Here's how to turn an ordinary canning jar into an attractive electric lamp using a canning jar lamp kit.
Our sample is meant as a sewing room lamp, and is filled with colored spools of thread - but we've compiled a list of other suggestions so you can create a canning jar lamp that is personal to you.
These canning jar lamps also make excellent homemade gifts - just choose a theme to suit the gift recipient and it's sure to be a winner.
What You Will Need:
canning jar lamp kit - these are available in craft stores, some hardware stores, and online from Amazon. There are usually two styles to choose from - one with the switch built into the socket, the other with the switch built into the wire.
With both lamp kit styles, the wire exits from the socket, so there is no need to drill a hole in a jar.
light bulb
lamp shade
your choice of lamp theme items
Canning Jar Lamp Themes:
Sewing Lamp: Fill the jar with assorted sizes of colored thread spools, a mixture of thread spools and bobbins, or lots of colored buttons. Thimbles, large colored plastic yarn needles or metal needle threaders make nice additions to arrange close to the glass. If you do a lot of sewing, or have access to a large assortment of tangled threads, try making thread jam.
Floral Lamp: Fill jar with dried or silk flower heads, or potpourri. As you can see in this Wedding Jar Candle project, you can spray paint old potpourri for an entirely different look that retains the texture of potpourri while coordinating with your chosen color scheme.
Woodland Lamp: Pack with assorted sizes of pinecones, dried teasels or dried seed heads.
Seaside Lamp: Fill entirely with seashells or sea glass; or make a beach in a bottle - fill the jar half full with sand, then add a few fancy seashells, a small piece of driftwood and a miniature boat.
Boy's Jar Lamp: Fill with marbles, polished stones, pebbles or fossils.
Girl's Jar Lamp: Pack with small dolls or miniature teddy bears; colored pompoms or brightly colored beads.
Toyland Lamp: Pack with miniature toy cars and trucks, tiny dolls or doll house items; fill spaces with pompoms and marbles.
Coin Collection Lamp: This one can be as common as pennies or as rare as a jar of old coins. You might also consider displaying your collection of foreign coins in a lamp jar.
Soup in a Jar Lamp Layered soup mixes are very pretty and look attractive displayed in the kitchen. Why not use one as the base for a jar lamp? For a very easy version, simply fill with tri-color pasta, rice or dried beans.
Candy Jar Lamp Pick up some pretty wrapped candies from the bulk food section of your grocery store; rotate every week for a different look guaranteed to enchant the grandkids. They can eat the candy from last week's jar - and look forward to the current display on their next visit!
Bathtime Lamp Miniature soaps, bath cubes, bath beads or layered bathsalts all look great in a mason jar lamp.
Boudoir Lamp Stuff the canning jar with a cloud of tulle or nylon netting, white or colored feathers, or handfuls of baubles such as costume jewellery necklaces, bracelets, earrings and old-fashioned brooches.
Office Lamp How about a jar full of colored push pins, pencils, or erasers?
Christmas Jar Lamp: Fill with Christmas potpourri; tiny, decorated gift boxes or small Christmas tree ornaments.
Snowmen Stuck in a Jar Lamp: Decorate large, fluffy white pompoms as snowman heads, with felt carrot noses and beaded eyes. Pack one lightly on top of another until you get to the top of the jar; the effect is rather like a crowd of snowmen trying to look out.
Suggestions:
If the filling of your jar is too light to support the lamp shade, consider adding weight to the jar in some way to add stability. For instance, you could close the end of a toilet paper tube with tape, fill it with sand or pebbles, tape the other end, then insert the tube into the center of the jar. Arrange feathers, or other lightweight fillings, all around until the weighted tube is completely hidden within the jar.
Reader Idea: Use the lamp as a safe place to store cash or valuables. Simply hide your treasures in the center of the jar, hidden by whatever filling you have chosen. This is similar in concept to our book safe craft project.
Embellishments:
Tie a length of raffia around the neck of the jar for a classic country accent.
Make a bow from wire edged ribbon; tie around the jar neck, or cover the threads of the metal socket/jar lid.
Glue one or two items on the outside of the jar - this would work well for seashells, seaglass, fossils or potpourri, but could even be done effectively using a toy micro car, a tiny doll, or some other small decoration that suits your theme.
Please Help I am a Special ED teacher and I am looking for the mason jars with the doll heads for my class as a project.
Brenda Scott – De Soto, MO
Dec 08, 2009 - 11:22
You can also layer scented potpourri along with mini lights in the jar. Then place a pretty crochted doily on top placing a large rubber band around the neck of the jar to hold the doily, and tie a pretty ribbon over the rubber band.
Cheryl Christman – Temecula, Calif
Nov 02, 2009 - 01:43
Would anyone know where I can find Christmas string lights (wht/color) to fit into reg. size mason jars? I need short short strands. Thanks for your help!
Mary Teranova – Manchester CT
Sep 18, 2009 - 19:48
Looking for canning jars with pre drilled hole in base for a craft project. Please email with price and delivery charges.
Reply to Mary Teranova
Kathy Manley – Omaha , NE
Nov 03, 2009 - 20:03
You can go to a glass company and ask if they have a drill bit for glass. Try Home Depot or Lowe's. See if they would do it for a chg. Other wise a glass drill bit is usually about $60.00. You can use it for a long time.
sondra – Michigan
Aug 27, 2009 - 08:20
I spent many years in Fla. at the beach and have lots of shells that have meaning to me. I just can't stand the thought of throwing them
out. we are soc. sec people any cheap ideas or place to buy small craft lamps like they sell in Fla ?
Reply to sondra
Kathy Manley – Omaha , NE
Nov 03, 2009 - 20:08
I work at Schloeman's Lamp Shop in Omaha, NE. We have a couple lamps that sea shells would fit. Sorry she does not have a web site. Try Lamps Plus on line. Some lamps actually have a top that screws on and off. Good Luck
June – Latham, NY
Apr 07, 2009 - 07:12
I have some very old glass top canning jars with the snap on wires. I would like to use them in some kind of a craft project. Any ideas? Would appreciate a reply if you do. Thanks. June
Reply to June
Mary – WV
Jan 14, 2010 - 13:06
These jars are beautiful, filled with small items that has been collected over the years, i have one with marbles, one with items that I pick up off the parking lots and side walks. one with old watches, thimbles or what ever one else doesn"t wants and they give them to me. I also use candle jars for collections.
Mary
Angela Stallings – North Carolina
Oct 24, 2008 - 17:02
I like to find old antique jars, especially the old blue Ball jars. The real ones will have bubbles throughout the glass and other slight imperfections because they were hand blown. If you get these, you don't even have to fill the jar, but I like to put sand with glitter in the bottom and use a small LED or AA battery candle in the center as a nightlight. With the LED lights, because they don't get hot, I've even used a bed of ribbon to cover the polymer clay base I placed in the bottom. I keep this in place with removable double sided adhesive.
Seaside Lamp:
