by Noreen Doll.
Make an easy milk jug jack-o-lantern. It’s a great way to recycle an empty milk jug!
This craft is so easy your kids can do it with a little help from you.
You can either cut the facial features, or draw them on with a Sharpie.
You will need to help with the cutting. It is sometimes easier to cut the jug if you start a slit with a knife and then use utility scissors to finish cutting.
What You Need
Empty Milk Jug
Orange Paint
Foam Brush
Black Sharpie
Scissors
Green Construction or Tissue Paper
What You Do
1. Wash and dry an empty milk jug.
2. If you are going to use a tea light in the jug, cut a hole in the bottom -near the back corner – large enough to fit the tea light in.
3. Turn the jug so the handle is in back. Draw features on the front and cut them out. Draw several faces on a sheet of paper till you find one you want to use.
Or if you prefer, you can put the face on one side of the jug. I do it on the corner so the handle will be in back.
4. Paint the milk jug orange.
5. You can just draw the features on with a Sharpie and use them that way.
6. If you are cutting the features out, outline the cut areas with a black Sharpie so they’ll show up better.
7. Cut a sheet of green construction paper about 6 inches x 9 inches. Fold it in half and twist it until it will fit snugly inside the top of the jug for a stem.
8. Layer the bottom of the jug with a little gravel or sand, so it won’t tip or blow over.
9. Put a battery operated tea light inside.
Tips
When you draw the face with a Sharpie – before you paint it, you can use alcohol to wipe off mistakes and redo the features. If you do use alcohol, remember to wipe the alcohol off with water and dry it before using the Sharpie again.
If you try to remove the Sharpie ink on the painted surface, you will also remove the paint.
Noreen Doll
Jill says
Fabulous halloween lantern!!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
Danni Baird says
So cute and so easy! Gotta do this one!
Dottie says
This is great! You are very creative! Would love if you’d join our Countdown to Fall link party! Hope to see you there! Have a great day! 🙂
http://dixie-n-dottie.blogspot.com/2012_09_03_archive.html
Shiloh says
Haha! Very fun!
susan m. jensen says
So cute and easy. Thank you.
Less Is More says
I made these last year and lined the walkway! I didn’t paint them though. This is really cute!
Christine says
Oh so COOL!!! I will be saving my jugs to make some too!
Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer… From Dream to Reality!
Deborah Owen says
love this!
amy says
Great idea for making something festive out of “trash”! Would you share it here at the Great Pumpkin Party?
http://www.oneartsymama.com/2012/09/the-great-pumpkin-party.html
Crystelle says
Super cute
! What a brilliant idea… Great way to be resourceful too 🙂
Capri + 3--Theresa says
The jug jack’o’lantern turned out really cute. It would be fun for kids to paint it. Please stop by and link this post (and any other arts, crafts and play posts) to Artsy Play Wednesday on Capri + 3. I hope to see you there.
: 0 ) Theresa
http://www.multiples-mom.com
Tracey says
Those came out great, I love the winking one! Thanks for sharing at the We Made That Linky!
Kim (TheMoney-Pit) says
I’ve been saving my milk cartons for a few weeks now to make these! Yours are so cute!
Angela at A Typical English Home says
I made a ghostie version with lots of milk jugs last year, and fairy lights strung through them. Very effective! I like your idea of turning them into a jack o’lantern instead and might try that this Halloween (much fewer empty milk jugs cluttering the cupboard in the run up to October!).
andiejaye says
fun and easy! just the way i like it! thanks for linking this up to tip-toe thru tuesday!
STLAVONLADY says
I love this idea!! I have actually been saving my milk jugs hoping I would find s fund Halloween craft. lol Love it!!
Glad I found your awesome blog from Happy Hour Friday! Enjoy your day. Julie from Stlavonlady – Scatterbrained In St. Louis
Kathryn Griffin says
That’s just crazy cute! Thank you for sharing this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see your prettiness again on Monday. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Marydon says
This is wonderful! TY for sharing.
Have a lovely weekend ~
GIVEAWAY ends 9/9
TTFN ~ Marydon
Tracy says
I love this project! I’d love it if you’d join me on my T.G.I.F. Linky Party that I host every Thursday evening – Sunday and I’d love to be added to your list. 🙂
http://www.craftjunkietoo.com/2012/09/tgif-linky-party-65.html
Hugs,
Tracy
Rose Cottrill says
Very creative. Visiting from Pink Saturday.
PINK reminders is my entry.
Have a great weekend!
Christina @ Play Eat Grow says
This is such a neat idea and great use of empty milk jugs! And, they won’t rot. Score!
Anu@MyDreamCanvas says
So cute!! I would love for you to stop by My Dream Canvas. Have a super weekend.
LaVoice says
My grand daughter would love this. I think you came up with a neat idea.
Aubrey says
I have just the kids to help me with this! What a great craft. Thanks for sharing.
Katie Drane says
Simple and clever, I love it! Thanks for sharing on Show and Tell Saturday:)
Katie
http://www.funhomethings.com
BeColorful says
So timely and fun. Love it. Thanks for sharing on BeColorful’s Motivated Monday.
pr
Julie says
This is a neat idea! Great way to use up an old milk jug!
Hilda @ From Overwhelmed To Organized says
Very cute idea! We don’t get those kind of jugs here (Canada) but my parents are heading to the States in a few weeks so I’ll get them to bring back an empty jug or 2 🙂 Visiting from My Life’s A Treasure.
Karri Reiser says
So cute and simple. We go through a ton of milk at my house so I should have a whole pumpkin patch done by Halloween. Thanks for sharing at my Our Favorite Things Link Party.
Lindy@Itsy Bitsy Paper says
How fun! I hope you’ll link up to my Wickedly Creative Halloween Ideas Party.
http://www.itsybitsypaperblog.com/2012/09/2012-wickedly-creative-halloween-ideas.html
A Lived in Home says
What a cute idea!! Great project for kiddos too! I would love for you to come link up to my Get Social link party that’s live right now. Come share your awesome blog! http://alivedinhome.blogspot.com/2012/09/get-social-sunday_8.html
april says
Hey girl you won the most viewed link giveaway at my link party! Come check it out and email me your address!
http://www.thegingerbreadblog.com/2012/09/sweet-saturday-link-party-v55-features.html
Britni says
Such a great idea! And cute too 🙂
Diann @ The Thrifty Groove says
that is such a cute idea. I think I will make one with my 4 year old! Thank you for sharing at TTF. Have a fun day!
Paula-Riverton Housewives says
YAY! You were featured as our MOST VIEWED link over at The REAL Housewives of Riverton! We hope that you link up again soon! http://housewivesofriverton.blogspot.com/2012/09/riverton-housewives-round-up-32.html
Michelle says
Love this! I have a lot of Milk cartons just waiting to be re-purposed. Great tutorial. Thanks so much for linking up last week to Creative Thursday. Can’t wait to see what you have for this week’s party! Have a great week.
Michelle
Erin says
Those are so cute! I love your blog! I am a follower of your blog now and can’t wait to poke around more! 🙂
admin says
Thanks, I so appreciate all my visitors. And I really enjoy sharing my ideas!
Jill @ Create.Craft.Love. says
Great luminary project! And less mess than carving a real pumpkin!
Melissa Swenson says
I would love it if you’d link these up to The Pinspiration Project! 🙂
http://adayinthelifeofamomandawife.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-pinspiration-project-linky-party-9.html
lindsey @ Impatiently Crafty says
What a fun kiddo craft! thank you for stopping by impatiently crafted Sundays!
Linda says
I love it!! I guess I’d better start saving some of these. I think a whole bunch of them would be cool….Thanks, Noreen
Stella Lee@ Purfylle says
What a fantastic upcycle! I just had to tumble it.
Natasha says
Ah this is so cute and what a brilliant idea if there are no pumpkins left, which happened to me one Halloween! Love this. – Tasha
Suzie@homemaker-mom says
This is neat! I might do this.
Leslie says
Love it! This is so easy and cheap it would be great to make at a party!
Melinda says
And the AWARD for best use for a milk jug goes to :Craftyjournal! huuhuuh
(crowd goes wild sounds- my phonetic abilities are slipping)
Here from TUT.
Noreen says
Thank you so much… I humbly accept my award! lol
Linda says
This is so fun, Noreen!!!
Mary Beth|Cupcakes and Crinoline says
Thanks so much for sharing this adorable idea at Project Inspire{d} – you’re Jack-o-Lantern will be featured at this week’s What a Great Idea!
Have a lovely weekend.
mb
Coombe Mill - Fiona Cambouropoulos says
Another great Halloween idea. who would have thought that a little paint could transform a milk jug like this. Popping by from #CreativeMondays
shantel says
now this is a perfectly awesome idea that I simply must try!
Jann Olson says
Fun, fun! Love the faces! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Elaine says
How cute! Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday!! Hope to see you again this week!! I pinned this to My 2 Favorite Things Pinterest Board!
Heather H says
This looks like such a fun project! My kids love anything that lights up in a dark room. Thanks for sharing with the #made4kids linkup!
sandy sandler says
so spooky and fun!! Thank you so much for sharing on our bowdabra Saturday crafty showcase!
Sherry says
This is a great craft for kids. I’m going to try this with my grandson. He’ll love it. Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday.
Coombe Mill says
You are so creative with a milk bottle, I love your ghost toppers and now these too. Thank you for linking with me on #Trash2Treasure. Next month is all about Halloween so if you have any more brilliant ideas please join me again.