DIY Grubby Pickle Jar

I love making primitive grubby jars. They are perfect to tuck throughout your kitchen on your shelves and cabinets for a great primitive country look.

Recently I shared The Olde Mill Printable Collection featuring free pantry jar labels but I was missing one very important jar to add to this collection – a pickle jar! It’s funny because so often I use pickle jars for these pantry jars that I couldn’t resist designing a pickle jar label.

This label was originally a freebie awhile back for email subscribers. Every week email subscribers get a free printable. If you are not an email subscriber yet you a subscribe HERE for free!

If you loved The Old Mill collection too and wanted the pickle jar label to add to your collection you can grab the label in my print shop HERE plus you can use code MAKEIT for 20% off!

The label comes in 4 sizes to fit any project – 2 1/2 x 3 1/2, 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 as well as 5×7 and 8×10 plus it comes 2 styles a white background or distressed.

You can use this on jars but also other craft projects too! You could even simply download print then frame – you do you!

For this project I created a big grubby jar. Have you ever made one before? I love making them! There is something so fun and relaxing making these. I get on a roll and can’t stop!

So if you want to make a grubby pickle jar like this one here is what you’ll need!

Supplies

• Pickle Jar – I used a large 128 oz pickle jar from Walmart – You can get it HERE.
• Pickle Jar label – You can get this one HERE plus use code MAKEIT for 20% off!
• Matte Mod Podge
• Instant Coffee
• Sponge brush or two
• A piece of muslin, homespun or cheesecloth for the lid – I used coffee stained muslin.
• A piece of torn muslin, homespun or cheesecloth to tie around jar – I used homespun.
• Optional accents like dried sweet Annie, buttons, rusty pins to attach to jar.

Watch Here

You can watch how I made this jar in the video below!

To begin wash out your jar and remove the label. I like to use my heat gun to remove the label and then to remove the sticky backing left on the jar I just rub it with a little lemon juice, let it sit for a minute or two and then wipe it off.

Next I grab my label. I used the 5×7 label for the large 128 oz jar. To cut the label out, I like to tear the edges so I simply fold on the line and then tear it with my hands. I also went around the label and used my antique wax to distress the label and around the edges a little more.

After I distressed around the edges I attached the label to my jar with Mod Podge. I simply add a coat of Mod Podge to the back of the label and added it to my jar and then use my brayer to smooth it. You can add a coat of Mod Podge on top of the label to see it in if you’d like. I don’t do that since next up I’m going to grub up this jar with Mod Podge and instant coffee.

For this technique you’ll want to work in sections. Begin by applying a coat of Mod Podge to a section of the jar. I do recommend pouring your Mod Podge onto a plate or in a separate container so you don’t dip your coffee brush into a clean jar of Mod Podge. I have a separate container of Mod Podge I use just for these grubby projects. I have a clean or somewhat clean Mod Podge container then my grubby container that is probably filled with cinnamon and coffee.

You will also need instant coffee. I just use Walmart instant coffee. I pour some out on a paper plater and grind it up with my hands so it’s nice and fine. You can also pulse it a few times in a food processor so it’s not so coarse and clumpy.

While the Mod Podge is still wet I sprinkle the section with fine instant coffee. Let it set/melt into the Mod Podge for a second or two then dab and press Mod Podge on top of the instant coffee. I also like. to apply this with a sponge brush. As it dries it dissolves and melts to give the most amazing grubby jar look. Once it dries it’s hard so it won’t come off.

The key is to get that wet/glossy look. If you notice spots that it’s not go back over it with Mod Podge, sprinkle with fine instant coffee then press and dab Mod Podge on top.

You can watch how I made this in the above video.

Once the jar is done and dry I used a piece of torn coffee stain muslin to cover the top and wrapped it with a piece of torn homespun.

This looks so cute tucked in any primitive/rustic vignette and was so fun to make too!

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