We've been seeing a lot of antique blue canning jars used as centerpiece vases and love the casual country vibe they create. Colored jars were originally considered more appropriate for canning use, as they block some light from reaching the food, which helps to retain flavor and nutritional value. New mason jars are made from clear glass and you have to hunt through thrift stores or Ebay to find the aqua blue colored jars. But there is a way to get that look yourself...
We found this fantastic way to create these blue jars by using glass paint! Vitrea 160 is a glass paint that will allow you to turn the clear canning jars that antique aqua color. You can buy a case of wide mouth ball jars from Amazon for only $13.49. These would also look great filled with candles!
Full project details and instructions, on Bridal Buzz.
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Image: Hugh Forte via Once Wed
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Very cool. I just bought some awesome 60s-era dishes with a turquoise and gray pattern and was eying the aqua mason jars at every antique store I was in. This will be an excellent thrifty way to up my turquoise/aqua accessories.
view LSUgrad03's profile
Do they have green glass paint?
view monarda's profile
Do you paint the outside? I wouldn't want to can in painted jars!
view Charlotte's profile
I wouldn't use painted jars for canning at all. Even if you paint the outside, the boiling water bath may wreck the paint.
view holydita's profile
These become purely decorative, you wouldn't want to can in them afterward, you wouldn't even really see the color once they're filled with foodstuffs and it would make the foodstuffs look unappetizing.
Glass paint comes in a wide range of colors and, just like other paints, you can mix colors for your own distinct hue. You just need to be careful with some of the very dark colors but I can't imagine you'd want evenly deep dark black jars... g.
view Rucy's profile
Yay, thanks!
view mabaihua's profile