Creating A Vintage Mason Jar Ceiling Light
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I’ve always considered creating a vintage mason jar ceiling light to hang over my dining room table. This would replace the light already there when I moved into the house, built in the 1930s.
The original ceiling light was just a little too modern for my taste. I wanted a more cottage-style look to match the other rooms in my little blue house.
I started taking the original modern glass globes down from the ceiling on Friday.
How to Create a Vintage Mason Jar Light:
Then I took the vintage Mason jar lids outside and sat on the porch steps to work on the Mason jar light project.
I began hammering holes around the lid where I needed to insert the bulb. This was a slow process. But it was the only way I could remove that part of the jar without cutting myself.
I don’t have many tools, and none of them would have been able to cut this part of the jar lids out.
Add Nail Holes Around The Lids:
Remember to add nail holes around the lid to vent heat buildup. Otherwise, it could overheat.
Then I went inside and tried to fit all the parts together, but the hole was just a little too big. I had to figure out a way to fix that problem.
Heading To Lowe’s To Seek Help:
So I put all the relevant parts in a Ziploc bag and drove to Lowe’s to ask someone who works there for help.
It took a while to explain to the guy in the store that I was creating a vintage mason jar ceiling light. I guess he’d never heard of someone doing this, but we finally got things squared away.
After getting what he said I needed, I paid for the parts and drove home.
There was one glitch, though. The bulb in the original light I was taking down broke. Luckily, my son-in-law was coming by to take down the ugly bathroom mirror I also wanted to replace.
He managed to remove the rest of the broken bulb so that I could continue with my Mason jar light DIY project.
The Mason Jar Light Completed:
The DIY project was then complete. I love how it looks! I’ve always had a thing for vintage Mason jars.
If you like this look but don’t have any vintage jars, you could buy new ones in stores or online, like on Amazon. You can typically find vintage Mason jars at antique malls and thrift stores. So you might look there.
This type of light fits in so well with vintage decor. It speaks of yesteryear.
My grandmother canned garden vegetables and fruit, putting them in Mason jars to store in the cellar for the winter months.
Mason jars are still manufactured, just like they were years ago.
Other Creators’ DIY Mason Jar Lights:
I love these Mason jar lights. These DIYers did a great job. I wish I had those Mason jar lights in my bathroom.
This vintage Mason jar chandelier is gorgeous! I think it would look fantastic in my dining room. But I’m not going to switch out the one I just DIYed.
Here’s another Mason jar light using only one jar.
You can make all kinds of different light fixtures with Mason jars. With creativity and glass jars, the sky is the limit.
In fact, there are many creative uses for Mason jars.
Wow I can not believe I missed this post! I am soooo wanting to do this but I just have to work it all out as to how with the place I want it to go. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Wow that looks great Brenda! Now I'm going to have to try to make one myself. It completes the look in that room for sure!
I haven't found guys at Lowes or Home Depot to be particularly grumpy with my stupid questions…but I do know that my IQ drops about 80 points when I walk into either one of those stores.
Hi Brenda! One of your newest followers, here! I love the stories that your wrap up into your posts…storytelling is such an art…one that is not truly appreciated in the world of abbreviated tweets and such! Anyway, your new "vintage" lights are beautiful! Congrats on a job well done…oh, and I totally caught our apartment kitchen on fire when my girlfriends and I moved off campus in college. I was trying to make crab rangoon…w/o a deep fryer! Who knew oil ignited above a certain temp???!!! NOTE to SELF…Fireman are reaaaallllly cute…marry one in the future. And I did. 🙂 Hugs.
I love what you did with your light fixtures! So great. They match your décor perfectly.
Love your new old lights! I do think the problem is how little those jobs pay…but I'm paid even less and I'm always helpful. I give great customer service and people come to our store looking for me. But I'm good because I'm interested in what I am selling…most people that work with me are not interested and don't want to learn about anything around them and they don't want to work either…they get paid the same as me…so perhaps it is I that is the fool rather than them.
Sometimes I wonder why I put out so much effort when those that put out none are paid the same…but then…I couldn't be any other way. Still I'm convinced they'd see higher profits if they paid more and were more picky about who they hired. I believe they'd see higher profits that would easily make up for the increase in wages.
I love your lights. Can you use low voltage lights. You are brave. Good thing that you now know better about gas. Jeez, how did we ever survive. I did something similar with gasoline.
Very cute! The other day I was in HD getting the paint for our bathroom, and lo and behold, right in there on the very front the paint counter was this cute little mini-chest, kind of like a piece of doll furniture. It was painted very close to ASCP Antibes (bright green) with dark wax all over it. There was a poster board with hand written instructions on how to make chalk paint! It instructed you to mix some plaster of paris in water and stir into some latex paint, then sand and wax, using the dark wax for antiquing. No mention of Pinterest!
ahhh, I am liking your new light fixture…the jars are really cute there.
Chalk paint isn't sold in most of the well known big stores…some specialty stores sell it…and the internet.
Daughter bought some small jars at our yearly fair…we haven't used it yet, tho. 🙂
Hi Brenda, Your new light globes are gorgeous!! I love them and it suits your cottage to a T! I could not see more than one table in your photos, so I'm at a loss as to what you have up your proverbial sleeve. But I'm can be confident of one thing, you will show us why it is!
It's hard to believe that anybody does not know what Pinterest is! But, if they don't know, they probably should not be laughing at it!!!
Love the lights..what a great idea…nice look
You are a brave gal! I love, love your new mason jar lights!!
I was at a Diary Queen having a snow cone when I was about 8 years old. The Diary Queen was next to a little motel. While standing there eating my snow cone the office of the motel blew up! I was only about 30 yards away from it. I watched as debris went flying up in the air. Several people were killed. The blast broke windows all around the neighborhood. It was a gas explosion. Thankfully, the blast went in another direction away from the Diary Queen where myself and several other children were outside. Needless to say, it makes me nervous and I have never had it in any place I have lived in since then.
I'm going to guess that you are going to turn your room into a bistro. I love it and cant wait to see what you do!
The lights look great and I wish I had the nerve to do a project like that. I also share your frustration on some employees at the big box stores. Congrats on the photo shoot!!
Those look great! Good luck with the shoot, Brenda!
That story about the gas stove was terrifying. I have always been scared of gas. We grew up with gas stoves and those gas wrought iron space heaters. So hearing it blew you across the room makes me shiver. Glad all was okay with you and the baby.
I can't believe they would make fun of PINTEREST and chalk paint. You should have stepped up and told the people it is the rage and that if Lowe's doesn't have it, other people online do and to google for it. That would have wiped the smirk off his face!
xo
Sheila