Tuesday’s Tips: Glittering Luminaries
Welcome to Tuesday’s Tips, a weekly IDEA SWAP for moms. I hope that when you drop by The Overflow on Tuesdays, you’ll find a gold-mine of encouragement and creative ideas excavated straight from the sticky trenches of parenthood.
Of course a SWAP wouldn’t be a true exchange without many voices. So, please consider chiming in the discussion and sharing your own great ideas. If you’ve discovered a tried and true trip that has made motherhood a little easier, a little more exciting, or a bit more meaningful, please let me know. Just leave a comment after this post or send me an email (rbruxvoort@iowatelecom.net) so I can share your idea in the next swap! I’d love to feature you on an upcoming Tuesday. Let the digging begin!
Today’s tip comes from my amazingly creative and fun friend, Jill. Not long ago when I dropped by Jill’s house I noticed on the front porch step these beautiful sparkling jars with well-worn candles tucked inside. I could just picture those simple luminaries lighting up the neighborhood when darkness fell by night.
Of course, I went home and copied Jill’s marvelous idea immediately. But since we garner a bit more wind on our front step out in the country, we chose to keep our flickering flames inside the house. Josh and Maggie and I made a luminary for each child’s bedroom. All week long, my kids have fallen asleep with glorious glimmers casting shadows on their ceiling. What a perfect reminder of the Christmas Light who came to break through our darkness!
Whether you choose to add a glorious glow inside or out, why not welcome the Light of the World with these simple Christmas luminaries?
I’ll let Jill tell you how to make them….
Glittering Luminaries
Want to add a little sparkle to your table or front steps?
Supplies:
Glass jars Mod podge Brush Glitter Salt Votive candles
1. Choose a few clean glass jars. We love making luminaries for almost any holiday, so I keep a stash of jars that have been un-labeled and sent through the dishwasher. The more interesting the shape, the better.
2. Mod podge is one of our favorite crafty products! Coat (really coat!) the outside of the jar with mod podge.
3. Now the glitter……..yet another of our favorite things! We find that it works best for the little crafter to sprinkle while mom holds and turns the jar.
4. Let the masterpiece dry.
5. Add a little salt to the bottom of the jar. This keeps the candle in place and catches wax drips for easy clean up. Nestle the candle in the salt.
6. If you happen to have those neat super long fireplace matches or cool click lighters, use one of those! If you’re like us and can find neither around our house lately, a spaghetti noodle (lit with a match) works in a pinch for reaching to the bottom of the jar to light the candle. 7. Marvel at the dancing flame and celebrate together the Light that has come into the world at Christmas time!
The Overflow: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light! -Isaiah 9:2
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Deb, I’ve seen those tissue paper ones.. almost look like stained glass. I love that idea, too. I may need to let my big girls try that tomorrow. I’ve got a few jars left over. Thanks for the great idea.
And, yes, Sherri, I agree.. the light of Christ is the perfect decoration any time of year!
Oh I love these…and there easy..and they can stay all year round..we love the light of Christ in July too! 🙂
Great idea!
We made something similar last year. I let my girls cut out tissue paper shapes using Christmas stencils. We applied modge podge before the shapes, and again on top of the shapes. They loved the glow. Lots of families and friends received these as gifts last year.