10 Easy and Affordable Backyard DIY Projects to Do this Summer
7. Turn Mason Jars Into Hanging Lights
Garden Lovers Club
Nowadays, it has become quite trendy to use recycled mason jars as home décor. Additionally, this backyard DIY turns them into cute outdoor string lights. Purchasing and setting up outdoor lights can be expensive, but this DIY is affordable and fairly easy to put together! Therefore, you’ll have a dreamy and romantic atmosphere for all your backyard hangs this summer.
Instructions:
1.) Remove the lids from the mason jars and set aside. Spray the interiors of the jars with a light, even coating of frosted-glass spray. Place the jars right-side up to dry.
2.) While the jars are drying, remove the metal inserts from the lids. Use a permanent marker to trace the shapes of the inserts onto the plexiglass sheet.
3.) Use aviator snips to cut outthe plexiglass circles. (We found it easiest to cut a square around each circle and then trim off the corners.) Smooth rough spots with sandpaper until the circles fit inside the lid rings.
4.) Remove the top portion of each stake light, which houses the solar cell and lightbulb. Apply glue to the perimeter of a solar cell and press it onto the center of a plexiglass circle. Repeat for the remaining lights.
5.) When the glue is dry, assemble each lantern by inserting the circle into the lid ring and screwing the ring to the jar. Set your finished lights where they’ll receive direct sun, and watch them glow in the dark later on.
