Halloween Lanterns

These are Halloween lanterns, or luminaries some call them, made out of soup cans and coffee cans...if you can find any tin coffee cans since they're gone to plastic. They look great out among the Jack-o-Lanterns on All Hallow's Eve, lining the walkway to your house, or even in a window. You'll have to excuse my poor excuse for a picture, but I don't have the best digital camera. For my lanterns I used one small, I suppose you'd call it standard size soup can, and two larger, coffee cans. You will also need a hammer, an awl, a towel or bag of rice, and spray paint or oil-based enamel paint. Here's the how to-


1. Start by taking the label off the empty can and cleaning it out well.

2. This is the time to draw a pattern on the can if you wish with a marker, or you can freehand it later.

3. Fill can with water and and put in the freezer to well... freeze! This is so the can is easier to work with and won't collapse while you are punching it full of holes.

4. After a day or so, ( I think mine took about that long to completely freeze) take can out of the freezer , steady the can on a towel, or a bag of rice, and begin punching holes in the can with the hammer and awl.

5. After you are finished place the can in the sink, let the ice melt and the water drain out. Dry the can.

6. Paint the outside of the can if you wish with spray paint or oil-based enamel paint, I chose to use spray paint for mine. If the holes in the can get blocked with paint, clear those holes with a toothpick while the paint is still wet. I painted the inside of my cans yellow as well to help reflect the light from the candles inside.

7. Add a candle, or those new battery operated flame less candles and enjoy your new Halloween lanterns!