Turn An Old Pickle Jar Into A Stunning Hanging Lantern For Your Porch

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When you buy a pickled jar from a store, you essentially pay for three items: the marinated veggies, the flavored brine, and the jar. And after you polish off the main attraction (the preserved dills and cucumbers), you'll most likely be left with a little liquid in the container. Now, you can either pour it down your kitchen drain or use the pickle juice in your garden, especially if you have a few plants that require acidic soil. At this point, you'll only be left with the empty jar. You may trash it, but you'll lose the money (however small) you spent on it. So, turn it into a stunning hanging lantern for your porch. This way, you'll get a good return on your invested capital and can bathe your outdoors in a warm, romantic glow.

You just need some dried flowers to prettify it. In case you have flowers blooming in your yard, you can preserve beautiful garden mementos using a simple household item for your customized batch of dried florals and fillers. But if you don't have a blooming garden or don't want to wait for the flowers to dry, you can buy a pack online, like Cruzix's 140 Pieces Dried Pressed Flowers. However, if you don't want to spend much money on this DIY, dig out dried flowers and leaves from the potpourri bowl in your living room. Whichever way you go, select petite florals. This is because they adhere better than their chunky counterparts. Following the same logic, try choosing single-petaled blooms only. If that's not possible or you want to include textured plants (like roses), pick their petals apart prior to gluing them in place.

Start by peeling the stickers off your pickle jars. This will help you hide your lantern's humble origins. If the product label doesn't come off at once, try a brilliant hack to remove stickers from your glass items. Then, thoroughly wash it with dish detergent, or the residual brine and its strong odor may ruin your lantern. When done, set it aside to dry and place it right side up so the lingering smells have a chance to air out.

While it dries, get your workspace ready. Lay down an old cloth you don't mind getting sticky, and grab an old brush to apply matte or gloss Mod Podge. You also want to pick out the flowers, leaves, and other tiny fillers you'd like to adhere to your lantern. Go with an elaborate theme, like a lush garden scene, or a simple one, such as only using flowers conforming to the primary color scheme as your main attraction while pushing secondary or tertiary to the background. Although setting a theme isn't necessary, it'll make your lanterns look unique and carefully crafted. Once that's squared away, get some Mod Podge for Outdoor Use to serve as your sealer. After you have everything, stick your dried flowers in place and let them dry. Then, tie some heavy-duty rope or metal wire around your jar's mouth. As for the lights, insert battery-operated tea lights or pillar candles inside. Fairy lights work well, too. But stay away from real candles, as they'll blacken your lantern and can be a fire hazard if left unattended.