Halloween Luminaries - easy and hard

Don't flickering candles just go with Halloween? I love all kinds of Halloween lights and I have two types to share with you today.

I wanted to make these tin can luminaries - they've been on my mind for quite some time and finally this past weekend I tackled them. In my mind this was an easy project - the initial part was indeed easy, but then it got hard.

1. Gather large cans and remove the label and clean the can, then use one to two coats of matte black spray paint. I prop the can on a piece of wood so I can spray and turn the can at the same time without creating fingerprints.
2. Then you mark words with chalk (choose short words so you can see them fully on the can)
3. Next, drill holes along the lines. This is where it got hard and I almost gave up. Tin cans don't accept holes easily, they are hard and round and the drill bit keeps slipping! Argggh. I stopped at one point because I was getting so frustrated and decided to go back to it later that day. This time I used a guide hole punch first for each hole, and then drilled the hole where the tiny guide hole was (make the holes in the indentations). I still had to use quite a bit of strength for each hole and the drill still slipped sometimes, but with my husband's help (he had to finish the last letter for me) we managed to finish - with my arm throbbing.
4. Lastly I touched up the cans with another thin coat of spray paint to cover the scratches from the drill.
5. Add votive candles and you're set!

PS: After the fact I did some research and have found that adding sand and water to the can and freezing it might make this easier - also people used hammer and a nail to make holes, which would be smaller than mine.

If you don't want to bother with spray paint and drills, I have another, much easier option for you. The paper bag luminary:

1. Buy orange or black treat bags at your craft store.
2. Buy a Halloween themed hole punch.
3. Punch along the top of each bag.
4. Add a candle in a deep glass or add a battery candle for safety and - tataaaa - last minute Halloween decoration.