This fall decor diy project is soooo cute, but it’s also very cheap and easy to put together, because I got almost all the supplies at the dollar store! Since they are solar light pumpkins you can use it for the entire autumn season, including Thanksgiving, not just Halloween. Alright, let’s get started making our pumpkin solar light lantern!
Overview
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Time: 30 minutes or less.
- Cost: $2 per pumpkin
Pumpkin Solar Light Lantern Supplies
- Pumpkins $1 each – These are glass pumpkins I found at the Dollar Tree. Every year they have some kind of pumpkin you can use for this project.
- Solar Light Stakes $1 each – I got these at the Dollar Tree. You can usually find them at Walmart, too.
- Plastic lids from takeout containers (free!) – You can probably find some clear plastic lids hanging around your house somewhere. You might even use clear soda bottles.
- Clear glue/caulking – I used Lexel clear caulking, and already had some since I use it for a lot of different projects. Just pick something that will do okay with moisture if you plan to use your pumpkin solar light lantern outside.
1. Unscrew the Solar Light Stakes
This part is easy.
First pull of the top half of the solar light from the stake that goes in the ground.
Now, twist the top of the solar light and pull the black part away from the clear plastic. You can see what I mean in the photo below.
2. Trace the Shape of the Pumpkin Rim
Grab one of your plastic lids.
Place a pumpkin on the lid upside down.
With a pen, trace the rim of the pumpkin onto the lid.
3. Cut Out the Lid
Cut along the line you just traced on the lid, so you’ll have a smaller circle of plastic to sit on the pumpkin’s rim.
Now check the fit of the plastic on the pumpkin. You want it to stretch from edge to edge.
If it’s too big, just trim it until it fits perfectly.
Just make sure you don’t make it too small!
4. Glue the Solar Light onto the Lid
It’s really important that you are using fairly clear plastic lids for this. The sunlight has to penetrate it to charge up your solar light!
As you can see, the lids I chose are a bit cloudy white. My lights still charge up just fine during the day, but I wouldn’t want to go more opaque than what I used.
The clearer the plastic, the more charged they will get, and the longer they will stay lit each evening.
Put some glue on the top rim of your solar light, taking care not to cover the solar panel with glue.
Center it on the plastic lid and let it dry!
5. Set the Solar Light Lid on the Pumpkin!
You’re done, now! Just set the lid on the pumpkin.
You don’t have to glue the solar light lid to the pumpkin if you don’t want to.
The lid stays on the pumpkin just fine, and by not gluing them together I can use the pumpkin for something else someday.
You now have a beautiful pumpkin solar light lantern that powers itself!
6. Ways To Use Your Pumpkin Solar Light Lanterns
- Halloween decor
- Thanksgiving decor
- Fall/Autumn decor
- Along your driveway
- Hanging from trees
- In a sunny window
- As a dinner centerpiece
- Mixed in with your real pumpkins on the front porch
Pin This For Later!
If you want to remember this project for later, pin it to your halloween and fall decor boards on Pinterest!
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Thanks for stopping by!
Check out another popular Halloween decor project below!
Once again, this Halloween wreath was made with all dollar store supplies. And it took no time at all to put together.
Do the lids have to be white clear or can they be a colored clear?
Colored clear would be a great idea, as long as the sunlight can get through it. 🙂