Pumpkin Tea Lights

Last updated on October 28th, 2023 at 11:23 pm

Here’s a recycled Halloween candle craft that you can use to light the dinner table on Halloween night, or to illuminate a side table with a slight orange glow.

Sponge painted pumpkin tea lights, recycled from old drinking glasses or mason jars, are so cheap and easy to make that you may want to paint several extra for the windowsill. That way, the candlelight will be viewed from outside the house as well.

If ivy bowls are what you have handy, check out our illuminated Pumpkin Ivy Bowls (shown at right) for more inspiration.

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You Will Need:

• Canning jar, recycled glass jar or drink glass (I used a drinking glass)
• Orange and Black Paint (acrylic enamel or glass paint)
• Sea Sponge (Amazon link)
• Votive or tea light candle
• Paint Brush

Craft Instructions:

A regular jar or glass can be used for this project. Begin by painting your jar with a sea sponge, by gently patting orange paint over the entire outside surface of the jar.

A regular sponge will work but the effect will not be quite as nice as you will get from a sea sponge when the jar is illuminated.

Allow the paint to dry and follow paint manufacturer’s instructions, if heat setting the paint is required.

Paint a face on the jar with black paint. Here’s where you can get a little creative, and add a different character to each jar. See our face photos for ideas to get you started; small differences in the shape of the eyes, noses, or mouth can alter each tea light significantly. Practice drawing a few faces on paper until you create a design you like, then copy it to the jar.

To add a little extra to your design, paint fine lines with black paint around the jar, representing the natural segment lines on a pumpkin. Be careful not to overdo this; faint, slightly uneven lines that are not all alike look best.

Insert a tea light candle or votive candle into your glass and you’re all done!

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