Create A Gorgeous Personalized Flower Vase With This Creative Mason Jar DIY

If you're looking for fresh ways to reuse old glass jars, this easy DIY project will turn your Mason jars into bright, beautiful, colored flower vases with a picture frame "window" in the front. You can make the window any size and shape you want and fill it with an image or pattern of your choice. The result is a personalized flower vase that only takes about an hour of work (but doesn't look like it). The materials you'll need are affordable and easy to find — you probably have most of them on hand already. 

Although this Mason jar DIY is quite simple, there are many ways to customize it to suit your taste and decor. You can choose the color of the vase, the size and shape of the clear glass window, and the image(s) you put inside it if you decide to do so. You can use your vase to showcase anything from fresh-cut garden flowers to pens and pencils. If you're so inclined, you can make a set of coordinating vases to create an eye-catching centerpiece. Or, instead of using it as a vase, fill the jar with candy or bath salts for a birthday or Mother's Day present or as a creative housewarming gift that any person will love.

First, choose your paint color. You can find paints designed for use on glass at crafts stores or purchase a sample jar of interior paint or a can of spray paint from your local hardware store. You'll also need paintbrushes (unless you're using spray paint), painter's tape, and clear spray paint to cover the finished vase.  Next, determine what kind of sticker you'll use to create the clear section where your photo or image will be displayed. The easiest route is to make a rectangle or diamond shape using painter's tape. You can cut a customized shape from adhesive vinyl if you own a cutting machine. Alternately, make a square from the painter's tape and use scissors to cut the edges into a more creative shape.

You'll also need to choose an image to put in the "window" of your personalized flower vase. This is a great place to display your favorite photo, but you may want to print a few and test them first to see which one fits best. And you're not limited to photos. You could use a piece of decorative paper, a swatch of fabric that you love, or homemade art made from pressed flowers for decor. Let your imagination run wild!

Start by thoroughly washing and drying your old Mason jar. Then, place your painter's tape or vinyl shape in the middle of the jar and press it down firmly. Turn your jar upside-down and apply your paint to cover the outside of the jar. Remove the tape or vinyl sticker immediately; if you wait until the paint dries, it will be harder to remove. Let the paint dry for an hour or so. If you're going for a vintage look, you may want to distress the paint on your jar by lightly scuffing with sandpaper or a metal file. This optional step is a great way to bring out the raised lettering or images if your jar has them. Afterward, protect your paint job from future scrapes and scratches by coating the outside in clear spray paint. Once that's dry, take your image of choice, cut it to size, and use clear tape to stick it in place inside the jar. Now, your vase is ready to use! 

Planning to keep fresh flowers in your new vase? Remember that putting water directly in the vase will ruin the photo inside the clear glass window. Instead, place a smaller waterproof container inside the vase (plastic cups work well because you can easily trim them if needed). Add flowers and carefully pour water into the cup. Now, your personalized flower vase is ready to brighten up your space.