Valentine Lanterns

During the Christmas holiday my husband & I visited a local shop that sells some high end hand crafted items.  One particular piece that caught my eye was a lantern made from a mason jar with a winter scene painted on it.  I decided we could make these for our Valentine's craft.  I gave the girls their choice of painting something on the jars or Mod Podging them--they decided on the Mod Podge.  Our finished products are above.

The items needed:
Mason jar
3/8" grommet
3/8" glass & tile drill bit
C7 replacement cord
Mod Podge
colorful tissue paper
Paint brush or sponge brush to apply Mod Podge
Ribbon
Beads or other decorations

3/8" glass and tile drill bit

 

Drill hole in the back of the mason jar

3/8" grommet

Place the grommet in the drilled hole.

Insert the bulb/cord into the hole on the back of the jar.

Cover the jar with the tissue and decorations. 

I glued some shiny, red seed beads over a few of my tissue hearts to make them really stand out even when the light is not turned on.

Courtney's lantern.

She added some hot pink stripes.

Stripes and hearts in various pinks.

Amber's lantern.

Purple with pink hearts and small red hearts made from the shiny seed beads.

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Mod Podge Halloween Lanterns

Several years ago, my aunt made this cute pumpkin lantern for me.  She filled it with a fun candied popcorn that uses kool-aid in the recipe.  I'l try to remember to dig out that recipe later, make a batch and post it.  Anyway, I love this little lantern.  I put it out every year,it's one of my favorite decorations.  This year I decided he needed some friends, so I attempted to make:

 Frankenstein,

a witch

and a ghost to join him.

Supplies I used: 

Mod Podge
colored tissue paper
empty jar
brush (to apply the Mod Podge)
sponge (for Frankenstein's bolts)
hot glue gun & glue
wire for the handle
tea light candle
black sharpie (to color Frankenstein's bolts and draw stitches)


Cut out a face for your character and decide your placement prior to beginning project.  Mod Podge the top of your jar (green for your pumpkin stem, black for your witch's hat, etc.) and then begin to Mod Podge the characters strips down the jar.  Mod Podge the face in the place and allow to dry.  Twist the wire around the jar and up over the top to fashion a handle.  Drop a tea light candle down inside and voila!  A darling Halloween lantern.

My daughter and I decided to get all the women in our family together once a month (or so) for a craft day. For our first get together, we made these Halloween lanterns.  Here are a few pictures from our day together.

My niece, Sam, and her one-eyed Cyclops.

My D-I-L Amber, making Jack for her Halloween obsessed two-year-old.  :)

The cheesy poser, Courtney.

My big sis forbid me to post her picture.  :)  My mom, her twin sister, and my M-I-L also joined us. 

A collection of the day's lanterns.

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