A Beautiful Mason Jar Makeover with a Tissue Insert
Have you ever wanted to make a mason jar tissue holder that actually works and looks pretty enough to leave out on display?
In this tutorial, Donna from Mason Creations etc. turns a plain wide-mouth mason jar into a lavender-themed tissue dispenser with decoupage, textured stenciling, molded clay details, soft antiquing, and metallic shimmer.
The best part is the insert. Instead of cutting cardboard or felt, Donna uses a simple mason jar plant-growing lid insert to create a clean tissue dispenser opening.
Watch the video below to see Donna create the full mason jar tissue holder, then follow the steps to make your own.
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Materials You Can Shop Here
You can shop the featured finishes and supplies below, then use the tutorial steps to bring the project together.
- Mason Jar Lid Insert
- Polyvine Heavy Duty Varnish
- Polyvine Multi Surface Lacquer
- Floral Rice Paper
- Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint
- Pentart Acrylic Paint
- Stencils & Stencil Spray Adhesive
- Chalk Paste
- Air Dry Clay
- Silicone Molds
- Adhesives
- Antiquing & Wax Rub
- Brushes & Tools
Also Needed
Wide mouth mason jar, ribbon, cup cradle, tissue paper.
Step 1: Start with a Wide-Mouth Mason Jar
Use a 1-quart wide-mouth mason jar.
The insert Donna uses at the end of the project fits a wide-mouth jar, so this detail matters.
Wipe the jar with alcohol to remove dust, oil, and fingerprints before adding any finish or paint.
Step 2: Apply a Gripping Layer
Brush the jar with Polyvine Multi-Surface Lacquer in a Dead Flat finish.
This removes the shine from the glass and creates a bonding layer so the paint will be less likely to chip or peel.
For best results, let the lacquer dry overnight.
Step 3: Paint the Jar White
Paint the jar with Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Cotton.
Donna applies two coats to make the surface fully opaque. A white or very light background is important under rice paper or napkins because it keeps the printed colors bright and clear.
Avoid painting the jar threads so the lid can still screw on properly. Paint as close to the threads as you can, and remove any small slips later if needed.
Let the paint dry for about 30 minutes.
Step 4: Prepare the Rice Paper
Choose the rice paper image you want for the front of the jar.
Use a water brush to separate the image from the rest of the sheet. Tear away as much of the white background as possible.
Torn edges create a soft, feathered edge that blends more easily than a sharp cut edge.
Step 5: Add Small Tears for the Rounded Jar
Because the jar curves slightly at the top and bottom, the rice paper may need help laying flat.
Make small tears at all four corners of the image, about half an inch long. These little sections will overlap when the paper is applied, allowing the image to lie smoothly against the rounded glass.
Even though the tears go through the image, they become nearly invisible once decoupaged.
Step 6: Decoupage the Image
Use Polyvine Heavy Duty Wood Varnish in Satin as your decoupage adhesive.
Line up the rice paper image on the jar, lift one edge, and begin applying varnish. Press the paper down gently and continue working across the image.
Make sure the corners overlap smoothly and lay flat.
Step 7: Smooth the Rice Paper
Mist a piece of plastic from a cut storage bag with water and lay it over the newly decoupaged image.
Use a folded paper towel to gently rub out bubbles and wrinkles, working from the center outward in all directions.
Lift the plastic carefully so it does not pull up the rice paper.
Let the image dry for a couple of hours.
Step 8: Seal the Image Edges
Once the rice paper is dry, brush varnish over the image, paying close attention to the edges.
This step is important before paint blending. Sealed edges prevent the paper from grabbing the paint and making the edge line more obvious.
Let the varnish dry for about one hour.
Step 9: Blend the Lavender Background
Mix Pentart Purple with Dixie Belle Magnolia until the color matches the lavender tones in the rice paper.
Apply the paint with a brush, then dab with a damp sponge. The water on the sponge helps the paint blend and gives it a slightly translucent look.
Bring the blended paint slightly over the edge of the rice paper. This helps the rice paper and painted background merge together naturally.
Go back and forth between lavender and magnolia until the blend looks soft and even.
Step 10: Paint the Back of the Jar
Carry the lavender and magnolia blend around the back of the jar.
Donna starts by dabbing lavender paint over the back, then blends in magnolia with a wet sponge. If the paint becomes too watery, blot the excess with a dry part of the sponge.
Use the lavender paint to cover any white near the top, staying close to the threads.
Let the paint dry for about 30 minutes.
Step 11: Varnish the Painted Jar
Apply a coat of varnish over the entire jar to protect the paint blending.
Let the varnish dry for about one hour.
Step 12: Add Textured Stenciling
Spray the back of your stencil with repositionable stencil adhesive, such as Pixie Spray, and let it dry for about 10 minutes.
Position the stencil on the curved jar and use painter’s tape to help hold it in place.
Apply ReDesign Chalk Paste in Dusty Plum with a palette knife. Donna does not cover the entire jar; she adds the texture here and there for a soft decorative effect.
Wash your stencil right away so the paste does not dry in the pattern.
Let the stenciling dry for several hours.
Step 13: Create Clay Embellishments
Press DAS air-dry clay into your molds and scrape away the excess with a palette knife.
Smooth the clay with a little water, then place the filled mold in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Freezing helps the clay release easily without breaking delicate details.
Remove the clay from the mold as soon as it comes out of the freezer. While the pieces are still somewhat firm, smooth the edges and remove any extra bits of clay.
Step 14: Attach the Clay While Damp
Use Aleene’s Tacky Glue to attach the molded clay pieces while they are still damp.
Damp clay can bend and conform to the curve of the jar as it dries.
Donna adds lavender sprigs and leaves around the bottom of the jar, along with dragonflies. If any glue seeps out, remove it with a clean damp brush and gently press the clay edges down.
Step 15: Paint the Lavender and Leaves
Paint the lavender sprigs with Pentart Purple.
Paint the leaves with Pentart Country Green, a muted green that works well with the lavender tones.
Once dry, use a light lavender paint to dry brush the raised areas of the lavender sprigs. Dip just the tip of the brush into the paint, wipe most of it off on a paper towel, and lightly skim the high points.
This adds dimension without filling the cracks and crevices.
Step 16: Paint the Dragonflies
Mix a dark eggplant purple with Pentart Dark Blue and water to create a translucent color for the wing tips.
Then mix Tuscan Red, Pentart Purple, and water for the center of the wings and body area.
Apply the darker color to the wing tips and blot with a soft dry cloth so some of the white clay shows through. Add the purple-red mixture near the center and overlap the colors so they blend together.
Let the paint dry.
Step 17: Seal Before Antiquing
Apply a coat of varnish over the entire jar.
This protects the painted details and prepares the surface for antiquing. A sealed surface allows the antiquing medium to wipe away from the high areas while staying in the recessed details.
Let the varnish dry for about one hour.
Step 18: Antique the Details
Thin FolkArt Antiquing Medium in Wooden Bucket Brown with a few sprays of water.
Brush the antique over the jar and embellishments, working in sections. Wipe it away right away with a soft dry cloth.
The antique settles into the molded clay details and stenciled texture, making the embellishments look more dimensional.
Add a little antique around the bottom of the jar and under the rim for a softly distressed look.
Let the antique dry for about one hour.
Step 19: Apply the Final Varnish
Brush a final coat of varnish over the jar and let it dry for about one hour.
If any paint is on the jar threads, Donna removes it with the scrubby side of a kitchen sponge so the lid works properly.
Step 20: Add Metallic Wax
Use Finnabair Metallique Wax in White Gold to add a soft glow.
Rub a small amount between your finger and thumb, then lightly apply it to the dragonflies, lavender, leaves, and the top and bottom edges of the jar.
Wax does not need to be sealed, so it should be one of the last decorative steps.
Step 21: Paint the Tissue Insert
Donna uses a black plastic mason jar plant-growing lid insert as the tissue dispenser insert.
To make it match the jar, coat the insert with Polyvine Multi-Surface Lacquer and let it dry for a few hours.
Paint it to coordinate with the jar, then seal it with varnish and let it dry.
Step 22: Assemble the Tissue Dispenser
Remove the sealing disc from the mason jar lid.
Place the painted plant-growing insert into the threaded screw band.
Remove the tissues from their plastic packaging and place them lengthwise inside the jar. Pull the first tissue up through the hole in the insert, then screw the lid onto the jar.
That is all it takes to turn the decorated mason jar into a working tissue holder.
A Pretty and Practical Mason Jar Makeover
This project is both decorative and useful. The lavender rice paper gives the jar a soft focal point, while the stenciling, clay lavender, dragonflies, antiquing, and metallic wax add texture and depth.
The plant-growing insert is the clever detail that makes the tissue dispenser simple to assemble and easy to use.
A special thank-you to Donna from Mason Creations etc. for sharing this creative mason jar tissue holder and showing each step so clearly.
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