Breathe New Life Into A Dollar Tree Jar With A Gorgeous Lantern DIY

Cozy season is here, and less light during the day means it's the proper season for supplementing with a light box and more aesthetic ambient lighting at night. Light fixtures are a great way to brighten up your home, but lamps — even small ones — can be pricey. And while you can always make a lampshade from scratch to spruce up your space, there are some hacks that will take less money and time for an equally cozy result. To that end, the @hometalk TikTok account came up with the thrifty, nifty craft of turning an upcycled Dollar Tree glass jar into a lamp that could cost you easily under $10 — or even less if you already have some of the supplies at home. It's a great DIY home project to tackle without spending money. A Dollar Tree jar lantern is inexpensive and easy to make and can add mellow ambiance to any room of the house.

To make the lamp, you will need a medium-sized jar (preferably with an untextured exterior) along with some adhesive. They use a mix of Elmer's glue and water, but feel free to use Modge Podge or anything that is both paintable and sticky. To get the pattern, they used a paper napkin, but tissue paper, wrapping paper, or fabric would also work. Make sure to choose something that isn't completely opaque so your lighting choice can still shine through. They used a wireless LED light, but balled up fairy lights, an electric tea light, or a short candle (if you poke holes in the lid for ventilation) are wonderful choices too.

If you want to tackle this upcycle DIY yourself, it's pretty simple. Make sure your jar is clean and dry, then brush on a layer of your adhesive material for your decoupage project. Stick your patterned napkin or fabric to the jar making sure all surfaces are covered except for the screw top lid, and try not to overlap anywhere. Paint another layer of adhesive on until it is fully covered and saturated. Once it's completely dry, place the light of your choice inside, screw on the cap and enjoy your new lamp! 

While this is a fun, easy, and relatively affordable project, there are some pros and cons to using LED lights. On the upside, they are pretty long-lasting and can be useful if you don't want to go through the process of making a real plug-in lamp. They are also energy-efficient, and many are rechargeable. Plus, you can get one that is remote-operated so you won't have to unscrew your lamp every time you want to turn it on and off. 

The biggest downside to LED lights is that they tend to be particularly bright and have a bluish hue. If you are going for a cozy vibe, chances are you are looking for a warmer light — in that case, make sure your lighting choice has a warm hue. But if you're curious about more LED light hacks, you can learn how to use LED light strips in your home.