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    Home » Homemaking » Home Decor

    DIY Vintage Halloween Apothecary Jars

    September 5, 2022 by Julie 24 Comments

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    DIY Halloween Vintage Apothecary Jars six photos of the process of tea staining vintage labels and giving new glass bottles a paintwash to make them look old to create an apothecary display.
    DIY Halloween Vintage Apothecary Jars two photos of the process of giving new glass bottles a paintwash to make them look old to create an apothecary display.
    DIY halloween vintage apothecary jars. A vintage dresser with old and new apothecary bottles with vintage labels on them. Some have candles in them and others have cork tops.
    DIY Halloween Vintage Apothecary Jars four photos of the process of giving new glass bottles a paintwash to make them look old to create an apothecary display.
    DIY halloween vintage apothecary jars. A vintage dresser with old and new apothecary bottles with vintage labels on them. Some have candles in them and others have cork tops.

    I love Halloween, it's almost my favorite holiday. But I'm not into the spooky Halloween holiday decor. So, instead, I'm going in the victorian science direction with these amazing DIY vintage Halloween apothecary jars.

    Antique dresser with apothecary bottle display some with candles in them. Others with vintage apothecary labels, brass candlesticks, and antique books.
    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

    DIY Halloween Decorations that Can Be Used Year Round

    My biggest issue with seasonal decor is it's only useful for a short time the entire year. And then there's the need to store it for the rest of the year. But what if we could find a way to make decor that can be repurposed year round?

    I'm always looking for creative ways to use decor in multiple different ways. Not only does this make more financial sense, but it helps to keep your seasonal inventory to a minimum.

    Halloween display of old and new "vintage" apothecary bottles, brass candlesticks, candles, and antique books.
    DIY Vintage Halloween Apothecary Jars are on display in my dining room on my antique dresser.

    How Can I Use Vintage Apothecary Jars Year Round?

    I've had a few creative ideas running around in my head, but these are my four favorites.

    1. Spice Rack. Use these jars to hold your spices in your kitchen.
    2. Bathroom Decor. Use them to store Cotton Balls, Q Tips, Bath Salts, Mouth wash, etc.
    3. Craft Room Storage. Unique storage for small craft supplies like buttons, glitter, ribbon, etc.
    4. Candle Holder. I plan to use a few of them this way anyway, but these jars make beautiful unique candle holders.

    Watch a Video Tutorial of DIY Halloween Apothecary Jars

    Supplies for Your DIY Halloween Apothecary Jars

    The best part about this project is it's easy and can be done without much money invested.

    • *Craft paint - Black Paint & Brown Acrylic Paint
    • *Decoupage Medium of Choice - School Glue, Glue Stick, or Mod Podge
    • *Sandpaper
    • White Paper
    • Scissors
    • Paper Towel
    • Warm Water
    • Tea
    • Glass Jars or Bottles

    *optional supplies

    New apothecary type glass bottles purchased from Hobby Lobby after having been aged using a paint wash and a vintage tea stained label applied with glue.

    Optional Add-Ons for a Spooky Effect

    • Plastic Spiders
    • Plastic Animals (snakes, frogs, bats, etc)
    • Creepy Crawlies
    • Plastic Skeletons
    • Odds and Ends and Curiosities (shells, bones, feathers, etc)
    • DIY Bottle Stoppers
    • DIY Halloween Apothecary Potion Edible drinks would make a really fun addition to any Halloween Party!

    Step One - Find Your Glass Bottles

    The best apothecary jar display will include bottles of different sizes. Varying heights and bottle shapes will make a more interesting display.

    You can buy new bottles and make them look old and dirty, or buy antique or vintage jars that are already dirty. I bought a few of both! I love authentic antique jars, but they're not always easy on the pocketbook.

    New and old glass bottles in a halloween display with vintage apothecary theme, antique books, brass candlesticks with black candles.
    DIY Vintage Halloween Apothecary Jars - Bottles made to look old purchased from Hobby Lobby.

    Where Can I Find Glass Bottles for Halloween Jars?

    I found mine in several different locations, but really, they're everywhere if you're looking.

    • Dollar Store. Namely the Dollar Tree. They have excellent $1.25 glass jars waiting to become glorious apothecary jars.
    • Thrift Store. A prime location for homeless old jars looking for the perfect DIY project.
    • Recycling Bin. Don't forget to keep those glass jars you would otherwise throw out or recycle including wine bottles, olive oil jars, mason jars, spaghetti sauce jars, etc.
    • Craft Store. A personal favorite is Hobby Lobby, especially at 50% off. Or Michaels. But here's a tip, don't buy from the seasonal section unless it's on sale. Check the glass jars in the back of the store for a better price.

    Step Two - Making New Bottles Look Old

    For this step, you'll need black and brown acrylic paint, a paintbrush, paper towels, and a small bowl with a bit of water.

    The quickest way to gather your bottles for Halloween apothecary jars is to buy them new. But then you're left with the task of making them look authentic and spooky-ish with a fake dirty look. We're going for the look of Dr. Frankenstein's lab.

    Or, if you're like me, Ichabod Crane's lab in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

    A paint wash being applied to the new apothecary bottles in hopes of making them look old and dirty for my halloween legend of sleepy hollow decorations.
    The after process of new bottles being painted with black and brown acrylic paint to look vintage apothecary bottles in a halloween decor display.
    DIY Vintage Halloween Apothecary Jars - The paint wash to make new bottles look old and dirty from "use".

    Supplies to Make New Glass Look Old

    • Craft paint - Black Paint & Brown Acrylic Paint
    • Paint Brush
    • Decoupage Medium of Choice - School Glue or Mod Podge
    • 120 Grit Sandpaper

    01 Scuff Sand to Add Texture

    Most old glass has its fair share of scratches from years of use. Therefore to look authentic we need to abuse our glass jars a little. An easy way to do this is to take 120 grit sandpaper and rub the bottles down a little bit in varying directions.

    Close up of new bottles with a black and brown paint wash applied sitting in a copper pan.
    DIY Vintage Halloween Apothecary Jars - New jars made to look old with a paint wash.

    02 Fake Dirty

    • First water down your brown and black acrylic paint using a ratio of 2:1 paint to water.
    • Then paint all over the jars.
    • Let it sit for a few minutes until it's mostly dry and then rub most of the paint off.
    • Repeat until you get the dirty look you're wanting.
    • Let your jars dry thoroughly before adding labels.

    Step Three - Download Authentic Apothecary Labels

    The best part of this entire project is the labels. I'm a sucker for victorian font type and old labels take me back to the days of actual apothecary storefronts. So, for me, it's the historic element that makes this whole project.

    Old and new bottles mixed together in an apothecary display with vintage labels attached.
    DIY Vintage Halloween Apothecary Jars - Vintage apothecary labels with a tea stain glued onto the front of the new apothecary jars.

    If you do a cursory search on Google you can find about a billion apothecary labels free and for sale, but never fear, I've done all the searching for you.

    You can download these free vintage apothecary labels with their original script or a blank so you can fill them in yourself! Which makes them multi-purpose labels for real purposes year-round.

    Vintage apothecary labels PDF with blank labels (no font type).
    Vintage apothecary labels PDF with original font and type.
      Built with ConvertKit

      Just type in your email address and you will receive an email with your PDF download of all 8 pages worth of labels original font and blank.

      Step Four - Tea Stain the Labels

      For this step, you'll need tea, hot water, a bowl, and your cut-out labels.

      Such a quick and simple process, but adds the charm of that lovely old paper color.

      Apothecary label sitting in a bath of tea getting a bit of stain to age it.
      Fresh cut out apothecary labels waiting for the tea water to cool down and steep.
      DIY Vintage Halloween Apothecary Jars - Tea staining the printer paper Apothecary labels.

      How To Tea Stain the Paper Labels

      1. In a small bowl add several tea bags (I used six for a more concentrated color).
      2. Then add 1 cup of hot water.
      3. Let the tea steep for 10-15 minutes.
      4. Then dip the labels in one at a time.
      5. Lay them on a paper towel to dry for 10-15 minutes or until completely dry to the touch.

      Step Five - Adhering the Labels to the Bottles

      For this step, you'll need a glue stick or double-sided tape, your paper labels, 120 grit sandpaper, and your glass bottles.

      New apothecary bottles being made to look old with tea stained vintage labels sitting in a copper pan waiting to be put on display for Halloween

      How to Adhere the Labels to the Glass Bottles

      1. First, choose which label will go with what bottle.
      2. Then apply adhesive to the back paying close attention to the corners.
      3. Finally, wrap it around the bottle ensuring its level, and press down hard.
      4. Then take your sandpaper and lightly distress around the edges.
      All of the vintage style labels with a tea stain laying and drying.
      Vintage apothecary labels drying on a wooden cutting board next to a copper pan with the glass bottles waiting to be labeled.

      For extra aging, you could always crumple the label up before applying it.

      Step Six - Creating a Subtle Halloween Apothecary Display

      I've discovered I have a love for creating these small vignettes when it comes to displays, especially holiday ones. They're so easy to make and really do make an impact in the room.

      If you love displays, table settings, and vignettes you should check out How to Create a Beautiful Decor Vignette, DIY Spring Garden Themed Table Setting, and How to Create a Handmade Romantic Tablescape.

      Halloween apothecary display with brass candlestick holders, old and new bottles with vintage labels and candles, antique books stacked up, and an old feather pen.
      An old feather pen on display next to some new apothecary bottles made to look old with vintage labels.

      How to Create a Visually Appealing Vignette

      1. First, pick a theme. I chose to go with the theme of apothecary or Ichabod Crane's lab. And my overall Halloween theme this year will be The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
      2. Decide on the main components of that theme. Really stick with 2 or 3 elements. Mine was Apothecary Bottles, Candles/Candlesticks, and Antique Books.
      3. Then choose your color scheme. Since it is Halloween-ish I went with dark colors, black and red. Which are mostly displayed in the books and the $1.25 runner from Dollar Tree.
      4. Finally, stagger the scene with varying heights, sizes, and shapes. I used the books to add more height as well as the candlesticks. I also tried to make the bottle placement seem random.

      My last piece of advice is don't try to make it look too neat, a little bit of chaos is actually attractive to the eye in my humble opinion!

      An antique dresser sits in my dining room covered in old and new glass bottles, candles, antique books, and brass candleholders.

      Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope I have given you a bit of inspiration for this year's Halloween (or many more to come!) and given hope to those of us who want to decorate a bit more subtly. So, let's have a bit of fun and get into our "themes"!

      Sincerely,

      Julie

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Julia

        September 06, 2022 at 12:28 pm

        Those are so fun! What a great tutorial. I know what I'm doing for my Halloween decor this year.

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 06, 2022 at 2:49 pm

          Thank you so much! I really love it as well.

          Reply
      2. Brad MacAonghais

        September 07, 2022 at 6:52 am

        I do love decorations for any holiday. I also love creativity. I should have thought of it already but thanks for pointing out we can google search for printable apothecary labels!

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 07, 2022 at 12:45 pm

          Oh yes! There is a plethora of options out there, not all free, but many are. I was like a kid in a candy store lol

          Reply
      3. Megan

        September 08, 2022 at 9:53 am

        This looks absolutely incredible! I'm not typically a fan of halloween decor because it's usually too gnarly or too tacky, but this display is gorgeous! Thank you for the great idea 🙂

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 08, 2022 at 3:32 pm

          Same! I'm not a huge fan of making my house look like a visual display in a home goods store haha. Thank you so much!

          Reply
      4. Andrea

        September 08, 2022 at 10:00 am

        I love vintage bottles! Thank you for all the ideas on how to repurpose them. The labels are a wonderful bonus!

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 08, 2022 at 3:33 pm

          Thank you! Awesome! I love a good repurposing project. And so very often glass items like bottles get overlooked. You're very welcome!

          Reply
      5. Barbra-Sue

        September 08, 2022 at 1:35 pm

        I had no idea you distressed these. Very cool project.

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 08, 2022 at 3:33 pm

          Thank you! It's very minor and I suppose the paint probably hides it quite a bit.

          Reply
      6. Anja

        September 08, 2022 at 2:53 pm

        What a fun post! I love those vintage-looking jars - maybe not just for Halloween!

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 08, 2022 at 3:34 pm

          I agree! I love them in general. Especially since generally speaking I think bottles have been used as candle holders or make-shift oil lamps for eons.

          Reply
      7. Nicki

        September 08, 2022 at 2:54 pm

        Love how you distressed these! I actually saw some cute jars in the Target dollar spot that would be perfect for this!

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 08, 2022 at 3:35 pm

          Oh yay! I haven't even been in to Target to look, but now I'm curious!

          Reply
      8. Lisa

        September 08, 2022 at 3:28 pm

        Beautiful! I'm not really one to decorate much for Halloween but these would fit perfectly into our rustic, log home decor. Great idea!

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 08, 2022 at 3:35 pm

          Me either! That's probably what I love most about this idea. And I love your idea as well! Thank you!

          Reply
      9. Tiffany

        September 08, 2022 at 7:49 pm

        Such a classy way to decorate for Halloween!

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 09, 2022 at 2:48 am

          Thank you so much! That is literally exactly what I was trying to accomplish. You hit the nail right on the head!

          Reply
      10. Rachel

        September 08, 2022 at 8:00 pm

        I like all the vintage jar ideas and I think I need to find some to use:) I especially like the candles in them

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 09, 2022 at 2:49 am

          Oh, me too. The best part is when you light them all at night. Gives such a beautiful warmth and almost makes me feel like I'm back in time!

          Reply
      11. Charlene

        September 08, 2022 at 8:02 pm

        Your display is beautiful! And I can totally see it for multi-purpose use and not just for the holiday. You provided such detail to even tea staining the labels! Great tip.

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 09, 2022 at 2:50 am

          Thank you very much! I really appreciate that. I'm a sucker for details!

          Reply
      12. Micheon

        September 08, 2022 at 10:36 pm

        Wow i LOVE these labels!

        Reply
        • Julie

          September 09, 2022 at 2:48 am

          Thank you! Me too!

          Reply

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      Hi, I'm Julie! Mother to five beautiful kids, Homeschool Educator, Handicraft & DIY enthusiast, lover of Music & Poetry, Photographer, and aspiring Minimalist. Follow along for fun projects to help create a handmade home on a budget! Read more about me here→

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