How to make a DIY lantern from dollar store supplies

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You can make this DIY lantern in 15 minutes, in time for those warm spring evenings spent outside…with the bugs of spring. 

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The supplies

One dollar store hanging mason jar {if you can’t find one with a hanger, use a bit of wire or twine to hang the jar}
Three bags of dowels from the dollar store
One package of Baker’s twine { I picked the package with light blue}
One rubberband
One dollar store flashlight with batteries

The steps

Wrap the rubber band around the middle of the mason jar.  Start adding the dowels inside the rubber band.  Continue until the jar is covered with dowels  {I used three bags of dowels}

Stop when you can’t fit another dowel.  🙂  Leave the rubber band in place and cover with the Baker’s twine.  I wrapped all the light blue twine on the roll around the jar.  Tie a knot in the twine.

Drop the small flashlight in the mason jar.  All dollar store flashlights are small.  Turn on the flashlight and hang in a tree over the picnic table.

It’s a cloudy day but you can see the light coming down through the mason jar.

This was so easy it wouldn’t take long to make several DIY lanterns.

A few ideas to use the DIY lantern

• Hang in a tree over the patio table.
• Hang on a tall shepherds hook over a small table between two chairs.
• Hang several on shepherds hooks to light a walkway.
• Hang next to the door for added light.
• Hang on the corners of your patio cover.

Wonder if you can add a “bug light bulb” in a flashlight?