I loved the chalkboard spice jars that Alayna was Buzzing About in our last issue of Prairie Hive magazine so I decided to just make some myself out of the many jars I’ve saved. I keep them for everything from spices and pantry goods in the kitchen to buttons and beads in the craft room. They’re also great for office supplies such as paper clips, stamps, and pins and I think that’s where mine are destined (for now at least).
I planned on just using everything I already owned, cute jars that used to have spreads in them, spray paint, sealer and borrowed chalkboard paint (that stuff goes a long way!). So I started with white spray metal primer, but I would definitely recommend getting paint made for glass. I bet you’d get a much smoother finish. I ended up painting with artist’s acrylic paint about half way into the coverage and then sealed it with some clear satin spray sealer. Everything ended up working out fine, but I think the right materials would have made it go much faster.
You can almost see how grainy the metal spray primer is. I had to go and wipe off between each coat because it pilled up. I think I put on two or three more coats after this shot before I gave up and painted them.
I just taped off simple squares since my jars were so curvy already. I am thinking about going back with a black paint pen and dressing them up with little frames.
I apologize for not staging these in their rightful home, but as I was waiting for paint to dry this morning and desperately looking for the one piece of chalk that lives in this house somewhere, I decided I wouldn’t keep you waiting any longer.
If I do get around to updating them, painting the lids (I have a light turquoise I want to try) or framing the chalk board, I’ll be sure to let you know!
Anyone else have any more success attempting a recreation of something you found and admired while shopping? I’d love to see pictures.
Roxanne D
A self-employed home renovator and interior designer, Roxanne is living in her third 1920s-era home in one of Tulsa’s oldest neighborhoods. A small-town Oklahoma girl at heart, she has also lived in Australia, which helped inspire her love of design. Roxanne loves sewing, knitting, crocheting, repurposing furniture and salvaging architectural pieces. She loves to tackle a do-it-yourself project, no matter how small or large. As our very own “granola girl”, Roxanne dreams about designing everything from dresses to gardens to her day, whatever comes across her path.
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Love this! Think I just found a new way to label my homemade beewax lotion jars! Thanks, Roxanne.
Can you paint plastic coffee jugs? I would like to store: crayons, markers, etc. in them.
We should try that! Now that they make spray paint for plastic surfaces, it might work
Dawn, I also thought it might be super easy to just paint the lids in chalkboard paint! And you can make any color you want with a DIY version. http://www.marthastewart.com/271574/custom-color-chalkboard-paint
You probably have everything for this at your house