Happy Fall everyone! Tis the pumpkin (or jack-o-lantern) season. While the weather here hasn’t been too fall like until today (Thank you Hurricane Matthew!), Our fall pumpkin patch is already planted and growing, but not nearly ready for harvest.
Even though the weather is still a bit warm, I can’t help jumping into fall as soon as the Pumpkin Spice Latte is unveiled. (And speaking of pumpkin spice, you should totally check out these pumpkin spice oatmeal cream pies!) I’ve got a great DIY halloween decor tutorial for you today that uses old jars you’ve got laying around for a fun pumpkin craft!
DIY Pumpkin Jar Craft
Not only do I enjoy PSL and fall gardening (it’s so much more comfortable to garden in the fall), but I’m a bit of a jar hoarder. I just can’t bear to throw them away. Even though recycling is an option, I always feel like it’s a better use of resources to reuse instead of recycle.
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I’ll blame that on this article I read about a family that creates virtually no household waste. I feel a small twinge of guilt with every bag I take to the trashcan after having read her article. But even if we don’t have the gumption to go full-on no waste, I can do my best right where I am.
So, how could I put my jar stash to good use this fall? Decorating! Pumpkins! or Jack-O-Lanterns to be exact. This fun project took an afternoon (with a lot of that being drying time), and now I have jars that can be used as teacher gifts (filled with goodies) or votives for decorating the house. Here’s what you’ll need:
DIY Halloween Decoration Supplies:
- Empty Jars (any shape you choose!)
- Painter’s Tape
- Sharpie
- Spray Paint (in orange and green)
- Newspaper or Cloth to lay beneath jars
How to make Jack-O-Lantern Jars:
- Be sure jars are cleaned of labels and residual glue. Soaking in warm soapy water usually does the trick, but Goo Gone is great for hard to remove glue.
2. Lay a strip of painters tape out on a table. Use your sharpie to draw eyes (triangles), noses (triangle), and mouths (any shape you choose) for your jack-o-lanterns onto the painter’s tape. Cut out shapes. Press shapes firmly on glass. Be sure to make sure all edges are adhered so paint doesn’t seep in.
3. Place jars on a paper/cloth covered surface and spray with orange paint. (And paint lids with green paint.) Allow time to dry and apply a second coat. (You could also start with a coat of primer for better paint adhesion, but I’m not nearly patient enough to add another step.)
4. As soon as second coat is dry, remove tape. (Waiting too long could make the tape difficult to remove.) Ta-da!
Use as a votive in your halloween decor, or fill jars with candy corn and give as gifts to teachers, friends, and neighbors.
I’d love to know how you decorate for fall! And how do you use jars that you have laying around the house? Happy Fall!
DIY Jack-O-Lantern Jars
Put those empty jars to use with this cute and easy DIY pumpkin craft! Use these jack-o-lanterns as votives or fill with candy for a fun gift.
Materials
- Clean jars
- Orange Spray Paint
- Painters Tape
- Votive candle
Tools
- Exacto Knife
Instructions
- Place clean jars on a clean surface outside. Using a pencil, draw eye, nose, and face shapes for your jack-o-lantern on painter's tape. Cut these shapes out and place on the clean jars.
- Be sure tape is secured to jars. Shake spray paint well and following instructions on can, begin to paint jars. For extra coverage, allow jars to dry after first coat and apply a second coat.
- Remove tape soon after finished painting. If desired, use an exacto knife to cut away any paint that may want to stick and pull.
- Once tape is removed and paint is completely dry, place a candle in the jars for a votive or fill with your favorite halloween candy. For a gift, also paint the lids a shade of green. Once they're dry, jars can be gifted!
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Nancy Stetson
Wednesday 13th of October 2021
Question - Do you paint the inside of the jars as well?
Courtney
Sunday 17th of October 2021
Hi Nancy! No, I typically leave them unpainted. Great question!
Robert Ritter
Tuesday 4th of August 2020
Thanks for responding and providing the article.
Courtney
Wednesday 5th of August 2020
You're very welcome!
Robert ( Bob)
Wednesday 29th of July 2020
I purchased three different types of white daisies. two are flat topped varieties, which have doubling in size from last hear. All purchased from nurseries as Mother's Day gifts for my sweetie. One is a dwarf (8" tall), another 10-12" tall and then I bought a white cone flower looking daisy, this year, that is exploding with new flowers, daily. The first two daisies have completed there blooming and I have brown button looking heads. Can I save these seeds to start more next year? Do I follow your instructions for saving Zinnias, or How do I save them? If I dead head them can I get another growth of blooms? should I divide these to dwarf daisies that returned from last year? they look like they could be and they may out grow there spot in a year or two, in the ground. if so, when do I do this? Finally, we love Gerber daisies. Can I save Gerber Daisy seeds too, or will they just return without help?. I want to possibly save the seeds or plants before the Chipmunks and deer snack them off.
When and how can/should, I move daffodil bulbs from their present location to my home, which my neighbor wants me to do for her before she sells her house?. They are gorgeous white petals with coral cups.
I look forward to hearing from you. I enjoy your newsletters!
Courtney
Saturday 1st of August 2020
Hi Bob! Thanks for stopping by. Such great questions, and the short answer is yes, you can save those daisy seeds like zinnias if you let them dry out on the plant. You can also cut the stem of a fully developed bloom and let it dry hanging upside down in a brown paper bag. Once they're dry, proceed with getting the seeds just the like zinnias. This same process is true for gerber daisies, which are actually perennials in zones 7-10, so you may not need to save seed for those.
For daffodils, move them when there's still a bit of green on the plant, but most has turned brown. Here's a good article to help you out: https://www.brecks.com/blog/moving-dividing-daffodils I hope you're able to move them, because they sound gorgeous!