Mason Jar Lanterns

These mason jars may be small, but they will light up your world with how useful and beautiful they are. We are excited to present the jars to the viewers of Instructables.com with our unique spin on them and with our easy-to-follow instructions. They are a great topic for technical writing and virtually everyone will benefit from learning how to create them because they provide a plethora of innovative uses. These jars are both pragmatic as well as decorative, and a must-have in your household! Download the pdf file to obtain the instructions and enjoy making your new lantern!

Materials: Can be bought at craft stores such as A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby, or Michaels

• Mason jars (any color, size, etc)
• Small glass pebbles
• Hot glue gun
• Glue sticks for hot glue gun
• Small electric tea lights
• Towel for hot glue gun/cleanup
• Heat mat or ceramic plate to place hot glue gun on
• Scissors
• Ziploc bags for extra pebbles, beads, etc.

Optional: Twine/hemp/other decorative string, ribbon, & decorative beads

Warning: This project requires safety when handling hot glue guns and is not appropriate for unattended children or children under 5 due to the choking hazard of the small pebbles.

Disclaimer: Read all instructions before starting

Lay out all of your materials on a clean surface; see picture

• Warm up hot glue gun (if the mason jar has a lid, remove the lid from the mason jar & set lid aside)
• Carefully using scissors, cut open the bags of gems

● Carefully using hot glue gun, start from the bottom of the mason jar and glue pebbles flat side against the jar, encircling the jar

● See video for example of “encircling” → http://youtu.be/01cchM8ASTg

★ Note--glue dries quickly, so place pebbles on fast!

● Hold pebbles in place each time you glue one to ensure they stick

❖ Important! Do not glue pebbles to the bottom, the inside of the jar, or the area the lid will cover; see pictures 4-6 for details

● Continue gluing the pebbles so they encircle the sides of the jar; see picture 7

● Spacing of pebbles will not be consistent; you will have some areas where a pebble will not fit. Just work around this and keep gluing the next row.

➔ Glue dries immediately, so jars should be ready for handling quickly, but still handle with care

● Turn on tea light candle and place one inside each jar; see picture 9

● For mason jars with lids, screw lids back on and set aside

● If desired, embellish jars with twine/hemp, beads, or ribbon to give it a personal touch!

• Use towel for cleanup if needed

Now you have the perfect lantern for any occasion, like home decor, dorm decorations, party table centerpieces, or even flashlights during a blackout. So be ready to light up your world with these festive glass lanterns!

**Note** Handle with care. The pebbles may fall off with rough or excessive handling. If this happens, simply re-apply hot glue and re-glue the pebble.