Scare Up Halloween Luminarias

In the Southwest, luminarias - paper bags filled with sand anchoring a candle - placed along a walkway are meant to guide the traveler during the Christmas season. On Halloween, the familiar brown paper bags take on a slightly sinister quality as they lead small gremlins or dinner guests to Mr. Pumpkinhead, the jack-o'-lantern waiting by the door.

The skeleton forms on the bags are printed by an easy process. If younger children are helping, simpler images such as a bat or cat can be tried. When you set the bags out, be sure they are completely open to prevent them from burning. Also position them along the walkway where they will not be knocked over by children in long costumes, tails, etc.

Here's how to make your own spooky luminarias from the book Handmade Halloween: Ideas for a Happy, Haunted Celebration.

Materials and Tools:

black water-soluble block printing ink
12-1/2-by-6-inch brown paper bags (lunch-bag size)
sand
3-inch votive candles in glass containers
plastic foam trays
cuticle stick or any hard-tipped instrument like tip of paintbrush handle, end of spoon or dull pencil (to trace patterns in foam)
windowpane-size piece of glass or acrylic
6- to-8-inch wide brayer

Steps:

1. Cut the foam trays to 4-by-8-inch rectangles so they lie flat. With the cuticle stick or similar tool, draw designs in the foam. This is a reverse process: A design you create will be the noninked part of the bag.

2. Squeeze about 1-1/2 inch of ink onto the glass. Roll the brayer back and forth to spread the ink (it may be sticky at first). Once the brayer is covered with an even coat of ink, roll it across a plastic foam image.

3. Press the side of a brown paper bag onto the plastic foam. Rub the paper bag with a large serving spoon, pressing the paper into the foam with a back-and-forth movement.

4. Carefully remove the bag and set it aside to dry (approximately 10 minutes). Re-ink the plastic foam or use another piece with a different image and repeat the process with additional bags. Let dry.

5. Open the bags and fill each 1 inch deep with sand. Light the candles in their glasses and ease them into the center of the sand in the bags.