Halloween is just a few days away, and in this time of year, I find that I feel a little homesick. Halloween can be difficult for collegiettes to prepare for, as many of us are away from home and cannot find the time or the materials to decorate or create a costume. I remember last year how hard it was to get into the spirit of Halloween, as I had neither of those things. This year, I promised myself it would be different. I decided to come up with ways to create cute and affordable Halloween decorations that could get anyone into the Halloween spirit. By far my favorite decoration was this adorable jack-o’-lantern jar.
The crafty jar is a twist on the traditional jack-o’-lantern because it’s made from a jar instead of a pumpkin. This decoration is great for collegiettes on a budget who want a simple craft that will embody the spirit of Halloween. Read on to learn how to make this fun craft!
Materials
– Clear glass jar (make sure the surface is flat)
– Orange tissue paper
– Glue that dries clear
– Foam/sponge brush
– Black construction paper
– Scissors
Directions
1. Tear the orange tissue paper into smaller pieces. I have found that pieces about the size of a quarter work better, but bigger pieces will work just as well. Cutting the paper with scissors is also an option. According to Crafts Unleashed, using small squares of tissue paper is another option.
2. After the tissue paper is divided into smaller pieces, individually glue each smaller piece on the jar. Lightly brush glue on to the surface of the jar using the foam/sponge brush, and then stick a piece over the area. I found it easier to work on smaller sections at a time instead of brushing the whole jar with glue and then sticking the paper on. While making this craft myself, I also found that overlapping the tissue paper created a beautiful effect. If you overlap, make sure to lightly brush glue over the surface of the tissue paper as well, otherwise the ends of each piece may not be fully glued down.
3. Repeat the process of gluing tissue paper onto the surface until the entire jar is covered, minus the lid.
4. After the tissue paper is thoroughly dry and will not move, begin the process of creating a face for the jar. To do this, take the black construction paper and cut shapes for a face. This is the time to get very creative. Perhaps you cut triangles for the eyes and a circle for the nose. There is no single way to complete this step, but just be sure to make the shapes big enough so that the face completely fills up one side of the jar.
5. After the shapes for the face are ready, begin gluing those pieces on. It’s easier to lightly brush the jar over the surface of the tissue paper with glue, and then stick on the shapes, rather than brushing each piece of black paper and then sticking the piece on. This method ensures the face will stick on much better.
Once the face is on the jar, the jack-o’-lantern is pretty much complete. The lid of the jar can be left untouched, but Kelly Basinger at Instructables paints the lids of her jars green. Basinger also uses electric lights in her jars to really give off that jack-o’-lantern impression. The lights Basinger uses may be difficult for collegiettes to obtain, so I recommend small LED candles. This crafty jar is a cute, affordable Halloween decoration that can be displayed in a dorm room or apartment. Groups of these jars look stunning when lit up at night, so don’t be afraid to go on a spree creating these jars! Happy Halloween, ladies!
Photo credit: Kelly Basinger at Instructables