Monster jar lantern

A jam jar covered in tissue paper becomes a little Halloween lantern, with monster eyes and a grin.

Age : age 4+

Materials

• A clean glass jar (jam jar) : Label soaked off in hot water.
• Coloured tissue paper : Green, purple, orange: torn into pieces.
• PVA glue and a brush : Watered down a little, it dries clear.
• Black paper or black marker : For the mouth and eyes; or googly eyes.
• An LED tealight : Never a real flame.
• Yarn or a pipe cleaner : Optional, for hair around the neck of the jar.

Steps

Cover the jar

1. Tear the tissue paper into stamp-sized pieces.
2. Mix the glue with a little water in a pot.
3. Brush glue on one area of the jar, lay on pieces of paper, then brush more glue over the top.
4. Cover the whole jar, overlapping the pieces.
5. Leave to dry a few hours: the white glue turns clear.

Bring the monster to life

1. Cut a mouth from black paper, with zigzag teeth, and glue it on.
2. Add one, two or three eyes: it's a monster!
3. Wrap yarn or a pipe cleaner round the neck of the jar.
4. Pop in the LED tealight, switch off the lights, and admire.

Several jars in different colours along the windowsill make a monster family.

If it goes wrong

• Stays white : Wait, and water it down a bit more next time.
• Paper peels off : Brush more glue over the edges.
• Light too dim : One or two layers are enough.

Safety

• LED tealights only: a real candle in a paper-covered jar can catch fire.
• Check the jar isn't chipped.

Sources

• 10 Doigts, photophores monstres d'Halloween
• M comme…, photophores d'Halloween
• Autres idées de bocaux : allamcrafts (Instagram)

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