Christmas Luminaries

Christmas crafting?!?!  If you're a fellow blogger you're probably wondering what's taken me so long to get into the Christmas spirit.  If you're someone who just reads blogs, you're probably thinking it's Halloween today?!?!  Why is she making Christmas projects?!?!?

But here in Blogland it's been Christmas for quite some time, so I thought I better get with it.

Here's what you need to make your own quick and easy Christmas luminaries:

Materials:
-glass jars
-Mod Podge and sponge brush
-pretty papers
-measuring tape
-cutting machine or scissors/craft knife
Optional: Sparkle/Glimmer Mod Podge

Steps:
1) Clean out your jars and remove all of the labels and glue.  Then measure the distance around the body to see how long to make your cut out design.

overlap just a bit so that you
don't have any gaps in your design

While you're at it, measure the maximum height of the body of the jar to determine the height of your design.

2) Use your cutting machine, or freehand, create your cutouts.

I used my Silhouette and made 2 wintery Christmas designs and one with, of course, butterflies.

I made the butterfly design myself~

3) Slap a good layer of Mod Podge onto your jar.

4) Adhere each paper cut out to a jar.  Add more Mod Podge on top to secure everything.

5) If you want to add just a little extra something, add a layer of Sparkle Mod Podge on top.  I had some Martha Stewart glitter decoupage glue in my stash so I decided to try it.  It's not bad, but I found that it wasn't enough.  I went back over it again with Mod Podge Sparkle (the pink label).  The Mod Podge glue has a much bigger sparkle/glimmer factor.

Let everything dry overnight and then just drop a candle inside and watch the magic happen...

I can't capture the glitter in a pic but it's so pretty.  It looks like snow falling down on the trees.  And I love how the birch tree cut outs glow.

Yay!  1 Christmas craft down, countless more to go.  Have you started Christmas crafting yet?  Leave a comment below~