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Make Glowing Mad Scientist Jars

31 October 2010 2,420 views 6 Comments

by rhonda

Need some last-minute Halloween decorations that have big wow factor? Try making glowing mad scientist jars! When exposed to black light, the water in the jars glows, creating a supernatural and eerie effect. I posted this quick-and-easy project at my new blog, Mrs. Greene. (I wanted to post photos of the jars actually glowing, but the bulb in my black light burned out!) The idea is based on a method I learned in college for making liquid-filled glass containers glow, although in those days we were using our empty booze bottles. Who knew that all of those parties would contribute to my crafty education? [how to make glowing mad scientist jars]

Project estimate:

Plastic body parts, $1
Glass jar, on hand
Spray paint (optional), on hand or $1 and up
Water, on hand
Liquid laundry soap, on hand
Black light, on hand or about $10

Total: $1 and up

The finished jars would look great adorned with some spooky jar labels as well!

6 Comments »

J. Hill said:

Very cool. You can do the black light thing by removing the inserts of highlighters and soaking them in the water overnight too. That actually turns the water the color of the highlighter also.

# 31 October 2010 at 9:05 am

Jen VG said:

am I missing something? where are the directions, the Mrs. Greene doesn’t work as a link and I couldn’t find it by searching.

Jen VG

# 31 October 2010 at 10:17 am

rhonda (author) said:

Agh, sorry about that! Looks like I had somehow accidentally delete the link. I put it back – should work now!

# 31 October 2010 at 10:42 am

Jen VG said:

Thanks!

Jen VG

# 31 October 2010 at 12:50 pm

heather said:

Also, apparently if you use tonic water (with quinine in it) it also glows in the dark!

# 31 October 2010 at 6:53 pm

Dollar Store Crafts » Blog Archive » Make Eyeball Hair Sticks said:

[...] my attention because I have a whole bunch of plastic eyeballs laying around, left from last year's glowing mad scientist jars. Shala from Don't Eat the Paste made them out of what look to be the exact same eyeballs that [...]

# 24 October 2011 at 9:21 pm