If you're entertaining at night, there's no better way to set the mood than with candles and luminarias. Make your own glowing luminarias by pounding a pattern of holes in empty paint cans, paint buckets or small soup or vegetable cans. Greet guests by lining your walkway with these flickering lights, or let them twinkle on your deck or patio. Materials:
Metal containers--clean paint cans or buckets, small soup or vegetable cans
Water
Freezer
An awl and rubber mallet or a hammer and nail
Clean rags
Sand
Votive candles
Thin wire
Optional: paint and paintbrush
- Fill your chosen containers with water, and freeze overnight. This provides a solid surface for punching holes.
- Set each ice-filled container on its side, and punch a pattern of holes, using an awl and a rubber mallet for heavier metal or a hammer and a nail for lightweight containers (figure A). Add two holes opposite each other at the top of small cans so you can add wire handles.
- When the punched pattern is complete, set each container in the sink or outside in the sun while the ice thaws.
- When the containers are empty and dry, pour about 1/2" of sand in the bottom of each one, and position candles in the sand (figure B). The sand holds the candles in place and keeps the luminarias stable if there's a light breeze.
- Loop a length of thin wire through the holes at the top of small containers to form a handle. Apply enamel paint if desired (figure C).
Small luminarias look pretty hung from hooks on your deck or strung from wire above your patio.
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