Create Your Own Luminary

Our craft inspiration this month is inspired by a few things… the shimmer of springtime fireflies, the colorful blooms of May, and Mother’s Day! We’re going to create a luminary to honor the beautiful light of the special women in our lives and the seasonal changes that make us all feel radiant.

This simple luminary is made possible with common items found around the house. You can upcycle a mason jar, repurpose old tissue paper, or even use a stack of coffee filters to put your own unique spin on the craft. Are you ready to get started? Let’s glow!

You’ll need:

• Glass jar
• Colored tissue paper*
• Mod Podge
• Paintbrush
• Optional: Scissors, battery-powered candle, embellishments

Begin by covering your workspace to make clean-up easier.

Let your child tear the tissue paper into small pieces. You can also pre-cut them with scissors if you’d like. *Note: If you don’t have tissue paper at the ready, white coffee filters can also be used with watercolor paints to create your own colors. If you use this method, make sure the filters are completely dry before moving to the next step.

Using a paintbrush, apply a thin layer of mod podge to a portion of the jar. Work together to cover the wet area with your colored pieces of tissue paper or coffee filters. As your child finishes a section, add another thin layer of mod podge to another area and add more until the entire jar is covered. Let it dry.

To seal and protect your luminary, add a final thin layer of mod podge on top. Once again, let it dry.

If you’d like to decorate your luminary, even more, feel free to glue on additional embellishments. This could be anything you have around the house such as ribbon, sequins, glitter, plastic flowers, etc.

Now, take a step back and admire your work. It sure looks beautiful! To make it glow, place a safe, battery-powered candle inside and flip the switch to see it shine.

You can also choose to repurpose your luminary as a pencil holder, a small vase, a starting place for plant seeds, or more.

How will you display your hand-crafted masterpiece?