Delicate DIY glass lanterns.... Do-it-yourself home decoration as a mindfulness exercise

Minimalist upcycling decoration made from old jam jars for indoors and outdoors, a decorative project that trains your flexibility and mindfulness

Are you also a mom or dad and think it's a shame to constantly throw away empty baby jars or jam jars? Do you agree that instead of throwing things away, we should try to find recycling ideas, for example for our table or home decorations, to reuse or upcycle things? I absolutely agree. And what's more - did you know that this project can also serve you as a flexibility and mindfulness exercise?

As a beginner mom, I sometimes feed my son a jar of vegetables. I also love jam and like to slather it on and have friends who like to make chutney and give it away in jars. The result: I have a lot of empties. Instead of throwing all the jars away, I kept some of them because I knew that they could be useful to me at some point (without knowing how at first...) - and so it was.

Before Christmas, I had a long list of friends, acquaintances and neighbors I wanted to give a small gift to, on a small budget, because as a young family we unfortunately don't have a cash cow in the garden. I am also firmly convinced that it is nicer and more heartfelt to give something that I have made with my own hands, that I have put my time and love into, than to simply buy something. I firmly believe that the loving energy contained in the homemade gift reaches the recipient. It's the process and the conscious attention we put into it that counts - not the result. Just thinking about this is a mindfulness exercise that you can do while crafting. In addition, thinking about what kind of decoration to create, thinking about the person who will receive it, how to improvise during the creation process... are all exercises that improve and promote our mental flexibility.

That's how the idea for these lanterns came about. In this way, I created a little Christmas greeting for all my neighbors and many other people to whom I wanted to give a little joy and attention.

The empty jars can be turned into pretty lanterns in no time at all. They can be decorated with a name or a small message as a gift.

You probably have everything you need at home to start making DIY glass lanterns to decorate your home or give as gifts:

jars (e.g. of jam, baby food, pickles or whatever)
a white Edding glass marker (2-4 mm or 1-2 mm)
colorful cotton ribbon (I often reuse the one that was used to wrap gifts we received during the year - but you can also find a wide selection here: patterned ribbons, satin ribbons, raffia paper ribbons, plain grosgrain ribbons)
Tea lights

Simply draw patterns with a white glass marker, write small drawings, lines, circles, dots or inspiring sentences, words or the name of the person you are giving the gift to on the glass. It's best to start from the top to avoid smudging. I always paint one half of the jar from top to bottom first and then, after it has dried briefly, the back, also from top to bottom.

Then tie a cotton ribbon around it and add a tea light.

In the cold and dark season, lights in front of the front doors and in the windows bring joy. The lanterns bring light and warmth to your front door, your neighbor's balcony or wherever you like. In summer, the lanterns can move into the garden or onto the balcony and keep you company with magical candlelight on long, warm summer evenings.

If you are looking for more candle ideas, you can find the upcycling project of a self-made candle in a jar full of luck, an upcycled candle holder made from an old wine glass or a very simple glass lantern that is ready in just 1 minute on my blog.

I look forward to your lovely comments. Let me know if there are any topics that I haven't covered yet but that interest you? If you're looking for more inspiration or if you don't feel like doing it yourself, you can find a large selection of lanterns here or here.

PS. Black or colored Sharpie also creates a beautiful effect. Just give it a try. Have fun!