Photo Paper Snowflake Luminaries

I'm sure you don't remember, but back in June I made digital watercolor art using photos of my cats. And while cutting out the photos, I realized that the photo paper was slightly transparent when held up to light.

I knew I eventually would come up with a good way to put this discovery to use, and I finally did!

A couple of weeks ago I had repinned this photo of rather expensive bone china candle holders on Pinterest, with the note: "Would be cheap and easy to DIY with card stock and snowflake punches."

Crate and Barrel via Pinterest

And with that note in mind, and a really long shopping list to go through at Michaels Crafts, I set out to get some card stock and snowflake punches and make my own, much cheaper snowflake candle holders.

But while perusing the paper punch aisle, and being disappointed with the variety of snowflake punch options, the transparency photo paper popped into my mind. Boo-yah! An even cheaper and easier solution!

Using my Epson Glossy Photo Paper (S041271), some snowflake clip art I found online, my printer, a little tape, and some little candles left over from our rehearsal dinner, I was able to make snowflake candles for basically only the cost of the paper!

I made four each of three sizes, to display both on our mantle, and on our entertainment center. Blue and white snowflakes seems to be my holiday theme this year, if you couldn't tell from the recipe cards I made for the cookie exchange I went to this past weekend.

Here's what they look like unlit.

And these are the kind of candles I'm using inside of the paper luminaries, with little glass holders so I don't have to worry about the flame coming into contact with the paper.

Another quick, easy and cheap holiday decor project complete! And I'm so glad I didn't have to go to all the work that punching out snowflake shapes would have been.

Have you incorporated candles into your holiday decor?