Recycled Glass Jar Pumpkin Lanterns

mma and I borrowed one of our favorite Chinese New Year crafts to create pumpkin lanterns out of recycled glass jars.



Supplies needed for this craft include:

Empty glass jar (with the label soaked off)
orange tissue paper
black tissue paper
scissors
glue
brush
(fine glitter...optional)
tea candle

Step 1. Gather up some empty glass jars (here's a good excuse to clean out the refrigerator) and let them soak in hot water to remove their labels.



Step 2. Make a simple solution of white glue and water, using equal parts of each. I poured our solution on a paper plate.



Step 3. Cut up one-inch squares of orange tissue paper (the size isn't that important). You could even tear up your tissue pieces for a more custom look. Set aside your tissue paper.

Step 4. Using a brush, paint the sides of the jar with the glue solution.

Step 5. Paste one layer of orange tissue onto the jar.

Step 6. We then covered the tissue paper layer with another coat of glue and cut up a few black triangles to create our pumpkin's face. Before the glue dried, we sprinkled fine white glitter around the jar to jazz it up a bit more (I'm a glitter girl). We then put Emma's jar in front of a fan to speed up the drying process.

Step 7. Fill it with a tea light candle or battery operated candle and enjoy!

Late Sunday afternoon, we took the girls to a local farmer's stand to buy apples and gourds. Of course I had my camera handy.

I have to tell you a quick story about the coat that Josie is wearing in this picture. It was a gently used coat from another family and it's her favorite coat right now. This morning, I was getting ready to write her initials on the coat tag for daycare and when I told Josie that I was writing J.K. on the tag, she informed me that her name was spelled, J.O.S.I.E. (not JK). She's such a little smartie pants...hee hee.

PS. We'll be making a big push with outdoor and indoor Halloween decorations over this next week. Get READY for loads of pictures! We've only just begun!