Halloween Luminaries

Create these spooky Halloween luminaries to illuminate your home. Your guests will be thrilled by their ghostly glow. The designs are etched on the sides of glass flower vases. Simply place a small votive candle inside each one, and use long fireplace matches or a taper candle to light them.



TIP: You can use any fun/freaky Halloween picture you can find from a magazine or clip art as long as it will fit on your vases.

MATERIALS FOR YOUR HALLOWEEN LUMINARIES:

2 Rectangular glass vases

Etching creme

Etching squeegee applicator

Glass cleaner and a lint free cloth

Access to a photocopier

Adhesive vinyl (con-tact paper)

Graphite paper

Tape

Craft knife

Cotton swab and nail polish remover

Newspaper

Goggles

Plastic gloves



INSTRUCTIONS FOR HALLOWEEN LUMINARIES:

1. Clean the vases with glass cleaner. Dry with a lint-free cloth.

2. Photocopy your Halloween design enlarging or reducing as necessary to fit the sides of your glass vases.

3. Cut out a piece of adhesive vinyl larger than each design. Peel off the paper backing, adhere the vinyl to the vase, and smooth it with the squeegee. Make sure there are no air bubbles or wrinkles.

4. Tape graphite paper to the vinyl. Position the photocopy over both layers and tape securely. Trace over the design lines, then remove the photocopy and graphite paper.

5. Using a craft knife with a new blade, cut the vinyl along the design lines. For clean cuts around curves, try not to lift the blade from the surface, but rotate the vase instead. Carefully remove all the surrounding vinyl that is not part of the image. If doing a face for your Halloween luminaries (skeleton, pumpkin etc.) remove the eyes and nose and mouth.



6. Rub over the vinyl with the squeegee to double-check the adhesion. Look for any smudges of adhesive, especially in the eye, nose and mouth areas. To remove smudges, use a cotton swab moistened with nail polish remover, being careful that none gets under the edge of the vinyl.

7. Read through the manufacturer's instructions for applying the etching creme. Protect your work area with newspaper. Put on the goggles and plastic gloves to protect your eyes and hands. Turn the vase upside down on a protected surface, and pour out etching creme onto the bottom of the vase. Using the squeegee and working as quickly as possible, pull the creme over each side of the vase in turn, spreading it in an even, smooth layer. Let the creme sit 15 minutes. Use the squeegee to remove the excess creme and return it to the container. Rinse off all the remaining creme under running water, then remove the vinyl. Rinse the vase with water.

Click here to make your own Tea Lights

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