How to Make Cut Paper Octagonal Luminaries
Typical paper luminaries are made from paper bags that are weighted with sand to prevent the wind or guests from accidentally knocking them over and causing a fire. While these luminaries are festive, they are also small and better suited for lining walkways or stairs than serving as dramatic centerpieces. For a more spectacular and sophisticated luminary, you can create an octagonal luminary and cut out the illuminated design yourself. Set this large luminary over a collection of tealights or a large jar candle to illuminate your dining table or buffet.
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Things You'll Need
- 8 sheets of 8.5-by-11-inch card stock
- Stencil
- Pencil
- Utility knife
- Packing tape with dispenser
- Ruler
- Stapler
Instructions
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1
Trace your desired design onto one to eight pieces of 8.5-inch by 11-inch piece of card stock with a a stencil.
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2
Cut out the design with a utility knife. Remember, whatever paper you remove, light will shine through.
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3
Line up the sheets of card stock on the work surface, pressing the long edges tightly together. Order the card stock as you would like it to appear once assembled. For example, if you chose to cut out a design on four sheets and leave the other four blank, you may want to arrange them in the order of: design-blank-design.
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4
Tape the edges of two pieces of card stock together. The tape will straddle half onto one piece and half on the other. The tape dispenser will allow you to cover the edges smoothly with one stroke.
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5
Continue taping the edges of the other pieces together to form a single strip.
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6
Flip the entire strip of papers over and repeat the taping on this side.
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7
Set the paper strip up on its edge and fold the strip into an octagonal shape. The tape will be hard to crease, but if you want sharp edges, use a bone folder or the edge of a ruler to help you apply pressure.
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8
Hold the free edges together and staple at the top and bottom. If you feel comfortable, you can tape the outside as well.
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Tips & Warnings
Create a more subtle luminary by pressing a needle through the paper along the traced lines of your design instead of cutting large holes in the paper.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
