Mummy Halloween Luminaries in Three Steps!

You can make these Halloween luminaries on a budget, in three steps! Kids will love these mummy mason jars too.

Skills Required: Beginner. You don’t need any crafting experience to make these mummy mason jars! You’re going to wrap a glass jar in cheesecloth using Mod Podge, and then attach eyes cut out of cardstock. This project is so easy that even a child could do it.

While looking through the Pottery Barn website for Halloween decorations (which I do religiously), I spotted some cute gauze mummy mason jars. I thought they were super cool, BUT they were $25.00 each. YIKES! I knew I could totally make these Halloween lanterns myself.

I checked my craft supplies to see if I had some cheesecloth and I DID! This is such an easy project to do, you could even turn it into a Halloween kids craft. I know my boys would really enjoy making one too. So I grabbed some glass jars and Mod Podge to begin.

Halloween Luminaries

Before we dive into these Halloween mason jars, I wanted to give you some tips on the project based on questions that I’ve been asked. I hope these help you with your project!

Preparing Your Mummy Mason Jars

You don’t have to do much to get your jars ready – thought I recommend washing them with mild soap and warm water, and then letting them dry. If you want to remove labels, try these non-toxic methods. They work really well!

Mod Podge to Use

For your Halloween luminaries, you can choose any finish you like – Gloss, Matte, or Satin standard formulas are fine. I recommend going with the Matte or Satin to most closely match the cheesecloth, but that’s just me being nit picky. Any of the formulas will work just fine.

LED Lights or Tea Lights?

You can use either LED lights OR tea lights in these mummy mason jars. They are fine to use with a flame as long as you make sure to keep the cheesecloth and Mod Podge on the outside of the jar. Mod Podge is not flammable, but cheesecloth is, so don’t take the risk.

Any open flame should obviously never be left unattended. My personal choice is LED lights for these types of projects. That way I never I have to worry!

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Are you ready to learn how to make this awesome Halloween mason jar craft? Keep reading!

Easy Mummy Jars

Gather These Supplies

• Mod Podge Matte
• Glass Jars
• Cheesecloth
• Circle Punch
• Black Cardstock
• Foam Brush

Getting Started

I decided to do three different sized jars. I’m a jar hoarder, so I had a TON on hand to use. This would work with jars of any size. Remove any adhesive or stickers, and time to get crafting!

Step 1 – Wrap Cheesecloth Around Jar and Mod Podge

I started off by cutting my cheesecloth into strips. Then, I added a little Mod Podge to the glass and started wrapping the cheesecloth around the jar. I was trying to keep a layered effect going. You definitely want to do several layers to make your jars look like mummies!

Next, I applied Mod Podge down the inside of the jar and folded the cheesecloth slightly down over the lip. Let dry, and then fold the cheesecloth down on the bottom and Mod Podge in place. Let that dry too.

Finish by going around the outside of the jar and adding more Mod Podge in spots (to keep it nice and stiff).

Step 2 – Add Your Eyes

Now, I cut some eyes with my circle punch, out of black cardstock. I think these eyes look pretty similar to the ones in Pottery Barn.

Two options if you don’t have any cardstock on hand: 1) use googly eyes or 2) draw eyes on with a Sharpie. I added my eyes with more Mod Podge and let them all dry for about 2 hours.

Step 3 – Finishing Touches

Finally, pick up some flameless candles or tea lights and you’re ready to display your Halloween luminaries! They would look perfect on a Halloween mantel, front steps, or even as a night light for the kids (use the LED lights!).

Here’s a quick look at what Pottery Barn Mummy Luminaries look like. I think they look pretty similar . . . and mine are way cheaper. What do you think?

See how easy these mummy mason jars were to make? I had all three done in about 15 minutes. It took me longer to find the cheesecloth than it did to make them.

I really think these Halloween candle holders turned out cool and it’s something I can keep for a long time. Since I had all the materials on hand, it didn’t cost me a thing. Woohoo!

I have some more really cool Halloween crafts coming up so stay tuned (here’s a spoiler, they’re all gonna use Mod Podge).

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If you enjoyed these Halloween luminaries, take a peek at these other Halloween crafts I think you’re going to like:

• Easy Halloween Handprint Crafts for Kids
• Halloween Mason Jar Lanterns
• Dollar Tree Halloween Crafts You’ll Have to Try
• Spooky Halloween Candle Holders at the Last Minute!