Making a Mason Jar Chandelier

A few months ago my son’s fiancee told me that she would like to have a Mason Jar chandelier for the wedding reception and wondered if I could figure out how to make one. I love a challenge so I set out to make one.

Once completed, I loved how it turned out.

The finished chandelier measures nearly 3 feet from top to bottom and about 30 inches across. So, how did I do it? I don’t have a step by step tutorial because I was pressed for time finishing it just a couple of days before the wedding!!

The chandelier started out as 2 separate brass chandeliers that I purchased for about $15 each.  I found one at an antique booth and the other at a Habitat Restore.One of the chandeliers that I bought was just like this one from my dining room with 2 levels. The other was a very large single tier chandelier.

Those types of chandeliers are screwed together on threaded rods. To disassemble one, you simplyhold it at the top and bottom and twist counter clockwise.

I disassembled the two chandeliers and turned them upside down and ran the existing wires out the bottom. Next I moved the bottom ornament to the top and the top ornament to the bottom basically flipping it upside down.

Next, I removed the bottom from one chandelier and the top from the other and screwed them together to add another tier. One note about reassembling. The first time I put them back together I twisted them too tight causing the threaded rod to cut through the insulation on the wire which caused it to short out!!! Not good!!! I had to unscrew the whole thing and repair the wire and put it back together again, being very careful not to over tighten! I added a plug in lamp cord to the end so that it could be plugged into an extension cord in the top of the tent.

Next, I gave it a couple of coats of oil rubbed bronze spray paint. Then I took off the sockets by unscrewing the wires and unscrewing the sockets. I drilled a 3/8” hole in the top of each mason jar. I put the jar tops on the end of each arm then replaced the sockets with shorter ones and attached the wires again.  I purchased these 1 1/2” sockets on Ebay. Then I purchased these Edison style bulbs on Ebay and put them in. Next I screwed on the jars and she was complete. The bulbs were the most expensive part running about $100 for 18. The sockets were about $30 and the jars were about $10 bringing the total cost to around $170.

My niece Haley made a very similar by simply flipping a single tier chandelier as pictured below.

I don’t include a lot of family photos on the blog but I am adding just a few that were taken before the wedding.

I hope you are enjoying your summer. It is blazing hot here but I am loving the sunshine!

I am linking to Thoughts of Home on Thursday at Decor to Adore, to Grace at Home at Imparting Grace, to Pretty Project Party at 11 Magnolia Lane, to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch and to The Creative Circle at Domestic Charm. Click the links for lots of inspiration.