Hand Stained Mason Jars in Various Colors

Assorted Half Pint Mason Jars stained by Booth555.com

Hey ya'll!

I have been in a kinda craft slump lately. It's just been so dang hot here in Kentucky. 

Even hitting "real feel" heat conditions of 105* out. 

So when I do run out it's mainly to just get where I'm going and such. Not much crafting, cutting, sorting or painting outdoors lately.

I am still staining new and old mason jars in all sorts of colors. 

Have been going on about 8 years or so now. 

And using the baking process to cure them. So thought I'd share a few pics of that for today.

Squatty half pint mason jars stained various colors by Booth555.com

So thought I'd share a few pics of that for today since I haven't shared much anything in a while.

This is the color AQUA that is the main seller. A certain view of the camera gives this belly shape look I love to these half pint, squatty style, mason Ball jars.

Half pint Squatty jar in Aqua by Booth555.com

Here they are upside down, drying, getting ready to be baked in the oven.

Aqua mason jars ready to be placed in the oven

In the oven is where they acquire their deep aqua color. Although in the pic below they don't appear to be much to look at yet.

Here is a close up of an aqua jar that has runs after the firing process.

Half pint Squatty jar in Aqua by Booth555.com

Look closely and you can see the imperfections.

I usually just end up keeping these for myself. So I don't mind the runs every now and then. lol.

The heat during firing  makes the excess stain I use run. So I can always see where I have used too much. It's hard to hold back when applying though. I love the deep colors a thick layer makes.

Before I bore you too much with my favorite jar colors I like to create, let me show you what I call antifreeze green. I just adore this color!

Half pint Squatty jar in Antifreeze Green by Booth555.com

When the light hits them a certain way, they really pop!

Half pint Squatty jar in Antifreeze Green by Booth555.com

And another favorite of mine is the soft, rosey pink.

Half pint Squatty jar in a Soft, rosey pink by Booth555.com

Half pint Squatty jar in a Soft, rosey pink by Booth555.com

Half pint Squatty jar in a Soft, rosey pink by Booth555.com

I have tons of more colors I use but don't want to bore you with each. I've also experimented doing two and three tones on some jars getting a fade effect. I didn't love those so much. But I do enjoy the colors above.

Whether you stick them on a shelf for display, use them as business card holders, battery operated candle holders or just junk jars, they add a little bit of color here or there.

Hope ya'll enjoyed seeing a few of the jars that's been keeping me busy lately.

See ya'll next time!

-Lisa

Assorted Half Pint Mason Jars stained by Booth555.com

HALLOWEEN THEMED MINI MASON JARS PLUS PUMPKIN MAGNETS

I've really been in the Halloween/Fall mood this week. And these Halloween themed Mason jars with Pumpkin magnets are a great way to give treats without the use of bags.

Or just a fun way to spruce up any area with a bit of primitive Halloween fun.

And as a bonus, the top, 

the pumpkin face is a refrigerator magnet!

Okay, so on to how to make these.

I stained my jars on the outside, here's the link to how I do that.

 I do the staining because I am in love with various colors that are hard to find.

Here is a pic of my orange, hand stained jar:

 

But I'm sure you could just paint the outside of the jar with a sponge and some craft paint if you wanted. As long as maybe sealing it with a clear coat to save from chipping.

After that, I just got out some craft paint in browns, and painted the shiny lid and ring. 

 The one that will screw onto the jar, not the pumpkin magnet.

I like the burnt umber color a lot.

And then I tied some jute string around the jar with a cute, hand stamped tag. I chose BOO.

 Here it is with the painted lid on it. I had to do two coats of burnt umber.

And then I just stuck on the Pumpkin magnet lid to the top of the jar lid.

HERE's the link to how I made them.

And this is how they turned out:

As you see, I also glued a bit of homespun fabric to the pumpkin magnet lid, along with a cute button.

I also added a bit of cinnamon on top of the face, which I sprinkled on top of some Elmers glue. Just to get it to set in.

They are all ready to stuff with candy. 

And remember, since I stain the outside, these jars are food safe.  And since the stain is baked on, they are even safe for washing. Though I'd avoid the dishwasher just in case.

Hope ya'll like these little mini mason jar all decked out for Halloween!

See ya'll later,

-Lisa

SUPPLIES:

I buy the mini Mason jars at Walmart in the canning section.

And the magnets and craft paint I also get at Walmart in the craft section.

The jute twine came from the Dollar Mart and I made my own handstamped tags from the plain Avery tags I found online at eBay.

The swatch of fabric came from my oodles of fabric I've saved over the years. ;-)

MASON JAR MINI PLANTERS

Super simple idea here ya'll. If you like little mason jars as much as I do, you may like this.

I started off with these clear, plain and simple little cute Mason Jars.

And sometimes, instead of clear, I use the these ones I hand stain.

I just took some little new growths of  "Hen & Chicks," (I think, no idea really about names, but someone told me they were) separated them,

 added some more good ground dirt to the jar

 and stuck them in their very own mason jar.

That was pretty much all there was to it.

Now I know this doesn't give the little plantings much room, but I don't mind transplanting them on down the road into something larger.  

But as for now, I am loving having the little brown, grubby jar sitting on my desk.

I even stuck one in this cute little dish I found at a flea market.

I love it!

Happy Crafting Ya'll,

~Lisa

 If you want to see I tinted the clear mason jars blue and various other colors, click here.

 Or how I made the jars n' things grubby, click here, for the previous post.