Chalkboard Mason Jars!

Okay, so I've made my book labels, given my chalkboard a face-lift, and now, I'm on to my next project: chalkboard mason jars!  This is a super cute and EASY project that I can't wait to take back to school.

Here's your supply list:
-Glass Mason Jars (I used 2 different kinds and sizes.  You can pick these up at grocery stores, garage sales, or even in a 12 pack on Amazon!)
-Blue Painter's Tape
-Small-ish Paint Brush
-AND, of course, Chalkboard Paint! 

Yes, I will admit, I have become a bit intrigued...no no, more like obsessed...with chalkboard paint lately...but look, I've now found COLOR chalkboard paint on Amazon:





So, the first step, just like with the chalkboard upcycling, is to clean your surface.  I snagged my jars at a garage sale, so they were a bit dusty.  I soaked them in some hot, soapy water and gave them a good scrub.  Then, I let them air dry for a few hours.

Next, tape off the area that you would like your paint to go in!  You will see that one of my larger jars has the paint ALL the way around, and the smaller one just has a square.  It's totally up to you!

My smaller jar, taped off.

Now, take your brush and put on your first coat.  As a quick little tip, chalkboard paint is water based and does clean up easily IF you don't leave it.  Another way to help with easy clean up (and a trick I've learned) is to wet your brush FIRST before you use it!  This helps the paint not seep INTO the bristles and make cleaning it out harder.  :)

Okay, after your first coat, LET IT DRY!  I made the mistake of putting on my 2nd coat too quickly, and it just caused my first coat to get all goopy and gross (so I had to take it off and start over!)  When I restarted, I let my 1st coat dry a good few hours before reapplying.  Eventually, I ended up putting 2 coats of the pink on and 3 coats of the black.  I guess it just depends on the paint and how thick you're painting the coats on!

When your paint is finally done, remove your tape, and hopefully you'll have "clean" edges!  (Don't worry if you had some paint leak under the tape...you can just scrape it off with a razor or sharp knife!) 

For a fun finished look, add some ribbons!  After much debating, I decided on a brown to compliment my pink jar:

AND, here's the best part!  It's "self-sticking"!  The cute fabric ribbon has tape on the back, which made this whole process EVEN easier!  (As a side note, I did order this ribbon in a few different colors from Mindy Mae's Market, a SUPER whimsical site with great prices!  Check it out!)  I just cut 2 equal sized pieces, peeled off the back, and wrapped it around:

Just had to show you the other colors I bought from Mindy Mae's!  Haha, I LOVE that site!

I also added striped ribbon to my handled jar.  As a tip, that I had to learn the hard way, be aware of the handles!  I didn't even think about them as I started my ribbon, but once I got to them, I had a bit of an "uh-oh"...but I don't think anyone will even notice!  BUT, just be aware as you're painting and such!  Plan ahead!  :)

So there you have it!  A chalkboard mason jar, that you can label, store things, and even relabel as you organize throughout the year.  I have so many ideas to use these for, besides "pens" haha!  Think about it...lunch count...behavior jars...rewards...picking random students' sticks....craft supplies...sharp/dull pencils...the list goes on and on!

Didn't I tell you it was easy!  And oh so practical!  And, did I mention, it's fun?!  :)   You can check out this DIY and LOTS more over at the "Monday Made-It" Linky: 

  Enjoy!!!!