Mother's Day Mason Jar DIY

~ mother's day is this weekend and we've got a super cute and easy mason jar DIY floral arrangement you could put together just in time to surprise mom. this DIY is foolproof and super simple to do, especially if you've never DIY'd before or have been thinking about making mom something handmade. she'll be sure to love it and the best part is the mason jar is reusable as a vase for all the gorgeous spring and summer blooms ~

~ when choosing your color, err to the side of mom's favorite or what might go best with her current decor. that way she can use it over and over again with a variety of different florals. i chose a lighter shade of pink and yellow because most of the blooms in my parents yard go well with both those colors and my mom's favorite floral color is purple and both pink and yellow pair well with purple ~

you'll need: 

~ a *clean* mason jar in what size you'd like or have ~ the dollar store is a great place to find mason jars for a very very reasonable price. Michaels also has them as do almost every supermarket and Canadian tire. dollarama is great because the biggest mason jars are only $1.50 but Michaels has a greater selection of jars. it's also important that the mason jar is clean. if it's brand-spanking new, you won't need to wash it but its not a bad idea to wipe it down with some 99% alcohol. otherwise, be sure to wash your jar well, let it dry completely and then wipe down the with alcohol. this allows the paint to adhere properly and smoothly

~ acrylic paint in colors of your choosing. be sure that the paint you are buying is a multi-surface paint that works for glass. i made the mistake of picking up some paints that were not the best for glass surfaces and had to do 4-5 coats of paint just to get a good covering. i got mine for Michaels. i did try the dollar store variety and found the paint to be too thick and pasty

~ a paint brush. i use the sponge ones that are crazy cheap and they give you a smooth coverage but you could use any paint brush you already have

~ sealant. this is especially important for if you'd like mom or whomever you are gifting, to be able to reuse the jar. it protects it from water damage and can also give it a particular sheen. i chose Matte as i like the rustic look but i do have a Satin also for more texture

~ sandpaper. i 'borrowed' a sanding block from my dad but you could use an emery board, or 100/120 grits sandpaper. the idea is that it looks rustic and shabby chic, not overly sanded so be sparing with it

~ ribbon or any other adornment you might have 

~ a floral arrangement or garden blooms. i, again, 'borrowed' from my dad's garden but you could pick up a variety of different florals. it is peony season and they're just the prettiest

how to:

~ clean your jar and while waiting, mix your paint to desired color

~ paint one full coat, making sure the coloration is as even as possible. i don't have a particular way of painting but i found i do the bottom half and then top half and blend

~ allow it to dry until its dry to the touch. luckily it was a beautiful day when i did this and mine dried in 10 minutes but make sure its fully dry to touch otherwise the paint will move when you do the second coat

~ apply second coat, fully covering the the jar {depending on your paint type and quality, two coats is normally enough but you might need three so repeat the previous step if need be}

~ let dry overnight. this particular step is the 'hardest' but the paint needs to cure in order for it to not come off easily {even with sealant} so put it somewhere safe and let it dry until the next day

~ sand/buff the areas you desire. i tend to do the lettering and a bit randomly. you do want to be careful as the different grits of sandpaper will do different things. the sanding block i 'borrowed' has different angles so i was able to buff down the lettering with ease and carefully sand a few other areas

~ spray with sealant. it's best to do this outdoors in a well-ventilated area so there is no spray back and that you don't inhale any of the nasty spray fumes. sealant dries pretty quick so you could clean up while waiting for it to fully dry

~ adorn your jar with ribbon or anything else you might have

~ place your florals! i'm a fan of contrasting colors as i feel it gives both the flowers and the jar the most pop. one tip i learned from a florist: don't force the flowers in to settle the way you want them to, allow them to fall as they do and the arrangement will look natural!

have a wonderful Mother's Day and I hope your mom enjoys this gift!

xoxo Oz