DIY Pink Ombre Distressed Mason Jars

The baby is due in a few short weeks (holy crap!) and we still have a lot of work to do on the nursery. We aren’t too stressed about it though because the baby will be sleeping in a bassinet in our room for the first month or so. There’s really no rush to finish except for the fact that I am nesting hard-core and want to finish as many tasks as possible before she arrives.

I recently came across this DIY tutorial from masonjarcraftslove.com on how to make pink gradient mason jars. Be sure to check out her blog! She also has an Etsy store where she sells the mason jars she paints and decorates so if DIY isn’t your jam you can purchase them already painted and distressed!

As soon as I saw her post I knew that I wanted to try to make these. I’m not the craftiest person around but I enjoy a good challenge!

Step 1: Clean the jars

Use rubbing alcohol first to remove any oils and then give them a good rinse. Make sure they are completely dry before starting to paint them.

Step 2: Mix the paint

Start with white and add a few drops of pink (or whatever colour you are using) until you get the three shades you want. The colour will dry slightly darker so my advice is to go a little lighter than you might think. For the darkest pink I added about a teaspoon of the pink paint and for the lightest pink I only added two drops. You can play around and find the ratio that you like best!

Step 3: Apply two coats of paint

Start painting from the top down. Once you get to the middle (just under the Ball logo) turn the jar upside down to finish the rest. Once the paint is dry to the touch, apply a second coat. Make sure to smooth over the brush strokes when your done so they all go in the same direction.

Step 4: Let them dry overnight

If you are anything like me you’ll want to rush this part. Waiting is the worst! But if you don’t follow this step the paint could start to peel once you begin distressing the jars, so just be patient. No touchy!

Step 5: Sand ’em

Use 100 grit sandpaper to sand all the raised areas and around the rim and bottom. You can even use it to add some “wear” anywhere you want to make it look more distressed. Then you can use a nail file to go in and finely sand the logo or any other areas you want to have more of a worn look.

Step 6: Seal it

Spray with two coats of a sealer in whatever finish you want. Be sure to let the first coat dry thoroughly before applying the second layer. I used a matte sealer but you can also use satin or glossy. Whatever your heart desires.

And that’s it! As I said, I am not very crafty but this project was pretty simple even for me. If I can do it, so can you!

I’m happy with how these turned out. The colour ended up being a bit too pink for the nursery (the colour scheme is more coral) so I ended up putting these in the bedroom instead. Are any of you as obsessed with mason jars as I am? I use them for decor projects like this but also for storing my makeup brushes and of course for beverages. I haven’t gotten into canning yet but they will definitely get some use then as well!

What’s your favourite use for mason jars? Let me know in the comments!