk to write on the board.

The problem with using real chalk if you hang your chalkboard in the bathroom, is the steam from the shower.  I happened to hang my piece in the bathroom.  It continued to fade and I would have to retouch it over and over.

Finally, I decided that I would make the "chalk" permanent.  I went to my local craft store to find a chalk pen.  They didn't have one, but they did have a Terra Cotta pen that I thought I could use as a great substitute.

I thought this would work out, but it took forever!!!  I had to keep "pumping" the pen and wiping it off (probably because I had to write on top of the chalk and it was getting "gunked up").

You can see here how I couldn't do one full letter without stopping.

Here is a picture of it halfway completed so you can see the difference.

Here it is completed.  Now when I hang it back up in the bathroom, it shouldn't fade.

No more retouches (hopefully)!

Hope you are inspired to make a "romantic" 

piece of "art" to hang up!

Until next time, be blessed!

:-) Tonya

* P.S. - I linked this post to The Winthrop Chronicles.