Every week we haul heavy bags filled with our empty cans and jars down to the curb for recycling. Why not lighten the load by turning your old glass jars into a fun craft for the whole family?

Thanks to Julie from My Made Up Story, we found a fun, inexpensive and easy way to turn old glass jars into decorative lanterns.

What you’ll need:

• Tissue paper or decorative napkins
• Regular and paper Mod Podge (or watered-down craft glue)
• Glass jars
• Ribbon
• Sponge or paintbrush
• Wax paper or a trash bag (to cover your work area)

You can find full instructions over at My Made Up Story. Julie recommends using battery-operated tea lights instead of real candles (because tissue paper and fire don’t mix!). You can also check out our take on DIY lanterns, like these String-Light Lanterns for your kids’ bedrooms. Or instead of using glass jars for the lanterns, you can also try using tin cans like we did for these Tin Can Welcome Lanterns.