Halloween Yogurt Jar Jack-O-Lantern and Ghost Luminaries

Turn your empty Oui yogurt jars into the cutest jack-o-lantern and ghost luminaries this Halloween! This simple craft project is a fun way to repurpose those empty jars and add some Halloween fun to your home. Whether you’re lighting them indoors or placing them on your porch, these glowing jack-o-lanterns will add a cozy charm to your Halloween decor. And they are perfect for Halloween night.

Last year, I tinted glass jars, of varying shapes, sizes, and colors to get that vintage look. Turns out, I liked them so much I decided to tint jars orange and white (pumpkins and ghosts) for Halloween this year. 

This is a great project for young children

Halloween crafts are a great way to entertain kids. This project is the perfect way to take advantage of the warmer weather while it lasts, or it can be done at the kitchen table. Although this project is a bit messy, so they will need some adult supervision.

Mod Podge dissolves in water and is easy to clean up with a damp paper towel. And the food coloring is for food, so it’s generally non-toxic. The kids will have so much fun with this easy project!

What you need to make Halloween luminaries

• I used Oui yogurt jars that I’ve been saving, peeled the labels off, and ran them through the dishwasher. But you could use any other jars you’ve saved like Dijon mustard jars, baby food jars, or even mason jars – although mason jars are not rounded in shape like the other jars. If you haven’t been saving your used jars, old clear glasses in varying sizes and shapes are easily found in thrift stores.
• Mod Podge (you can buy it on Amazon or at local craft stores).
• Food color gel  (I used orange to resemble pumpkins here, but there’s a link at the end of this post that shows you what you can do with other jars and colors.)
• Small bowl for mixing the orange paint.
• Kraft paper or paper bags to cover and protect your work surface. I used a paper grocery bag from Trader Joe’s.
• Basic popsicle sticks or wooden skewers for the glass jars to rest on while drying.
• A preheated 200-degree oven for baking.
• Baking sheet(s) depending on how many you’re making.
• A black Sharpie, glass paint pens, or black paint for the drawing of the faces. If you’re using regular paint or acrylic paint, you’ll also need a small artist paint brush. I just find that a black Sharpie is easiest to use, and the best part is there is no clean-up of paint brushes required.
• A damp paper towel to clean up any drippings.
• Votive candles. I buy mine at Ikea but I have seen LED tealights as a substitute. However, I still prefer the natural glow of a real candle.

How to color the jars

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Drop a healthy spoonful of Modge Podge into a glass bowl.
3. Add a few drops of orange food coloring.
4. Add a little bit of water to thin out the mixture (you don’t need as much paint as you think, it needs to be runny enough to coat the sides of the jar when swirling).
5. Pour some paint into the jars and gently swirl the paint around to coat the entire inside of the jars. Try not to drip paint on the outside of the jar as it will be visible after baking them. And make sure the top of the jar or the rim is coated as you pour out the paint. 
6. Pour excess paint back into the mixing bowl, turn the jar upside down, and place on two popsicle sticks so that any excess paint drains; let the jars dry upside down (you don’t want excess paint to dry in the bottom of the jar).
7. Once the jars are completely dry, turn them right side up, put them on a cookie sheet, and place them in the oven for about 40 minutes to an hour.
8. Once the jars are clear, remove them from the oven and let them cool.

Note: Don’t shake the bottles; gently swirl and turn to cover the inside of the jar. Shaking creates bubbles that will leave an uneven surface when drying and baking.

How to decorate the jars with pumpkin and ghost faces

I found these free patterns with a quick Google search and I just copied them as I sketched the pumpkin faces and ghost faces. Don’t worry about being perfect. You can practice drawing a face a few times on a blank sheet of paper and you’ll be good to go.

Note: When water is added to the jars after baking, the paint becomes cloudy again. However, once the water is removed and the jars have had a few hours to dry, they become translucent again.

Here are some other fun crafting projects 

• How to make colored glass jars and get the vintage look
• How to make adorable mini pumpkin planters with real pumpkins
• The best way to easily carve pumpkins using power tools