Fall Themed Luminaries

Fall!!! It's finally reached that beautiful, and most favorite, time of year...Fall, glorious Fall! We can officially, without shame, put out all of our Fall themed decorations without being judged by our family and friends! I love all of the new and modern decor, but sometimes your heart just longs for nostalgia; a hint of your childhood. Punched tin projects are something that I can remember crafting as early as my elementary years. It's beautiful, rustic, and okay to be a little bit less than perfect. It's just plain ol' charming! These luminaries are "perfect" for sitting on that fireplace mantle, coffee table, or with a little bit of weight, they could even serve as bookends for your favorite Fall baking cookbooks!

Supplies needed for this project are: tin containers (could be vegetable cans, pails, or other tin containers), craft Fall themed drawings/stencils, a hammer, nails (small to medium sized head work best), a sharpie, any color Paint/Primer you'd like (I chose moss green and rustic orange), a votive or tealight candle, scotch or other tape, a hot glue gun with glue sticks (forgot to include in the picture), and lastly, any kind of fabric decor you'd like to add to the can; ribbons, suede, lace, etc.

Remove any labels from your can. Rinse and allow your can to air dry. Once dry, fill your can 3/4 full of water and allow it to freeze for 2 - 3 hours. Any longer and your can bottom may warp. If it does so, you can gently tap the bottom to reshape it once the water has melted and you've dried off your can.

Choose your decorative item, allowing for at least a 1/2" border, and stiple dots along your item. This will be your markers for punching holes in your tin. I've found that the closer together you place the dots, the better your item looks when you light them up!

Remove your can from the freezer and dry off any moisture. Place the can on a rolled up towel for stability. Tape your stencil/shape onto the can. Carefully, tap your nail on each of your dots to outline your item. Be careful on the ridges because your nail may slip! Once done, remove your stencil and make any necessary adjustments to your punched out design.

Empty the remaining ice from the can and dispose of it. My preferred method of choice is providing the community cats with ice cold water to drink! Waylon, the community cat approves! :) Thoroughly dry your can inside and out...air drying seems to work the best!

Place your can on a paper plate or newspaper and paint the outside of your can with your favorite color Paint/Primer combo. One coat should be enough. Make sure that you check under the rim so there's no bald spots. Allow your can to dry per paint can instructions. You can carefully poke your nail through any holes that paint may have seeped into and sealed.

After you cans have thoroughly dried, you can get as creative as you want to get!!! I chose to use a tan textured band and tied leather ties around the top and bottom for added flair. You can use your glue gun to secure the decor. It's okay if the glue shows a little bit....it's part of the charm! Finally, add your tealight or votive (I used the battery operated tealights in mine), and proudly display or gift to a friend!