Easy Rustic DIY Christmas Luminary

Nothing says Home for the Holidays like rustic decor. But Christmas is expensive enough without adding in the cost for decorating your home. Well who says you have to spend a lot to make your home look like a country Christmas?!?! Trust me, you don’t! In fact you can make a country Christmas with items from around your home with just a little knowledge and encouragement.

I love nothing better in the winter then watching the snow dazzle like diamonds. The twinkles and sparkles are part of the magic of the season! Now you can bring that magic inside with just a couple simple items. These are seriously so easy to make, but they look like you spent a small fortune at a rustic shop. I made mine in less than an hour, and that included letting glue dry and slipping on my boats to go clip Juniper from the yard!

So what do you need and how do you make these beautiful luminaries?

It all starts with some Epson salt and Mod Podge. Epson salt is a mineral compound.  Epson salt has all sorts of useful application on the homestead, like health, beauty, gardening and even as a crafting item. The way epson salt glitters, it reminded me of the way the snow sparkles, so what better substitute for inside snow!

Start by pouring out Epson salt on a plate. Next go grab a canning jar and cover it in Mod Podge. Be generous with the Mod Podge so your salt will cover well. Next roll your jar in the salt. If you have areas (like the rim) that don’t get covered by rolling it in the salt, simply use your hands to apply by sprinkling the salt on the missed areas. Do not coat the bottom of your canning jar as you want your luminary to sit flat.

Once your canning jar is completely covered in Epson salt, leave it to dry while you go looking for items around your house you can use to decorate it with. Mod Podge dries fairly quickly, so you can move onto the next step of embellishing your luminary with it’s rustic look.

I used some simple ribbon, a spare button, and a few sprigs of Juniper that were growing out back. At the “craft table” I set up my glue gun and got to work. We have a designated TV tray the country kids and I use when working on projects and from the looks of it, you can see why! The kids aren’t the best about watching their messes.

There are so many items around the house you can use to make your luminary. If your struggling for inspiration, I’ll help you out. Check your craft stash first. This is where I keep things like ribbon, twine, and scrap cloth from other projects. Head out to your kitchen. The Juniper I used is giving off a lovely pine smell and I am sure items like cinnamon sticks would look and smell amazing tied to the luminary. Do you have chickens? Why not add a feather or two to the front?!? Your only limitation is your imagination! I might have said this a few times to the country kids over their short little lives *wink*

I tried a few different candle options in my luminary and I recommend using a simple tea light candle. Why? Because the lower the flam is to the bottom, the more it sparkles and shines! You can pick up tea light candles (or battery operated ones) at just about any dollar type store.

 

Need supplies for this project?