I spent last weekend hitting up the local thrift stores to find some GOLD! And when I say gold, I mean cheap vases for $2 or less. As you’ve probably heard by now, I’m in the process of planning my wedding for next August, and I’m trying to keep it budget-friendly.
I’m about 10 months away from my wedding date, giving me plenty of time to complete some DIY projects. I originally found these beautiful Tuscan Vases on Pottery Barn. My heart sank quickly when I realized they cost anywhere from $25 – $99 for one vase.
After searching on Tik-tok and Pinterest I found some inspo for cheap, DIY, easy vase projects. I took notes from a few videos and created my own method. It took some trial and error until I found a process that accomplished the look I was going for.
Here’s what you need:
- Thrifted Vases
- Chalk Spray Paint
- Base color paint or Spray Paint
- Rustoleum Spray Paint in Stone
- Baking soda
- Coffee grounds or Dirt (yes, dirt.)
- Painters Tape
A few notes:
You can use whatever vases you like. You may have some in your home already, or you can shop the thrift store, Dollar Store, or Michaels for some cheap alternatives.
Coffee Grounds and dirt work extremely well to create extra texture. You can mix it in with your paint, or rub on the white finish for a “rustic” look.
Step 1: Choose your primer (optional)
If you are using clear vases, this is the color you will want to see on the inside of your vase. If you are using prepainted or thrifted vases, you can skip this step and start painting the base color (brown, red, terrecotta).
Step 2: Paint your base coat
I bought two shades of brown acrylic paint and mixed them together. Adding in some of my baking soda to thicken up the paint and to give it a matte finish. Then I added in some coffee grounds for a little texture and to give my vases that “clay” asthetic.
I had to do two coats of this to cover my white primer, so I let these dry overnight. Also, to add a little dimension and shine, I took a leftover can of Rose Gold Metallic Spray and sprayed from about 16 inches away to add a hint of shine.
Step 3: Add your design with painters tape
After the base paint dried I broke out the painters tape. I ripped jagged strips of tape created a barrier between the bottom and top of my vase. I also tore random small pieces of tape and stuck it to the body above the paint line to create additional “rips” in the top coat.
Once that was done I covered the bottom of the vase with a ripped plastic bag and taped it on so the spray paint would not penetrate the base color.
Step 4: Apply Stone Spray
Once my bottom was taped off, I applied my Rustoleum Stone Spray paint to the exposed top of my vase. I wanted a bit more of a white overtone, so I went back in and sprayed over that with some of my White Chalk Spray paint. (You can also use DecoArt “One Step Crackle” for the top coat for a “old world” antiquity look)
This took about 2 hour to dry on a cooler fall afternoon, so I left it overnight to dry. In the morning, the paint was hardend and the painter’s tape was ready to come off!
I touched up some of the brown paint and added in some dried florals I had around my house and I’m so pleased with the results. I can’t wait to make many more as my wedding centerpieces. Who knows, maybe I’ll sell some on Etsy or even FB market one day! I hope my tutorial inspires lots of ideas for you as well and happy crafting!
XO,
Amanda Jo
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