Although solar lighting is awesome, it can be a bit too modern or sleek for some homes. Additionally, you might not always have walkways to utilize those ground stakes that are oh so cheap at big box and dollar stores. This solar light idea has you disassembling and making something new, with a more rustic feel.
Believe it or not, solar stake lights are relatively easy to dismantle. That's the case here as you remove the actual stake and cut a hole in the bottom of a small pail. Attach the two and string it up and you have a solar light for a few dollars that can hang anywhere.
It doesn't matter if you have a balcony, porch, or sailboat, this little light is a great way to enjoy the night without burning up your electricity or attracting too much attention from the bugs. Check out the full tutorial for this project over at IKEA Hackers.
(Image: IKEA Hackers)
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Emi & Nathan's Natural History
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Sprout Side Table
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
I can't wait to try this. My local Walgreens has solar lights on sale for 50 cents each.
So cute, and clever! I love that they are solar. But I am curious: how does the sunlight get to the lamp to charge it? Is the whole bottom cut out of the pail, and the light gets to it that way? Now I am curious, and will have to read the link!
What a fantastic idea!
thinking you could totally do this with tin cans.
Has anyone had long-term success with these solar lights? My mom has some and of the four she bought only two work onyl four months later. I have also seen many houses on my nightly walks with a few out. I questions how green they really are if they have to be replaced every few months.
Yeah, you basically put a hole in one end. The way this person did it is actually less involved than some that I've seen where they completely remove the housing to leave the solar bits and light.
I've been meaning to create the sun jars that popped upon here ages ago.
Brilliant! Can't wait to try this.
They have them at Dollar Stores? Which ones?
I've been wanting to do this with little glass jars or some such. Cool idea.