Ok you guys. This was actually a bonus How-To project. It wasn’t one we were really planning on (ok, it wasn’t one our leaders-of-crafts Elizabeth and Emily were planning), and it wasn’t part of one of our tablescapes. But it was an idea I’d been dying to try for forever, so one evening, after a lot of wine, I talked everyone into trying it out. I think you’ll agree, my wine-bribing was worth it.
The Conclusion: This project is so easy (other than the goddamn Goo Gone scrubbing), essentially free… and it looks so damn good it’s crazy. I mean, the pictures don’t even capture it. This project is great for affordable wedding centerpieces, but it’s also great if you’re looking to decorate a party area with long outdoor ledges or edges that need to be filled with pretty things. Also, we’re totally going to be using this idea for summer backyard parties at our new place.
So here is the scoop. Collect a bunch of jars, quite possibly in different shapes. This also works brilliantly with clear wine bottles, if you’re looking to create a long edging line. Once you have your collection, get out your Goo Gone and start scrubbing. And scrubbing and scrubbing. (Don’t save this for a few days before the wedding or party, because you’ll notice from my defeated posture in the photos that some manufacturers seem to put their labels on with cement, and I hate them.) Then, once your labels are off, begin the mad artsy scientist part of the project. Fill your jars with water, and then add food coloring to create colors you like. Experiment. Then add a few drops of milk to some of the jars to vary the look.
Display with the light of the sun during the day, or tea-lights at night. And pat yourself on the back for making something so pretty out of free materials.
Photos by: Emily Takes Photos, Crafting by Meg, Elizabeth of Lowe House Events, and APW Editor Kate, Graphic Design by Michelle Edgemont (all APW advertisers).
This post includes Sponsors, who are a key part of supporting APW. For more information, see our Directory pages for Emily Takes Photos, Lowe House Events, and Michelle Edgemont.
This is definitely one for Mason Jar Junkie ;)
May 3, 2012 9:45 am
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Oh, do NOT say that!!! I am the farthest thing EVAR from a Mason Jar Junkie, and I like this. Also, it looks pretty sleek and chic with wine bottles.
May 3, 2012 9:46 am
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Skip the Goo Gone and soak the glasses/bottles in a bucket of water with Oxi Clean for a few hours or more — the labels will fall off! No scrubbing!
May 3, 2012 9:46 am
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Agreed. I’ve had success with just leaving them in a sink of warm, soapy water for a few hours, and using the back of a butter knife to just lightly scrape off any particularly stubborn glue.
May 3, 2012 9:51 am
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I skipped the Oxy Clean and just soaked (wine and beer) bottles in hot water for a few hours. Some labels fell off, and some needed a bit of encouragement, but nothing more than a bit of scrubbing with a sponge.
Anyway, this looks so easy, I might just have to try it! (Though not for the wedding. Because I am already almost done DIYing my was-supposed-to-be-easy-but-turned-out-to-be-super-complicated centerpieces.)
May 3, 2012 9:54 am
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We actually put them all in the bathtub overnight with warm water and some squirts of dishwashing liquid. Anything that didn’t just fall right off was easily scrubbed w Goo Gone and a metal scouring pad.
May 3, 2012 10:04 am
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Blasting them with hot air from a hair dryer also helps loosen the glue.
May 3, 2012 10:53 am
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A cup of ammonia in a bucket of water – 20 minutes, easy-peasy!
May 3, 2012 10:55 am
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That’s what the homebrewers do: works great.
May 3, 2012 11:05 am
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Also, little utility razors (usually for paint scraping) can help with stubborn bits.
May 3, 2012 11:49 am
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I just took labels off 40 jars and wine bottles last weekend! Since I didn’t want to buy Goo-Gone, I just soaked in the sink and then used a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil to get off any leftover glue. Worked really well!
This is so pretty. Now I’m re-thinking my centerpieces for the wedding in 3 weeks!
May 3, 2012 12:52 pm
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WD 40 also works really well!
May 3, 2012 1:05 pm
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Aaand that prompts me to seek out all sorts of chemicals in Forrest’s shop. Brake cleaner anyone? (Seriously, put on gloves but that shit takes off EVERYTHING.)
May 3, 2012 1:47 pm
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Rubbing alcohol is also great for getting off residue. I tend to soak in hot soapy water first, and rubbing alcohol off whatever remains.
Why yes, I oddly DO take off a lot of labels. Strange hobbies, I guess…
May 3, 2012 1:49 pm
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Oooh pretty! I like it with the candle in the middle!
May 3, 2012 9:55 am
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I’m missing something. How do you put the candles in when there’s the liquid in the jar? Or does the color somehow magically stay after the liquid is poured out?
May 3, 2012 10:10 am
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Um. Cough. You put the candles behind the jars, not in the water. The latter is not going to work well ;)
May 3, 2012 10:11 am
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That makes so much more sense. I also came up with floating candles for wide-mouth jars.
May 3, 2012 10:12 am
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I had the same thought when I saw that picture : )
May 3, 2012 10:29 am
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Or you could get LED submersible lights (I think we paid like $9/dozen for them), which is what we did for our reception. Some of our centerpieces were varying sized vases with blue water in them. Then we dropped a blue LED submersible light in them. Very pretty, although I don’t know if anyone has a picture of it. :(
May 3, 2012 10:41 am
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So pretty! “Watercolors” was my fake wedding theme, my cop-out way of picking colors. I spray painted cheap vases to look like ombre, just do more layers around the base and a ligher/further touch towards the top. I also saw a trick on tv of adding food coloring to mod podge, swirling that inside the jar, and letting it dry. So many options!
May 3, 2012 10:20 am
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Or, if you work at a daycare in a baby room, you can just dig through the recycling everyday and snag all of the glass babyfood jars. So cute and small and easily transportable!
May 3, 2012 10:38 am
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Ahhhh!! Totally gonna have a party now, JUST TO USE the baby food jars in this fantastic manner.
May 3, 2012 11:08 am
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Beautiful! Definitely filing this away for summer backyard parties :-)
May 3, 2012 11:20 am
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I made two of these (with lids) that sit on my toilet tank for decoration :) Every few months I clean them out and replace with a fresh combo of colours. (Note: the food colouring does mould/allow growth over time, probably due to the sugar content?) Wish I had thought of doing something like this for our wedding!
May 3, 2012 11:39 am
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Am I crazy to be missing my wedding really bad right now? I loved all of the projects–it was an explosion of meaningful creativity and resourcefulness–with a budget to boot!
…and I miss it. Sigh.
May 3, 2012 1:20 pm
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I don’t want anyone to blow up, but I use lemon scented lighter fluid to wipe off label goo. Just a bit on a paper towel will easily and fully clean several labels off, then rinse jar off in soapy water. Lighter fluid can also be used to remove grease stains on clothes!
May 3, 2012 1:50 pm
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If I saw these at a wedding, I’d probably think “ooh, fruit juice!” and try to drink ‘em. Cute, though!
May 3, 2012 3:32 pm
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Are you saying that you would actually pick up a random jar/vase off a table and drink the liquid in it? That just seems pretty unlikely to me.
May 4, 2012 12:05 am
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They could be “alternative” punch bowls; I see this as a distinct hazard as well.
May 4, 2012 12:45 am
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Rachel, ha! I hear you. Especially with kids around, that is a distinct possibility. Or me, after drinking a bit.
I bet you could make the lids all perdy pretty easily, though. Then the “grab and drink” instinct would at least be stalled. ;)
May 4, 2012 1:29 pm
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I love it! I’ve been pondering centerpieces.. This might be it. We’ve been saving tequila and whiskey bottles for awhile (does that sound bad?) and my darling suggested using with candles, which I don’t think will go inside so well, but the colored water is great. Candles next to or in amongst is a bonus.
Also, if you shop at a co-op foods kinda place (like the one where i work :) where they sell lots of liquids in bulk (honey, olive oil, etc.) they may have a collection of jars, brought in by customers, for customers, in all shapes and sizes, for free.
May 3, 2012 4:05 pm
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I couldn’t find the right jars when putting together jar-based centerpieces, I bought them from a wholesaler online. They were dirt cheap.
May 4, 2012 10:27 am
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This is exactly what we are preparing for!! We’ve been accumulating pickle jars for a couple of months ;)
May 4, 2012 1:47 pm
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So pretty… I wish there was a way to keep the colour onto the bottles/jars without the water! Then you could put some lights in them :-)
May 14, 2012 10:45 am
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LEMON or LAVENDER essential oils take labels off – they are natural and smell awesome. Can be found in heath food stores or online. You only need a few drops. With the rest of the bottle you can dab on the tablecloths to scent them. Both are antibacterial as well. :-)
February 24, 2013 6:16 pm
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