Hanging Mason Jar Post Tutorial

Y'all remember these mason jars don't ya?

Here's how to make the posts behind them!

You'll need:

1 piece of 2x4

4x4 cut square and a 5x5 cut square per post (I just used plywood and sent it through the table saw, you can also get fence post toppers at the home improvement store. They cost like $7 for the cheapest one at the store by me...so I figure I can get a whole thing of plywood for that amount, ya' know?)

Hooks.

Finials.

Wood glue.

Screws

Drill.

I first cut the 2x4 into different lengths. I think they are like 13 to 17 inches tall.

Next, screw the 4x4 onto the bottom of the 2x4. (In order for it to be flush, I drilled a slightly bigger hole a quarter of the way through the plywood where my screw would be sitting, you'll probably need to do this so the 5x5 will fit snug aka counter sink it)

Would glue the 5x5 onto the 4x4 (make sure the 4x4 is centered, obviously). I let this sit for about a day. I used the clamps on one of the posts, then didn't want to keep trying to clamp the other posts, the ones I didn't clamp came out just as strong as the one I did. So, I would say...no need for clamping in this case. Just let it cure for a little bit.

Next I attached the hooks. I found these brass hooks at 2 per a pack at wally world for about $2.

The silver one was pretty, I found it at home depot for $2 for one. I figured I was going to paint over it, so it didn't really matter how pretty it was, thats why I would  go for the beauuuutiful (cough*cough) brass (and it was cheaper!).

I drew a line about 2 1/2 inches from the top. To make sure the hook was level, I just made sure the lines showed through the holes where the screws would eventually be.

Almost done!

Now, for the finials. I forgot to take a picture of the befores of the finials, but they had a 'tail' (?) that would fit into a drill hole. So, next I drilled a hole! I found a drill bit that was the exact size of the finial tail things. I found the center on the top of the 2x4, and went to town:

Here's the finial after: I found them at hobby lobby. Three of them for a couple of bucks.

You could probably wood glue the finials into the hole, but the fit was so snug I figured it didn't matter.

As you can see, I also painted the hook.

Okay. So I have a confession. I am the queen, as I'm sure all of you are, of spray painting.

That's my first go-to method. But....I decided that it takes far less time and less fumes to just paint straight wood. Like with the whole paint bucket and paint brush deal. Yeah. Spray paint just gets absorbed into the wood to quickly. I only have to do like 2 coats of real paint rather than like 5 coats of spray paint. And that's not even using white. When I spray paint with white. It takes literally days! for me to get the coverage I want when spray painting wood.

So, yes.These were actually painted with nice goopy paint. Even the hooks...which by the way was half near impossible. But I did it!

Here they are holding my hanging mason jars:

I loooove how they turned out! They would totally work holding little holiday or name signs too.

Or, I guess pretty much anything that can hang :)

Happy Creating everyone!!

Update! Here's another way you can hang your mason jars. Click on the picture for the tutorial!