DIY: vintage pictures and mason jars

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I was in one of my favorite stores when I saw a line a of mason jars sitting on a shelf as decoration. It was a few weeks before our wedding (we planned it in only three months anyway), and I was still trying to think of what to use for the centerpieces in the big, rustic log cabin style lodge. When I walked over and took a closer look at what was inside, I saw each jar held a different antique print, the kind you'd see in a family heirloom album while rummaging through your grandparents dusty boxes. I knew I'd found exactly what I wanted to do, so I asked the girls to share the secret and they told me: vegetable oil.

Here's the original post I created to share how I created these for our day. Two years later these same jars are sitting in my office, and while I'm now editing other people's wedding photographs I can look over and be reminded of how incredible our day was too. The images have held up better than I had hoped, bleeding a little at the edges and becoming a little more translucent, but in my opinion it's only getting better with age.

Enjoy!

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I thought I'd pass along this simple but amazing DIY project that I put together for our centerpieces. It's a super easy 3-step project that adds a vintage touch while allowing family, baby, or engagement pictures to be incorporated into your reception decor.

Supplies you'll need:


•Quart sized mason jar with lid (I used a mixture of new and old jars from the 70's)
•Black and white 4x6 picture trimmed to fit. (I printed mine at my local Walgreens)
•Vegetable oil
•Dried flowers (optional)

1.) Insert your picture into the mason jar and pour enough vegetable oil to cover completely.

2.) Put some dried flowers on the opposite side of the picture. I chose lavender, essential oil anyone? Yum, it smelled good!

3.) Tighten the lid up and it's done! The vegetable oil will suspend the picture inside the jar without penetrating it, causing it to look aged and slightly transparent. A total vintage look of old yellowed pictures from the past.

Remember, you can take any spin on this you want, but there's a beauty in the natural look of a black and white image in sepia toned oil. Good luck creating yours!