Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Jars, and paint, and flowers... Oh My!

It's OFFICIAL!


HI!! I would like to introduce myself. My name is Melissa, I am a SAHM of 2, crafter, photographer "wanna-be", decorator, and a whole lot more! I have decided to start this blog to document my craftiness... we will see how it goes.
After lots of fear of failure planning, here is my new blog! I am very excited to share my crafting, and this crazy thing I call everyday life.
SO... with that said lets get to CRAFTING!


I found these in a magazine, and it was LOVE at first sight. The price was another story. So, I thought I could make the perfect "knock-off". And I did!


First I had to find the PERFECT jars, so I headed out to my local antique shop.
I suggest running them through the DISHWASHER first.
My sister-in-law joined me, and we got to work.


We added 1 coat of primer...



Then let them dry over night.


Then we added 3 coats of porcelain color paint, that took another 2 days. I've discovered found if the paint has a chance to "cure" between each coat, then it sticks nicely to the jar. Otherwise, the minute you bump it...


Anyway, here is the end result! I am quite happy with it!



AND in honor of my blog being official, I would like to give away one of these lovely jars {designs vary} to one of my NEW readers, YAY! I'm slightly excited, can you tell?


So, just leave a comment, and someone will be chosen at random on February 18 at 8pm {pacific time}


ENJOY!

46 comments:

  1. How cute is that?! Seriously Melissa, you are uber talented! The last time I spray painted something...things didn't end so well. :)

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  2. These are so cute. I wish I was crafty, but that seems impossible. Great job!

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  3. Hooray for crafty blogging! I'm always impressed with the stuff you do. I'm excited to see more of it. :) And of course, I'm crossing my fingers....

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  4. yes! awesome! and i definitely want to be a part of this crafting.....starting with a cute little jar!

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  5. I'm so excited for your new blog. I LOVE all the crafts you do - soooo talented! Looking forward for some more great ideas.

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  6. Yah, I love stalking craft blogs, you will definitely be on my list:)

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  7. Love the jars!

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  8. YAY, its official!
    I LOVE your button header
    and these Mason jars make me happy!
    In LOVE with them!
    you go girl!
    {btw: thanks for the sweet email, it made my day}

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  9. I love the clean look of these. What a creative yet simple idea! You've made me a follower.

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  10. I'm jealous of your wonderful crafting skills!

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  11. So excited about your blog!
    Love the jars.
    Can't wait to see more!

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  12. love the advice on the jars...i tried this before and lets just say it didnt look like yours :) congrats on your blog and I am looking forward to seeing more

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  13. LOVE IT!!!!!! Can't wait to come here often and see whats going on!!!!
    Tonja

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  14. What a fun project!! They turned out so CUTE!! (=

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  15. Congrats on your new blog! LOVE the painted jars, and you are SO right about the many coats of paint. My sweet husband wanted to "help" me by painting one of my chandeliers for me. He did one BIG MASSIVE coat of paint. It's a gloppy mess of goo now....lovely. Can't wait to see all your fun projects & ideas! -diane
    http://www.sweeteuropeandreams.com

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  16. What a simple and creative idea!! Have fun blogging...

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  17. Such talent! These are great.

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  18. This is my first time checking out your blog!!! I love it! Can't wait to see more.

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  19. First time visitor, i can't wait to see what else you have to show us! when i first saw your jars, i thought i could make those, but after i read that it took days and multiple coats of paint, i think i'd rather win one! those jars are really awesome!

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  20. SO cute! I would love to give one to my 1 month old nephew because his name is MASON :) I can think of lots of fun things to do with it as a gift!
    ambethea@hotmail.com

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  22. Congrats on your new blog and I just love the mason jar that looks awesome.

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  23. love 'em....absolutely love 'em. but why stop at mason jars? there are scads of way cool jars out there and with this mimicked milk jar color...oh, man...look out world. i would love to win one of your loverly jars...love it.
    angelheartcottage@comcast.net

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  24. What a great idea!!! You've inspired me to redo some of my mason jars! Thanks!

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  25. It's a very cute mason jar. I love finding new craft blogs. Congrats on taking the plunge to do your own blog.

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  26. There are few things I love more than mason jars!

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  27. How cute! I love mason jars! Marciprinz @ gmail . Com

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  28. Michael says you are the MacGyver of crafts.

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  29. I love the look! I've done the cinnamon/coffee method making them look grungy but I love this too!

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  30. Very cute!! Love the blog!
    --Kim Hancock

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  31. How sweet and a great job! I think this would be a great center piece for Weddings! Thanks for sharing and I hope I WIN! My grandson name is "MASON" loving that jar! Blessings, Vicky

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  32. I love them very cute. I am also a new follower and have started blogging not long ago. Come check me out and follow back at funkymomcards.blogspot.com

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  33. I am a new follower and would LOVE to win a jar! (saves me time and money- um yes, sign me up!!!) I think these are adorable and if i don't win i might have to suck it up and do it! I'll def mention this on my blog!!! SO CUTE!

    Joon

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  34. Love the jars! Would be so cute in my friend's baby room. Her sons name is Mason!

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  35. Thanks for linking up at Time to Shine! I featured you here: http://adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.com/2011/02/time-to-shine-features-5.html

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  36. LOVE THESE JARS!!! you did GOOD!!!
    tonja68@gmail.com

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  37. What a great idea! Love the color and how it sticks.

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  38. Those are really cute! (But you don't have to enter me in the giveaway...I have no talent for decor!)

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  39. Fantastic idea, so simple, yet so adorable!

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  40. Great blog!! I am going to have to bookmark this one so I can check back often. :-)

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  41. Cute! I can't wait for it to warm up so I can spray again!

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  42. Oh wow, these jars look like they were inspired by the talented Alyssa Ettinger, I love her work! http://www.alyssaettinger.com

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  43. and speaking of...

    i'm glad you loved my mason jars enough to want to re-create them, i just wish you'd found a more honorable way to do so: an acknowledgment of the original artist, and a cool way to make your own.

    in that spirit, i wanted to explain to you why these items, and others from indie artists, carry the costs they do: (in your words, "The price was another story...")

    a plaster mold is made of each antique bottle, this painstakingly takes about a day. once the mold cures, bottles are hand-cast with liquid porcelain. (this costs about $23 a gallon.) when they're pulled from molds, which can make about 1-2 jars a day, they're trimmed and finished off. then, fired in a kiln to a temp of 1818. once this cools, jars are removed and glazed (glaze is about $38 per gallon). then, bottom decals are applied, and fired again for a longer time (2300 degrees). electrical cost of each kiln firing alone: $45. jars are then hand-polished and ready for sale.

    time, from beginning to end: at least a week. that's what warrants the very low price-tag of $39 for a food and dishwasher safe vase.

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  44. I just wanted to respond to some comments. The link is there, {THESE, in red}, sorry if anybody missed it. Please check out her website, it is wonderful! I hope you all enjoy your weekend!

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  45. Melissa - your jars are fabulous. How incredibly tacky for the "artist" to come and slam your blog after you hyperlinked to her site. Sounds like the amount of "gratitude" you displayed was not sufficient to her liking.

    I think your jars are fabulous and at a MUCH better price point.

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