So here we go.
The good, the bad and the ugly about painting Mason jars.
It all started when I decided I wanted to make May Day gifts for my neighbors.
I wanted to be able to actually put the flowers “in” a tinted Mason jar without the color melting away. I had seen the Mod Podge/food coloring method, but you couldn’t get water on it.
I searched and searched till I found a blog that used this paint which my local Ben Franklin/ Michaels/Joanns sells:
Americana Crystal Gloss Enamels
The blogger added a paint medium to this glass paint because she wanted the look of old antique blue Mason jars.
She mixed the turquoise glass paint and medium together and poured it into the jars, then swirled it around and dumped out the excess. Her jars were beautiful! So I got busy…
Half of the jars I did with her painting inside technique and the other half I decided to paint on the outside using the left over paint that dripped out of the inside painted jars.
AND I made a bunch of them!
As they were drying it hit me…(Here comes the bad.) It wouldnt’ work. The more I got to thinking about the glazing medium she used the more I realized water in the jar would break down the molecular compound because the “glazing medium” wasn’t made for glass or baking. Hence why I am not naming the blog or it’s author.
By the way, Americana doesnt’ make a clear glass paint other then one that has glitter in it… So there is no real way to dilute it’s color
After my jars were all done I tested my theory and added water to one of my jars.
This was the result after water had sat in it for a day. (Here comes the ugly!)
Kind of looks like botulism or something huh?
I was thankful that I had painted some of the jars on the outside! I filled those with flowers and gave them to my neighbors. I thought hard how I could use these jars with water and came up with a solution(There IS a GOOD part!)
Let me start by showing you what I made with the ones painted on the outside:
Here’s one on our neighbors door.
Purple one that almost made another neighbor cry with joy!
Yellow flowers in a light blue jar.
My precious granddaughter who delivered them all!
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Here is how I made them… I will make more because I love how they turned out:
Mix Americana Crystal Gloss Enamels Transparent Glass Paint with Americana Glazing Medium. I probably did 3/4 paint to 1/4 glazing medium. You can do less or more depending on the look you want. Pour into your jar and slowly swirl it around to cover the whole inside. If you are doing the outside just use a foam/regular paint brush and brush it on as evenly as possible. What you see is what you get even after it’s baked. It will show some brush strokes but I think the effect looked nice. Just make sure your paint is EVEN!
I got bored and just turned it upside down.
Once the whole inside of the jar is covered keep it turned over for 1 hour. Longer, and you will lose too much paint and it won’t be even. Shorter, and it will be too thick. I sat mine on baby wipes(above pic)and moved them around the wipe every 20 minutes. This kept the lip of the jar clean.
Now this is important… You must let them sit for 48 hours before baking them. They will completely change colors and become translucent. If you bake them before the 48 hours they will stay the solid color and not be transparent!
After the 48 hours pass: Put them on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper. Stick them in a cold oven, set oven temp to 200 degrees, WAIT for oven to heat to 200 degrees then set timer for 30 minutes. Once done,turn oven off and leave them in there with door ajar until they are cool.
I used 20 gauge silver beading wire for everything including the beads,wiring around jar and handle.
Now here is THE GOOD part on how I used and added water to the jars that were painted on the inside.
I did a trick I used to do in my floral shop. Smaller plastic containers. For this Mason jar I cut a water bottle to fit and shoved gently placed it in my jar.
The water bottle is clear so it’s not noticeable.
Here it is along with two others that were painted on the inside. The blue one has a battery operated tea candle in it. Do NOT use real candles with this paint!
Here’s a picture taken with the lights out.
I made the tags myself but couldn’t for the life of me give you instructions or even remember how I made them!
Do not eat or drink out of these jars.
UPDATE: Below are two jars I painted on the inside with the same glass paint NO glazing medium. One I made with the paint alone, the other I diluted with the clear glass paint (50/50) that has glitter in it. Sorry they are orange, I made these in the Autumn!
The great news is that they held water without getting spots in/on them. They even made it through the gentle cycle in the dishwasher without damage…
REMEMBER: These are not for drinking out of.
The jar on the left is painted on the inside with the glass paint alone. The right one with the flowers is the glass paint with clear glitter GLASS paint from Americana. I made these a couple of years ago-Not sure if Americana has come out with a clear glass paint without glitter, sure would be great if they have.
With glitter glass paint under lamp for different lighting.
Up close of glitter glass paint.
Glass paint alone.
The jars were great for May Day but would be wonderful for Mother’s day, birthdays, get well wishes, secretaries day, showers, WEDDINGS etc. etc.
Lastly, I have no idea how any other glass paints work. I only used Americana glass paints for this project…So it is impossible for me to answer questions about any other paints.
Since I first did this post two years ago Martha Stewart has come out with a glass paint. I have no idea how well it works though it does look pretty!