There are so many ways to use mason jars in crafts.  Have you ever done a mason jar craft? I just love doing craft projects with them because they are inexpensive and so versatile! Today I have a round up of mason jar crafts that go from functional to decorative to just plain fun to create!  They are great to give as gifts as well as keep and enjoy yourself.  So, let’s get crafting!

I remember doing my first mason jar craft when I was in elementary school in the 70s. We made Christmas presents by tearing small pieces of masking tape and covering the entire outside of the mason jar with them.  Then we used an old rag to wipe brown shoe polish all over the jars.  

Once the excess was wiped off, it gave the jars a “leather/suede” look.  Well…kind of…  🙂 Sorry, mom and dad for that Christmas present.  Ranked right up there with a bunch of macaroni frames and necklaces I have made over the years. But, if done right, it can look nice, though, see?

But, let’s move on to the AWESOME mason jar crafts, shall we?

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First of all, no matter what type of crafts you will be doing, you gotta start with the mason jars! For these projects, I chose the standard canning pint (16 oz.) jars.  But there are many different sizes. Here is the link to my favorite mason jars on Amazon.

Now that you have your jars, let’s get started!

There are so many ways to use mason jars to decorate seasonally!

1. Snowy January.

Spray the mason jars with glitter blast spray paint in cool blues and frosty whites. Embellish with white florals, pinecones, and snowflakes. A lovely pop of color in bleak January.

2. Valentine’s Day.

Attach a heart-shaped stencil then paint your mason jar red or pink. Add a sweet Valentine-inspired ribbon or twine and fill with battery-powered string lights for romantic mood lighting.

And here are some great ideas for sweets for your Valentine sweetie.

By the way, are your craft supplies a jumbled mess? Get a FREE copy of my top ways to organize them below. 👇

3. Easter.

Simply paint your jars with fun pastel colors for a fun Easter egg look. Distress the jars and add colorful Easter grass for a fun finishing touch!

4. Patriotic holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July or Veteran’s Day.

Paint your jars in patriotic colors to make a sweet tabletop centerpiece. You simply paint one jar in blue with white stripes and the other two with red and white stripes. Fill with white flowers and add raffia ribbon around the necks. Easy and fun!

Here are some fun DIY patriotic wreaths you can make, too!

5. Summer.

Bring home some sand and a few shells from your summer beach trip.  Add them, along with a beachy picture to create a great memory jar!

(Living in Florida, I really love this one!)

6. Fall.

Nothing says Fall like a sweet little scarecrow!

This sweet little scarecrow is a brown painted mason jar with button eyes and painted on face. His hat is made from burlap ribbon and a colorful silk sunflower. And his hair is wisps of straw. So cute!

Here are some other fun fall crafts (including another Fall-inspired mason jar) to get you in the mood for autumn!

7. Halloween.

Yum! Candy corn!

The easiest of all Halloween decor! Use a sponge to dab on the color for a delightfully mottled appearance. And then simply tie on a decorative Halloween ribbon!

8. Thanksgiving.

This uses silk leaves glued onto the mason jar. I love the muted colors and soft glow!  Instructions are also included in the post fabulous Fall leaf crafts.

By the way, are you in charge of Thanksgiving dinner? Grab our free menu planner below.

9. And Christmas.

Berries, the scent of pine, soft light and snow. Beautiful! The secret to these gorgeous little lanterns is the Buffalo snow. The Buffalo snow is pasted on the jars using good old mod podge!

But mason jars can be functional, too!  Use them around the house.

Ready to get organized? Get your free guide of 10 fast and easy ways to get organized for under $10 below, created by a professional organizer (me 😊).

10. In the bathroom to keep things organized.

The secret is to use hose clamps to secure the jars to the wood. It keeps them nice and tight. I love the rustic look of the wood mixed with the industrial hose clamps! And the bonus is that now all of these items are up and off the counter – giving you more space.

See other ways to use your bathroom walls for storage in this post.

11. You can also make cute sports-themed bathroom accessories!

These would look so cute in the kids’ bathroom! They also make soap pump dispensers specifically to fit on mason jars. How convenient!

12. Here’s a sweet little pin cushion for your sewing room!

A fun and easy project for your sewing room! Cut a round piece of fabric, slightly larger than the lid opening. Fill it with poly fil and push the cap down to secure. Use the jar from storing buttons or other sewing notions.

As both an avid crafter and pro organizer, I love helping people get their craft rooms organized. Here are some of my favorite ways to organize your craft space!

13. Use a mason jar to make a dog treat and leash holder.

So easy! The base is a scrap piece of wood, painted and distressed, with a couple of painted paw prints. Add a hook like this whimsical dog-shaped one to hold your dog’s leash and attach a mason jar to the wood using a hose clip. So cute and functional at the same time.

Here are some other ways to organize all of your fur baby’s things!

14. Having a get-together? Use this rustic silverware/utensil caddy made from mason jars to dress up your table.

Attach 4 painted and distressed mason jars to a center piece of wood with hose clips for an elegant yet practical way to store silverware, straws, and napkins at your next picnic or party.

There are also lots of ways you can repurpose mason jars and put them to work!

15. Click here or on the image below to watch a video tutorial of 4 great ways to reuse them.

16. I love cooking with fresh herbs, so this mason jar herb garden is wonderful!

And this is the perfect little basket to hold them so you can move them to the sunny spots of your home!

If you’re not a gardener, but know someone who is, check out some more gift ideas for your favorite gardener.

17. Mason jars can even make a gorgeous chandelier!

This doesn’t have directions on how to make it, but I think this is gorgeous and just had to include it. The top is an old wagon wheel!

Do you love outdoor chandeliers? Me, too! Here is one I repurposed into a bird feeder! See it and other fun bird feeder ideas here.

18. I love this grouping of individual lanterns that use Christmas lights.

(And these do have the directions on how to make them!) It’s very easy, using burlap ribbon to tie the jars together and white lights to make that lovely glow!

19. Or use mason jars to create these lovely simple hanging vases.

These are hung up with twine onto Command hooks.  So pretty!

Here are 15 other clever ways to use Command hooks!

Just plain fun ways to use mason jars!

20. Who wouldn’t want a Mickey or Minnie money bank to save up for their trip to Disney?

This is another fun craft to do with the kiddos! The ears and bow are made from sheets of craft foam!

21. How about these fun gumball/candy jars?

They are made with a candlestick bottom.  Check your local garage sales or thrift stores to pick up a few. What a fun and easy project!

22. Can’t have (or don’t want) pets? How about a DIY aquarium that even lights up?

Add your rocks, plastic aquarium plants, and plastic fish. Fill the jar almost to the top with blue-dyed water. The secret for the eerie glow is to attach a water-proof battery-powered tea light to the underside of the lid! (I didn’t even know those existed!)

23. I love the look of these awesome mason jar Bohemian lanterns.

These lanterns are painted on the inside for a soft color. The decorations are made with gold 3-D puffy paint and colored rhinestones. Add a tea light for a gorgeous little lantern.

24. Ridiculously easy outdoor luminaries made from mason jars and other jars.

And here is a really easy way to make stunning votive luminaries using rubber bands and spray paint! Clever!

Here are some more great ways to upgrade your yard with stunning DIY outdoor decor projects.

25. And of course, I am sure you’ve seen (or maybe received) layered cookie mixes packed in a mason jar as a gift.

Well, here are a whole bunch of recipes to make your own!

Can you believe there are so many ways to do mason jars crafts?

And, browsing on Pinterest, I found tons more! So, grab some mason jars and get crafting!

~ Pam

P.S.  So, looking back, what were some of the crafts you made in elementary school?  I remember we also made candles in coffee cans.  And definitely let me know if you ever made one of those “leather” jars! 🙂