Most of us have a picture frame or two in the house, but if you are out of pictures to put in the frames, consider making something new from the glass. Theres an easy yet elegant craft you can create that will make your votive or tea light candles glow more than they normally do. All you need are a couple pieces of glass - of equal size - and a couple things from around the house. When youre finished the creation can be give as a gift or displayed in your own home.
Tear a picture from a magazine and lay it on a piece of thick cardboard. Use a pin or needle to poke holes in the picture. Outline the image with the holes then use the pin to further enhance the picture. For example, if youre using a picture of a lighthouse, outline the lighthouse itself with the holes, then use the pin to create stripes and a tiny window on the lighthouse. You decide how much embellishing you do to the picture.
When youre finished creating the holes set the cardboard aside. Set a glass piece from a picture frame onto a flat surface. Position the picture on the glass, then cover it with a second piece of glass. Both glass pieces must be the same size. The holey picture should be trimmed to the size of the glass. Use metallic tape to create a frame for the glass. Metallic tape dispenses like ordinary Scotch tape and can be found at your local craft store. Its available in shiny colors of gold, silver, red, glue or green. Temporarily clamp the two pieces of glass together. If the glass is small you can even use clothes pins as clamps. Tear a strip of the tape for each side of the glass. Tape the top, bottom and sides, wrapping the tape around the edges of both glass pieces at the same time. After youve taped two sides you can remove the clamps and finish the tape job. Use a block of wood, or something similar, to help hold the glass upright. Glue the wood to the back of the picture, against the glass, to use as a prop. If you dont have a block of wood you can even glue popsicle sticks together. Create a short stack of the sticks then glue them to the backside of the glass. Cut a piece of a small-diameter dowel rod, or something similar, to make the prop. Attach the prop from the middle of the wooden piece to the back of the glass. A different way to prop the glass up is to create two triangles of thick cardboard. Place the cardboard pieces on each end of the glass, on the backside, to create the stand. As the candle glows the light will shine through the holes of the picture. The image will appear as many dots that form the outline of a lighthouse, a tepee, a famous saying, or something else. Any theme you want can be easily created by making holes in the picture. During the daytime, or other times when the candle is out, others will only see the picture inside the glass. But when the candlelight shines through theyll see a glowing image instead. There are no limits to the different designs you can make using the holey technique. Create larger holes by first making the outline of the image with pinholes then using something larger, like a matchstick, to expand the holes. Make sure the holes are spaced so that two holes wont become one hole when you enlarge them. The glass candle pictures are so easy to make that you can quickly create them for holidays, special occasions and more. Make them with cartoon characters or a favorite theme of yours. Any small candle in a container will work to create the glow. Make the candles for your friends and family as gifts. Theyll love them just as much as you do!
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