How to Make Lanterns Out of Old Jars

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Why buy lanterns for your backyard when you can recycle empty jars into beautiful ones?

To complete this How-To you will need:

Glass jars
Templates of decorative shapes
Removable adhesive paper
Scissors
Glass-frosting spray
Votive candles or tea lights
Heavy wire
Wire cutters
Pliers
Sand or sea salt
Wire hangers

Step 1: Wash and dry

Wash glass jars in hot, soapy water and let them air dry.

Step 2: Make templates

Cut templates out of poster board in decorative shapes such as stars, half-moons, or hearts. Or buy ready-made templates from craft stores.

Step 3: Cut out shapes

Use the templates to outline the shapes on the nonsticky side of removable adhesive paper, and then cut them out.

Step 4: Decorate the jars

Stick your designs onto the outside of the jars.

Step 5: Spray them

Coat the outside of the jars evenly with glass-frosting spray. Let them dry completely. Then, remove the adhesive-paper designs.

Step 6: Add candles

Put a votive candle or tea light inside each jar.

Tip: Nestle the candle in sand or sea salt to keep it stationary.

Step 7: Measure wire for handle

To make hanging lanterns, take a piece of strong wire and measure how much you need for a handle by wrapping the wire around the mouth of the jar, looping it over the top of the jar, and bringing it back down to the mouth of the jar. Clip with wire cutters. Create a small, open-ended loop on each end of the wire with pliers.

Tip: Wire hangers work just fine.

Step 8: Make the handle

Wrap one end of the wire around the jar's mouth, securing it by slipping the loop around the wire and tightening it with pliers. Take the free end of wire, and bend it into an inverted U to make a handle. Secure the end by wrapping the other loop around the wire at the jar opening.

Step 9: Enjoy!

Enjoy the beautiful outdoor lighting your homemade lanterns provide.

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Recreation
• crafts
• hobbies
• making
• lanterns
• lights
• recycling
• using
• glass
• lighting
• backyard

[WrathOfFlame]

This was helpful thanks.

[simzboy]

Those jars could have been used for Jarate. :(

[grassrootscharities]

What a great idea!

[gir46765]

Cool project especially for summer! I'm gonna try it

[mabarcomb3310]

Good vid! I need lanterns for my outdoor parties and I was worried I would have to drill holes. Thank you :)

[flo2777]

buying all this materials while you can buy a lantern for 5 bucks

[wtiny2]

imagine if your homeless, then watch howcast you will be a middlecalss men in 3 years o.0 some homeless guy I know did it.

[fischersgirl1720]

@xoxoleaxo go to walmart and go to were they have wall paper fo kitchen they have them there

[xoxoleaxo]

where do you get removable adhesive paper?

[lollove19]

step one: get a jar

step two: put a candle in it

DONE

jk but really

[TheNightsMoon]

See howcast, make stuff people can actually use, and people will approve.

[emoface4]

is it all write to use tin foil for the decor on your jar?