Homemade Recycled Holiday Luminaries

With all the holidays coming up, it’s the perfect time to make luminaries. You could buy some; they’re not always expensive. For example, this three piece Chelsea Luminaries set (below) from Improvements is almost half off right now; (and they’re pretty).

Still, even if you can get them on the cheap, why not make them yourself? This is a great way to recycle cans, and a fun project for kids to help with.

Make your own luminaries:

You’ll need:

• Empty tin cans of any size
• Nails of various sizes – depending on the amount of light you want to shine through, and how delicate you want your design to appear.
• A hammer
• Candles
• Optional items include – paint, vellum paper, glue, and glitter

To make:

1. Make sure your cans are label free and perfectly clean. If the top edge is sharp or jagged, file it down with a metal file stick.
2. Fill your cans with water and pop them in the freezer.
3. While your water freezes decide on a design. Kids can draw a simple design on paper, or you can look for some templates. One thing that works great for luminary templates are those old craft and crochet books you see at thrift stores. There are usually some nice flower, snowflakes, and vintage looking patterns in these books.
4. Once your water is frozen pull out one can and tape your design onto the can.
5. Take your nails and hammer dots along your pattern design. The ice keeps the can from bending.
6. After your design is hammered into your can, allow the ice to melt, and dry your luminary.

Options:

Homemade luminaries look good plain, but you can also decorate them. You can paint on a light coat of glue and sprinkle your luminary with glitter. You can paint your luminary or cover it with vellum paper. If you paint or cover your can, you’ll need to go back over your design and re-punch out some holes (with just a nail).

Design ideas: 

Luminaries are perfect for all the cool weather holidays. You can hammer pumpkins or graveyards for Halloween, leaves for Thanksgiving, and snowflakes for the winter holidays. If you’re having a dinner party you can aim for an elegant design like vines of flowers or tiny stars. If you get good at making luminaries you could even give a set as a gift.

Give this recycled project a try with your kids and have fun.

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