How To Make Pretty Frosted Glass finish Mason Jars for Home Decor

Creating a frosted glass effect on mason jars is a breeze, and trust me, the results are gorgeous! Funny story—I didn’t even set out to make these frosted beauties. My original plan was to stain the jars with a vibrant turquoise glass stain. But, as crafting adventures often go, things took a bit of a turn. It turns out I had grabbed the wrong stain, and the thinner I bought wasn’t cutting it. The jars ended up streaky and… well, let’s just say they weren’t winning any style points.

In my infinite hope (and mild desperation), I even baked the jars, thinking it might magically smooth everything out. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. After a not-so-successful attempt to scrub off the stain with a scourer, I realized I had two choices: toss the jars or get creative. Naturally, I chose the fun option—transforming them into frosted glass masterpieces!

Now, they’re the perfect addition to my pallet wood box frame from last year, but the possibilities are endless. Picture these jars as dreamy flower vases, cozy luminaries with twinkling LED fairy lights, or festive winter-themed decor. Whatever your vision, these frosted glass jars are sure to bring charm and elegance to your space.

Ready to get started? Let me show you just how easy it is to create this frosty magic!

Making frosted glass mason jars

This tutorial doesn’t require many tools or materials. And the wooden box/frame is pretty easy to make, even for beginners.

Staining the jars with glass stain

The first step was to stain the jars with a glass stain. Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, I got the wrong type of stain.

Pebeo has two types of glass stain: a baked stain that is waterproof after baking (Vitrea water-based) and a regular stain that doesn’t require baking but is not as permanent(Vitrail oil-based).

I thought I got the baking type and only realized that I got the wrong type after baking my jars, and the result was horrible and streaky(see photos below).

So, anyway, I decided to carry on and make something else out of these failed jars.

To stain the jars(using Vitrea stain), mix a little bit of the stain in a plastic/glass container and mix it with the thinner.

The stains are pretty thick, so this thinner changes the consistency but doesn’t lighten the color. (You’d use a lightener for this purpose.)

Then, using a sponge paintbrush, paint the jars, going over them pretty quickly until the bubbles disappear. If you want a darker shade, do 2-3 coats and then bake in the oven. Check my post on staining glass jars and bottles for the exact steps.

If you use the regular stain(Vitrail), dilute it with Pebeo odorless mineral spirits and follow the same steps as above minus the baking. Leave the jars to cure/dry.

Sanding

I gently sanded the jars with a fine-grit(P-240) sanding sponge to dull the surface a bit and then wiped them to remove any sanding residue.

Spraying with spray paint

Then, I sprayed the jars with a frosted glass spray and left them to dry. You could probably stop at this point, as they looked quite good.

However, I wanted to add more dimension to the color, so I used white spray chalk paint and sprayed randomly in a few places. It gave them a bit more of an aged look. I left them to dry again.

Adding the twine/string

The last step was to add some string/twine to the top of the jars. You could use hot glue or a piece of double-sided sticky tape to secure the string. I just entangled it randomly around the jar’s mouth.

the wooden frame

This wooden frame is optional but does make a nice display for those jars. I made it last year and used it with glass bottles for many different themes, including Spring, Fall decor, Christmas, and Valentine’s.

I hope this tutorial has inspired you to create your own frosted glass mason jars! With just a few simple supplies and a bit of creativity, you can add these frosty, wintry accents to your home in no time.

Looking for more ideas? Be sure to check out my other post filled with beautiful winter-inspired décor projects—you’ll find plenty to try. Have questions or want to share your creations? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear from you. Happy crafting, and enjoy bringing a frosted touch to your space!