Painted Apple Mason Jar

Painted Apple Mason Jar – Back To School Teacher Gift Ideas with Mason Jars

So I walk into Target the other day and …

BAM!

I’m hit over the head with back-to-school stuff.

Giant banners swinging to and fro. Displays of notebooks and pens and pencils and crayons crowd the front entry. A dedicated section that once showed me aspirational summer porch layouts … and had me drooling over various lanterns and pillows and table settings … have been replaced with boring old back-to-school “stuff.”

Nothing aspirational about that!

But for those of us in blogging land, it was like someone dropped an anvil on my head.

Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.

Oh, yeah. I better start making some fall inspired crafts. Starting with the first “fall” milestone: Back-to-School.

So here I am. Presenting you all with a back-to-school mason jar craft idea …

in mid-July. Sigh.

And it’s not just any old day in mid-July. No, no, no, no, no. Today is the day (in Chicago, at least) that we are anxiously awaiting our first heat wave of the summer. Temps in the 90’s and a heat index over 100.

Fun times!

And yet, here I am presenting you with a back-to-school teacher gift idea of a painted apple mason jar …

even though apple picking season is still months away. 😉

Hey, I blame it on Target!

How to Make a Painted Apple Mason Jar Teacher Gift

Materials*

Pint Size Ball Regular Mouth Mason Jars

80 Grit Sandpaper

White Paint (I used Rust-Oleum White Chalked Paint but you can use acrylic paint too)

Americana Primary Red Acrylic Paint

FolkArt Bright Green Acrylic Paint

FolkArt Real Brown Acrylic Paint

Americana Snow (Titanium) White Acrylic Paint

Paint Brushes (I use the small brush in this set of three to paint the jar, for the apples and stems I use brushes from this set)

Toothpicks

Matte Spray Sealant (this is my favorite since it doesn’t discolor/yellow the white paint)

Start with two coats of white paint (you can use chalk or acrylic paint). Let dry overnight between coats.

Once completely dry, use 80 grit sandpaper to distress along raised lettering, numbers, etc. and along the rim.

When using chalk paint, I give the jar a quick Swiffer after distressing.

Using paint brush, add a dot of red to jar.

Add a second dot of red, overlapping the first. This forms the base of the apple.

I used Americana Primary Red to make the apples.

Using a fine tipped brush, add stems. I used FolkArt Real Brown paint.

Using a toothpick, make leaves. Start at base of stem and pull out.

I used FolkArt Bright Green to make the leaves.

Using a toothpick, add a small white highlight to upper part of apple.

I use American Snow (Titanium) White paint for the highlight.

The final step is to give them a clear coat of matte spray.

This is my favorite matte spray product. It doesn’t yellow. It doesn’t drip.

Add some pencils … or flowers … and you’ll have the perfect gift for teacher on the first day of school to ensure your child is the Teacher’s Pet!

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