Introduction: Solar Powered Fairy House

About: I graduated from Cardonald College with an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design in 1999. He has worked as a Tattoo Artist, Community Artist, and Freelance Artist ever since. I like making instructables that ev…

Hi,

In this instructable I am going to show you a take on the fairy house night light but using a solar powered light. Its a relatively cheap instructable with the only potentially expensive material being the polymer clay but I think you will find once you are done it makes a great addition to the garden or window ledge.

Step 1: What You'll Need

Materials

Pound shop solar powered light. I'm using one that changes colour.

A clean glass jar. make sure that its smaller than the diameter of your solar light.

Various Polymer clay.

Acrylic paint

Masking Tape

Super glue

Varnish or lacquer spray. this is additional if you plan on having it outside

Tools

Sculpting tool or craft knife

Paintbrush

Baking tray

Step 2: The Cap

Take apart you solar light

cover the solar panel with masking tape and paint the rest of it red, I put on two coats.

Peel off the making tape.

Step 3: The Jar

For this step keep in mind that the jar you use may be of a different size so i wont be using exact quantities but the main thing to keep in mind is that the jar is smaller than the solar light and ideally if its about the size of the clip shown in the first picture it can help hold the cap in place. dont worry too much about it though as if it doesn't you can simply use a bit of blue tack.

Cover the jar in polymer clay (I'm using white but you can use whatever colour you want)

Cut a door shape and some windows. Remember the more you cut the more light will come out but dont go over board.

Then decorate it. Again there is no exact way of doing this, just have fun.

In the case that your jar and cap fit snuggly you may want to press the two together before backing it to make an indent at the top to help hold the cap in place

Now with some of the clay you cut of make some circles/discs or alternatively use another colour. I'm using glow in the dark polymer clay

Bake your jar and circles as directed by the polymer clay directions

Step 4: Finishing Touches

Glue your discs onto the cap/solar light.

Mask off the solar panel again and give the entire mushroom a coat of lacquer. If you are keeping your light indoors this is unnecessary but it does give it a nice finish.

Step 5: Finished

And your done!

all you need to do is find a nice sunny spot to put it during the day and watch as it lights up as night :)

Please excuse the poor night time photos

I hope you enjoyed this instructable and as always thoughts/comments/criticisms and even pictures of your own Fairy houses are welcome in the comments below :)
Enjoy

Solar Contest 2016

Runner Up in the
Solar Contest 2016

Clay Contest 2016

Runner Up in the
Clay Contest 2016

Lamps and Lighting Contest 2016

Participated in the
Lamps and Lighting Contest 2016