Fall DIY—Turn a jam jar into a lantern

The days are slowly getting shorter, the colors are starting to change… fall is on its way!

For this creative project, we turned simple jam jars into little decorated candle holders, using just a few markers and an LED candle.

Fall activity for kids – DIY a lovely nightlight made from a jam jar and posca markers

For my jar, I imagined a little door that opens onto fall. A branch with orange hues, a few apples, some mushrooms, and a little snail gradually found their way around the door.

And since this activity lends itself to all kinds of imagination, my older son wanted to create his own lantern. He chose a very different theme… the world of Mario!

Two jars that were almost identical to start with, and in the end, two little lanterns that are completely different.

In addition, it’s also a nice way to reuse a glass jar instead of throwing it away.

Materials

To make this fall lantern out of a glass jar, you’ll need very few supplies:

• a jam jar or other clean, reused glass jar

• POSCA-style paint markers in various colors

• a sheet of paper and a pencil if you’d like to sketch your design first

• a small LED candle

Stp-by-step

Video tutorial:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/44cdca_19329ec190f04ee8ad930a9c89e9310c/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

A simple jar of jam, a few posca markers, and a small LED candle: an easy fall craft to make a unique and lovely nightlight with and for the kids.

step-by-step detailled instructions

1. Imagine a design

Start by choosing the theme you want to create.

You can draw directly on the glass or, as shown here, start by sketching your design on a sheet of paper.

Leaves, apples, mushrooms, pumpkins, forest animals… For an autumn-themed activity, the possibilities are endless.

2. Transfer the drawing to the jar

Slide your drawing inside the jar. This makes it very easy to trace the outlines through the glass.

Trace the different lines with a POSCA marker. This little trick allows children to create fairly detailed drawings on glass without having to draw everything freehand.

It’s a really fun activity for developing fine motor skills.

3. Add color

Once the outlines are done, gradually add colors and small details.

You can fill in some shapes and leave others as simple outlines. The transparency of the glass is also part of the effect: light will then shine through the illustrations.

4. The light comes through ...

When the drawing is finished, place a small LED candle inside the jar.

At dusk, light it: the drawings light up, and the simple jam jar transforms into a small decorative lantern.

I recommend using a water-based spray varnish for better adhesion and to preserve the design over time.