How to Make a Luminary for the Cost of a Candle.

In the same Ready Made Magazine issue that I found the baby food jar snowglobes in, I also came across these ingenius snow luminaries. I know luminaries are generally considered a Christmas time thing, but really, couldn't you use them for any special occasion? Or especially when there is snow on the ground? I've been waiting months to be able to do these because the snow is coming or going so fast that either there's no snow, or it's just not packing right, or it's too wet, or whatever. But I'm bound and determined to do it sometime before all of the snow is gone. I figure I've got until the end of May.

The article said to fill a balloon 2/3's to 3/4's full of warm water. Gently set it on top of a semi-packed block of snow. The balloon with melt through and slowly level out. Gently pull the balloon out and cha-ching! You have automatic luminaries sans the candle. No more flaming brown paper bags or those tacky plastic milk jugs.

*Sigh* This project combines two of my most favorite things- being frugal and getting crafty.