Beautiful Vintage Mason Jar Chandelier DIY Project

Elisa Mclaughlin has created a simple, yet elegant design for a mason jar chandelier.

The electrical aspect of this DIY craft has been described here: Mason Jar Floor Lamp, but we'll touch on it again here.

The simplicity of this design makes it what it is. It isn't overcrowded and loud. It is just right, and has the most beautiful glow with the blue tinted glass.

I am constantly trying to find things I can make at home with unique and vintage materials. I was at the home of a friend and fellow artist, Michal Strawbridge, and I saw a chandelier she had created using mason jars. Inspired, I took the idea and made it my own. -Elisa Mclaughlin

You're going to need the following:

* Three mason jars.

* Three light sockets (Lowes/Home Depot)

* White electrical tape.

* Three tube lights.

* White chain

* White spray paint, or white mason jar lids.

This particular project used a White Chain Swag Kit, but Home Depot has discontinued that product. Not to worry, because it is just as easy to do it yourself.

At Home Depot or Lowes, go into the hardware section and you'll find rolls of all types of chain. There is a large ruler on the floor for you to measure the length that you want, and they will snip the chain for you.

You can take old white extention cords (splice them if you have to) to create your main power line. Don't plug one into the other :) Snip everything off except for the part that plugs into the wall, and then twist wires together accordingly to create an extended length, and to wire your sockets together.

Most importantly, be very careful when playing with electricity. The simple explanation is:

There are two wires in an extention cord. We'll call them wire 1 and wire 2. They are interchangable, so it doesn't matter which one you start with, BUT, do not cross your wires! Make sure that whatever you wire to "wire 1" stays "wire 1" all the way to the point of plugging in this cord. The same applies for wire 2. Do not let wire 1 and wire 2 get crossed/twisted together at any point.

Make sure you cover all exposed wires very good, and make sure they are twisted tightly. If you cover them, and twist them well, and don't cross them, you will have succeeded. It is easy, as long as you pay attention.

Make sure that you _DO NOT_ have your cord plugged in while working with your project.

It was described more in depth here: Mason Jar Floor Lamp.

Elisa had cut a hole into each lid that was half an inch smaller than the diameter of the socket, then, taking metal snips, she 'scissored' the rest of the half inch, so that the light socket would slip into the hole and have small metal tabs to help hold it into place.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about this step unless you have snips already. I would just simply place the socket into the hole in the lid, and tape around the part of the socket a few times from the bottom of the lid. That way, it can't slip back out, and gravity will do the rest.

To see how Elisa describes this project, visit Elisa Mclaughlin Designs by clicking link in author section.