DIY Stunning Decor With A Gallon Glass Pickle Jar & A Few Dollar Tree Items

One design feature that never goes out of style is lighting. Light accents are a great way to add whimsy to a room and update an old look. You can find stylish statement lighting ideas to brighten up your home online or in-store, but buying beautiful candles, twinkle lights, and other glowing elements that fit your style can be expensive. Fortunately, a little creativity goes a long way to cut costs and put you in the designer's seat. 

DIY decorating is more affordable than it used to be. Crafters have access to a wide range of goodies through budget retailers like Dollar Tree. You can also upcycle items from around your home, including recyclable goods like pickle jars. For example, you can make a beautiful homemade light feature that won't cost you much more than $3.75 plus the price of hot glue. Check out this stunning nautical-inspired candle project you can create from a gallon glass pickle jar and some discount craft supplies, and how to enhance it for every season.

Making a stunning glass lantern is simple with the right materials. There are many methods that work for this project. YouTuber Hammons Nest went with a versatile nautical theme. For your own version, you'll need a 1-gallon glass pickle jar, 19 feet of narrow rope, a flameless candle, decorative sand, a glue gun, and hot glue sticks. For the best deal on these supplies, grab the Floral Garden Decorative Nautical Rope from Dollar Tree. You can get 9½ feet of rope for $1.25, so you'll need two. They also sell decorative white sand and battery-operated LED pillar candles in ivory, each for $1.25. With materials at the ready, it's time to prep for DIY.

Start by thoroughly cleaning the glass jar inside and out. This means scraping off the labels and residual goo. A spoonful of baking soda and vegetable oil mixed together is a great help with this. Rub the mixture on the surface until all the sticker remnants are gone. Once the jar is dry, lay it on its side and measure the rope from the base of the pickle container to the bottom of the lip where the lid would screw on. Cut eight pieces at this length and set them to one side. Next, measure and snip two segments to fit around the jar. Finally, cut three to fit around the rim. Now, you're ready to create a unique lighting feature with these simple dollar tree DIY finds.

With the prep work out of the way, this project is quick to assemble. Glue down the first rope just below the lip of the jar mouth toward the base. Turn the container around and do the same on the opposite side. Roll the jar to a blank side and repeat. You should have four equally spaced vertical ropes. Continue this process with all eight segments. Next, glue one of the two longer strands around the base of the jar, and the other around the widest part of the top, just before the pickle container narrows to the lip. Finally, glue the three remaining strings around the mouth of the jar, one on top of the other. Now comes the inside portion.

Place the LED candle in the center of the jar and pour decorative sand around it. Take the nautical theme farther by sprinkling in decorative seashells. Dollar Tree sells assorted bags of these for $1.25. One of the great things about this being a DIY decor item is that you can deck it out in different accessories to accent the seasons. Swap out shells for pinecones in fall, toss in mini candy canes in winter, and use silk flowers in spring. This is one of those DIYs that will light up your backyard patio for summer nights or add ambiance to your next holiday party. The sky is the limit when you have an empty pickle jar and a DIY attitude.