Create simple mood lighting with DIY jar lanterns

A summertime eve sit down on the patio is even more enjoyable with the soft freshness of alanternnearby . Rather than buy one , I gave a 32 - ounce fix jar a new look using spray pigment , a stencil and outdoor craft paint . shelling - operate on lightning bug light provide the illumination , but a teatime light candle works , too . If you use the Pyrophorus noctiluca lights , make certain the battery housing fits through the opening of the jar and ideally lie flat on the bottom . Watch the telecasting above to see how this projection came together !

How to make DIY jar lanterns

Step 1: Prep and paint the jar

wrapping 2 - in - wide-eyed painter ’s tape around a clean kettle of fish jar . This will provide a section of the jar clearly after you ’re done painting , make a overnice textural demarcation and a window for light to shine through . I ’ve found that set the stripe toward the top of the jar makes it easier to veil the battery large number for the lightning bug lights .

To prevent overspray when you paint the bottom part , put a second man of tape recording around the top helping of the jar — you could see how it looks in the photo above . use color 1 to the bottom . get it dry out for 30 minutes , record the bottom portion of the jarful and spray paint the top panel with colour 2 . The photo below shows you how I added a piece of wander paper to the mouth of the jolt so the spray paint did n’t get indoors .

Step 2: Stencil the jar lantern

I take thisintricate stencil patternbecause the modest shapes allowed more luminousness to shine through than squatty designs did . To tie it to the jounce , apply a light coat of atomiser adhesive to the back of the stencil and let it dry for 5 minutes . Wrap the stencil around the jar as I did in the photo and secure each side with a piece of taping .

habituate astencil brushto softly swab the outdoor craft pigment into the innovation . The paint ’s glossy appearance is a gracious contrast to the lusterlessness of the spray pigment . One matter I find out was to avoid using a thick stratum of paint or it will phlebotomize under the stencil even with the adhesive material . It ’s better to go back afterward and bear on - up calorie-free spots than to have blob of paint where you do n’t need them . When you ’re done , cautiously undress back the stencil and let the rouge dry .

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Carrie Topp

Step 3: Cover the rim and add lights

Covering the thread of the brim dress up the lantern — you would n’t even bang it was a jar ! I really like these orthogonal astragal from the craft depot . I strung them on clear stretchiness cord and used a red-hot glue gun to insure them . Place thebattery - operated firefly lightsin the jounce and you ’re ready to set the mood . If you decide to use tea light candles , be careful because they can heat up the looking glass , making it hot to adjoin .

This project was so much merriment that I come up with all the variations you’re able to recover below . Mix and rival your favourite looks to add together a warm , friendly radiance to your preferred outdoor ( and indoor ! ) subsist spots .

More DIY jar lantern inspiration

The great thing about this project is that you may expend it in so many different ways on all kind of jars , with different colors and patterns — let your resourcefulness take off !

Add height to a grouping of lanterns

When your jarful are the same shape and size of it , adding tiptop is a great way to keep the pigeonholing interesting . I found a diverseness of candle holders at a local thrift store that did the trick . For the tea visible radiation holder and pillar root , turning them upside down made an attractive and sturdier base .

Mix it up with different jar lanterns

Use a variety of jar flesh and colors to make this eye - trance show . Add a idiom or words to the unpainted center of attention board using Avery ® mailing label . guide can be find online to make labels from home using your computer and custom fonts . Just blueprint , print , peel and stick !

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Create an elevated light

Get your lantern up high up by making a post . I used 2½-ft . from a wiped out broom handgrip and a glass candle holder turned upside down . Since the jar is also inverted , rain stays out and it ’s easy to unscrew the lid to add the firefly brightness level . To put it together , epoxy the broom handle inside the candle holder and then the jar lid to the base . Paint the place to check .

Carrie Topp

diy-jar-lantern-taping: Avoid overspray by masking off the top portion before painting the bottom section.

diy-jar-lantern-taping: Avoid overspray by masking off the top portion before painting the bottom section.

diy-jar-lantern-painting: Keep the interior of the jar clean with a piece of rolled up paper inside its mouth.

diy-jar-lantern-stenciling: Apply a light layer of paint to the jar so it doesn’t bleed under the edge of the stencil. Dabbing excess paint onto a paper towel before stenciling will help, too.

diy-jar-lantern-embellish-rim-alt: Stringing beads with clear stretch cord creates a snug fit around the rim.

diy-jar-lantern-add-height: An assortment of candle holders used as a base elevate the lanterns in this grouping.

diy-jar-lantern-good-vibes-only: Add words and phrases with mailing labels or stickers.

diy-jar-lantern-stake: Turn it upside down and mount it on a stake.