A Shabby Chic Glow-Up: Painting Old Mason Jar Lids in Soft Pastels

 

A Shabby Chic Glow-Up: Painting Old Mason Jar Lids in Soft Pastels DIY.

You know that moment when you’re tidying your craft space and you start putting things into the op shop pile… and then you pause and think, “Hang on… I can totally save that.”
Yep. That was me and my old mason jars.

The jars themselves were still perfectly fine, but the lids? Ohhh, they’d seen better days. A little discoloured, a bit tired, and honestly looking like they were ready for early retirement. I was this close to sending the whole lot off to the op shop when inspiration struck — what if I gave them a soft, shabby chic makeover instead?

Spoiler alert: best decision ever.

The Vision: Soft Pastels + Shabby Chic Charm

My sewing space is very much a soft, vintage, pastel kind of vibe and since these jars were destined to hold my growing collection of lace trims, I wanted something pretty but not fussy — calm, cohesive, and a little bit dreamy.

Pastel paint felt like the perfect answer. I already had the coloured paint in sample pots. (The same colours I had painted my craft room wooden chairs).

The Simple Revamp Process

• This project was beautifully low-stress (my favourite kind):
• I gave the lids a quick clean to remove dust and grime
• No overthinking — just a light coat of pastel paint

Once dry, a second coat to soften and even out the colour

That’s it. No complicated prep.The slight texture and imperfections actually add to the charm — very shabby chic, very “loved”, very me.

From “Nearly Donated” to Sewing Room Star

Once the lids were dry and screwed back onto the jars, I lined them up on my shelf and… oh my goodness. Instant transformation.

Each jar will hold different colours of lace — creams, blush pinks, soft blues, (yet to be sorted) — and the pastel lids tie everything together so beautifully. Instead of clutter, it now feels like a curated display. 

Practical and pretty? 

A Little Reminder We All Need

This little project was such a good reminder that not everything needs to be replaced. Sometimes all it takes is:

• a bit of paint;
• a creative pause;
• and permission to try.

Those jars that were nearly on their way out now bring me a sense of ooh I do like you! And honestly, that’s the magic of upcycling, repurposing, (whatever you want to call it) —and seeing potential where others might see “past it”.

So if you’ve got something in your craft room that’s looking a little tired… maybe don’t toss it just yet. A soft pastel makeover might be all it needs.

What do you think. Leave a little comment 💗

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