Floating Jack-o-Lanterns

User-Contributed Project

User-Contributed Project

This project guide is not managed by MAKE staff.

These glowing jack-o-lanterns seem to hover in the night sky and add a spooky or warm element to your Halloween party.

  • Author: Jon Sexton
  • Time required: 10 minutes
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Add Note x

Convert those cheap trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets into a hanging decoration for your next nighttime Halloween party!

Tools
Relevant parts
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Floating Jack-o-Lanterns  ¶ 

  • A suitable pumpkin bucket will be translucent under bright light. The goal is to be able to see the glow of a tea light through the walls of the bucket. Florescent buckets like these are also cool if you are using black lights.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Turn the bucket over and drill 1 large hole (1/2" to 3/4") in the center and 3 or 4 small holes (1/8-1/4") around the edge of the bottom. The small holes are for drainage if it rains.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • I found LED tea lights at a local bargain outlet for 25 cents US each. The bottom of these has an on/off switch and unscrews to expose a coin cell, which lasts a few days.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Apply hot glue on all the raised edges of the bottom of the tea light. Don't get any into the switch mechanism.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Glue the tea light to the bottom of the pumpkin bucket. The switch should be accessible through the large hole in the bottom of the bucket. The glue should also waterproof the tea light, at least if it is the type like mine with a removable base.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Attach a paper clip around the bucket handle for hanging. I spanned my backyard with paracord and hung the buckets from loop knots in the paracord. Hang from kevlar thread or strong fishing line if the party will start before dusk and you don't want the paracord to show.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • I made 16 of these and hung them in our backyard for our annual pumpkin carving party. The effect was very cool.

For more information, check out the Halloween category page.

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