Star Spangled Ambience

By Susie Coelho

Star-Spangled

Materials

  • Krylon Stained Glass Color - Red (#9020)
  • Krylon Stained Glass Color - Blue (#9021)
  • Krylon Frosted Glass Finish - White Frosted Glass (#9040)
  • Clear glass jars in a variety of shapes and styles. You can use mayonnaise jars, jam jars, pickle jars, spaghetti sauce jars, etc.
  • Star stickers
  • Candles (battery operated are the best to use outdoors!)
  • Glue

General Supplies

  • Newspaper or drop cloth
  • 1”painter’s tape.
  • Bailing Wire
  • Wire cutter
  • Pliers
  • Tweezers, toothpick or needle

Instructions

  1. Clean the jars really well and let them dry.
  2. Set up a spray area by covering a table or other work surface with newspaper or drop cloth.
  3. Determine the pattern you’d like to create and what colors that you want to use. NOTE: White frosted glass will be used last. Only paint the OUTSIDE of jars!
  4. Start by masking off areas you want to keep clear glass.
  5. Next mask off all areas you want to be white. Use star stickers to mask off star shaped patterns.
  6. Mask off all areas you want to keep red. Paint exposed areas with Stained Glass in Blue. Let the paint dry completely.
  7. Remove tape from areas to be painted red. Mask off the painted blue areas.
  8. Paint exposed areas with Stained Glass in Red. Let the paint dry completely.
  9. Remove red, white and blue taped areas, plus any star stickers you want white. Leave tape on for clear areas. Paint entire jar with White Frosted Glass. Once dry remove all tape.

Ideas to Inspire

To create a hanging lantern:

  1. For a rustic hanging lantern, cut two 10” lengths of bailing wire.
  2. Bend one into a  “U” shape.
  3. Wrap the second wire length around jar top, below lip, twisting two hoops in it on opposite sides of jar and tighten till secure around jar and trim with cutters.
  4. Slip “U” shaped wire ends through hoops and twist closed.

Tips

  • You can embellish both hanging and tabletop lanterns with ribbon. Be sure to keep short and away from inside flame (I suggest using battery operated candles), secure any ribbon knot with a drop of glue.
  • The more coats of paint, the more saturated the color. Paint in light coats, letting dry in between.
  • Use tweezers, toothpick or a needle to help lift tape or sticker edges off until there is enough to easily grip with fingers.
  • Be creative. Try using different interesting patterns on a various collection of jars.
  • Create other holiday themed lanterns using stickers as stencils: pumpkins, shamrocks, snowflakes, etc.

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