Don't settle for brown paper bag luminaria that appear just for the holiday season. With these instructions and beautiful handmade papers, you can re-create a luminary for year-round use indoors.
Basic Materials:
sheets of watercolor paper (#130 lb), rice paper, tissue paper, pieces of dyed coffee filters or handmade paper
glue, double-stick tape or Stick & Hold tape
sharp craft knife
ruler
decorative wooden molding
battery-operated light or electric candle
rubber stamps and ink - leaf stamp - various, see instructions
freezer wrap paper
embroidery hoop - 10"
medium weight cardboard
saw
bristol board (also called Bristol paper)
embossing ink and powder
desired paints
Basic Cylinder - Cut a length of paper to desired size. Run a length of Stick & Hold tape along the bottom edge and cover with a strip of cardboard.
- Run another length of Stick & Hold (or double-stick tape) along one side edge. Shape paper into a cylinder, overlap the edges and press to hold (figure A).
Large Cylinder Variation - Use handmade paper and create cylinder as above. Form paper into a cylinder using a 10" embroidery hoop for support at the base.
Square Pillar - Fold paper lengthwise into four equal sections plus a 1" strip at one end for overlap.
- Cut a 1" wide strip of cardboard as long as the paper. Score and fold to match the folds in the paper. Cut off the 1" overlap.
- Insert cardboard strip into folded bottom of paper.
- Shape pillar and secure overlapping side edges with double-stick tape, glue, or Stick & Hold.
Luminaria Stands To make the luminarias, Carol cut two different colors of handmade paper that were torn and glued together to make one sheet of paper cut to required size. To make the stand for the luminarias, follow these directions.
- Cut four lengths of decorative wooden molding approximately 18" to 20" in length. When placed diagonally under the lamp they should extend about 2" beyond the corners. Check this before you assemble the moldings.
- Glue two of the pieces of molding together back to back and cut a notch in the center. It should extend halfway down into the wood piece and be as wide as the piece. Repeat with remaining two wood pieces, but on the second piece, cut the notch from the bottom up so the two will fit together to form an "X". After this is completed, place the lamp on the piece and rest the luminaria on the wooden pieces. If it does not fit exactly right, saw a small notch into each corner where the shade touches the wood. Insert shade.
Stamped Cylinder - Stamp a design onto a sheet of Bristol board using Rubber Stampede leaf-shaped stamp for decorating. Use white embossing ink and powder to emboss.
- Using a craft knife, cut out the openings in the leaf design.
- Form Bristol board into a cylinder and secure with Stick & Hold.
Triangle Floor Light - Measure, score, and fold a large sheet of #130 lb. weight watercolor paper in thirds lengthwise with a 1" strip at one end for overlap.
- Draw many geometric shapes in the three panels...squares, triangles, and circles. Cut these shapes out with a craft knife.
- Paint entire piece dark green (or desired color).
- Glue a panel of freezer wrap paper to the wrong side of each panel.
- Form into a triangle and secure the overlap with glue or Stick & Hold.
Multi-Colored Triangle Light - Follow steps 1 and 2 for the Triangle Floor Light.
- Cover each opening with colored tissue paper or pieces of dyed coffee filters.
- Follow step 5 for the Triangle Floor Light.
Carol's Tips: - When shopping for your paper, it is a good idea to hold it up to the light to make sure it isn't opaque.
- Support is usually needed at the bottom of the floor lights. This can be supplied by folding the paper up 1". Make a circle or square from a strip of cardboard and place it inside the light or insert the inner ring of an embroidery hoop for support. Whether or not the top of the light is folded down or reinforced usually depends on the type of paper used.
- When folding up the bottom edge of paper for a lamp that will be a cylindrical, it is best to cut many slashes from the edge of the paper to the fold to avoid wrinkles that may form when creating the cylinder shape.
- Added support can be given to a square shape by fitting together two strips of cardboard. Cut each strip the length of the diagonal measurement of the lamp, then cut a notch in the center of each strip. Fit them together to form an "X". Fit inside shade. A square of cardboard can be glued to the center to hold the light.
- For even more stability, glue wooden dowels into the corners of the square pillar.
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