Do you have a cabinet full of dusty humdrum vases and jars? Well, it is time to give them a makeover; plain glass vases and jars can become just as pretty as the flowers they hold. If you are creative and frugal and enjoy upcycling items, then I have some ideas that you are going to love. The following tutorials will show you how to re-invent the ordinary vase, wine bottle, or glass jar with some paint and things that you probably have laying around the house. Although you may want to keep them all for yourself, these upcycled jars and vases make great gifts. Chalkboard Paint Vase 
Photo by Jordan Johnson You can send a message when you give someone a bouquet in this vase - literally! Glass jars, dollar-store vases, wine bottles, and more can be transformed with chalkboard spray paint. Use tape to make designs or patterns, or paint the entire container. Then, use chalk to write a message - the best thing about these vases is that you can change them over and over. Sea Shell Vase 
Photo by Heather L. Williams I think most of us have some unappreciated shells languishing in a box or drawer. Now, you can put them to good use. Although this tutorial uses grout to attach the shells to the vase, you can just as easily hot-glue shells if you don't have grout on hand. Shell vases work well as table décor for a beach-themed party, and they are so cheap to make that you may even want to send guests home with some as gifts. Lace Vase
Start saving your spaghetti-sauce and baby-food jars! Scraps of lace, ribbon, burlap, and rickrack can be used to embellish glass jars, resulting in incredibly romantic shabby-chic vases. Don't forget to search old clothes for bits of lace, trim, and buttons. Simply wrap the jars in layers of lace and trim and fasten with hot glue or regular glue. Enamel Paint Vases ]
Photo by Thomas Pittman There is so much that you can do with enamel paints that it is overwhelming. All you need are clear glass containers and paint. Be sure that you choose paint suitable for glass; there are several paints just for this purpose available at craft stores. Make sure to read the directions on the paint bottle as well. Frosted paints can be used to coat the inside of a vase to give a beach glass appearance. Metallic paints also make an interesting vase. Consider painting designs on the outside of the vase as well. Light Bulb Vases align="aligncenter" width="640"] Light Bulb Vases[/caption] Photo by Leonora Enking If you have any old light bulbs lying around, don't throw them out! With a few tools, you can make these charming light bulb vases. They require a little more work than the other vases, but they are well worth it. Besides holding flowers, they can hold miniature terrariums and fairy gardens. The above listed enamel paint techniques can be used on these as well, or coat them in glue and apply sand like in the picture. Washi Tape Vases 
Photo by Mervi Eskelinen It doesn't get any easier than this, folks - the only challenge involved in making this vase is choosing from the dizzying array of beautiful washi tape. Washi tape originated in Japan and is a paper tape similar to masking tape; unlike the masking tape I grew up with, it comes in every color, theme, and pattern you can think of. Simply wrap glass containers with the washi tape or make any design you want to on the glass vessel with the tape. Yep, that's all there is to it. Yarn Vase [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="612"] Yarn Vases[/caption] Photo by Wicker Paradise All you need to complete this project is different colored yarns, tacky glue, and a wine bottle; of course, you can use any type of watertight container for this project. Wrap and glue the yarns around the vase and you have a pretty vase with an interesting texture. I personally love the natural look of sisal, hemp, or gardening twine.
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