Nothing says Halloween quite like a jack-o-lantern. Throughout Fall it seems they pop up everywhere!
Carving a pumpkin is so much fun and having a gorgeous glowing jack-o-lantern luminary at the end. But… carving pumpkins is messy and hard work!
You have to carry that heavy pumpkin home, find all your carving supplies, dig out all the messy insides, and then try and carve a face that doesn’t look like a constipated troll!
And if you live somewhere that is a little warmer (like I do, in Florida), then your pumpkin might only last a day or 2 before going mushy and moldy! Not fun!
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Easy Glass Pumpkin Ideas
Instead, of struggling with carving a pumpkin, instead, you could try to make a glass jar jack-o-lantern craft instead! It’s super easy, quick and suitable for children of all ages!
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Traditionally a jack-o-lanterns are placed beside the front door to scare off evil spirits. Your glass jack-o-lantern can be used in the exact same way! Or you can use it as a centerpiece or Halloween decor item inside your home.
To make a glass jack-o-lantern you are going to need a glass jar. You can use any size or shape you like. I suggest finding a wide-mouth jar as they are easier to put a candle inside.
Baby food jars are a perfect option, but if you want a larger jack-o-lantern, then a wide-mouth canning jar might work better. I like these ones from Amazon – they are cheap and over 6″ tall, so make a perfect centerpiece.
Another option is to use a selection of different sized jars to make your very own little pumpkin patch of luminaries! Your options are endless!
Jack-o-Lantern Light
Normally a jack-o-lantern is lit by a candle or tealight. This gives a wonderful flickering glow, however, depending on your situation, you might not want to use an open flame to light your glass pumpkin.
It’s just not safe to use candles if you have young children or curious pets. Instead, there are many, many affordable artificial light options. You could use a battery-powered tea-light or even a string of fairy lights.
How to Make a Glass Jack-o-Lantern
This is such an easy and fun craft, you could even use it for Halloween classroom parties at school!
Your kids will love making this glass jack-o-lantern, and it will keep them busy and away from the Halloween candy for a short while!
Materials
You will need the following materials to make your Glass Jar Jack-o-Lantern.
- Wide-mouth glass jar
- Orange acrylic paint (or mix together red and yellow paint)
- Paintbrush
- Black permanent marker
- Tealight (wax or battery-powered)
Step 1: Mixing Paint
Mix the red and yellow paint to form an orange one. The ratio of the yellow to the red paint is 2:1. You can skip this process if you already have an orange paint.
Step 2: Paint Jar
Paint the outer wall of the wide-mouth jar. Paint in just one direction for a smoother finish. Let it dry for an hour.
If you are doing this craft at a classroom party, you can either paint the jars ahead of time. Or have the children paint their jars at the beginning of the party and then return to finish them after they have played games and eaten.
Step 3: Second Coat (optional)
Paint a second coating on the walls of the jar, if necessary. The more layers of paint you have, the less the jar will glow. Let it dry for an hour or two.
Step 4: Drawing the Face
Draw a pair of big eyes on the jar using a black permanent marker. Create a pupil in the middle and a nose just below the eyes.
You can then add the mouth below the nose and eyes. Let the marker dry completely.
There are so many different ways you can decorate your jack-o-lantern. Below are some ideas:
Step 5: Light Your Jack-o-Lantern!
Once everything is completely dry, you can insert your candle (wax or battery-powered) into your jar and light it!
Place it somewhere that it’s glowing light will fill your home with Halloween-y joy!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Halloween Glass Jack-o-Lantern craft. Check out some of my other Halloween crafts for more fun crafts and projects this spooky season!
