Instructions

1. Cover your work surface with newspaper.
2. Lay your piece of Japanese grain paper on your work surface.
3. Lay your votive holder on the piece of white paper. Make a small mark on one side of the votive holder with a washable marker. This is the point where you will start tracing the shape of the jar so you can cover it with the paper. You are actually measuring the votive holder so you can cover it with the right amount of paper. If your votive holder has a rim on it you need to measure this part separately from the bottom. Draw a line on the white paper along the left side of the votive holder, just below the rim of the votive holder. This is your starting point. Line up the tip of your pencil with the bottom edge of the votive holder that is touching the paper. Roll the votive holder and move your pencil simultaneously across the paper until you reach the point where you started. Don’t lift up your votive holder yet, you need to roll the votive holder and draw the line about another half inch so the ends of the paper will overlap, leaving no gaps, when you apply the paper to the votive holder. Draw a line up the side of the votive holder like you did at the beginning of this step.
4. Lift the votive holder off of the piece of white paper. Now you need to connect the lines you have drawn when you were tracing the votive holder. Take your pencil and draw an arc connecting the lines you drew that represent the sides of the votive holder. The size of the arc should roughly be equal to the size of the arc at the bottom created by tracing along the bottom of the votive holder. When you have finished drawing your pattern cut it out. Try it out on the bottom part of your votive holder to see if it fits properly. If it is a little too long at the bottom don’t worry because you can always overlap it onto the bottom. If it fits properly you can trace the pattern onto the Japanese grain paper. If it doesn’t fit, trace it again onto your white piece of paper and adjust it slightly where necessary. Cut it out once again and try it out on your votive holder. If it fits this time you can trace it onto the Japanese grain paper.
5. Place your pattern onto the Japanese grain paper. Holding it firmly in place with one hand, trace it with the pencil in your other hand. Cut out the shape.
6. If the votive holder you are using has a rim then you need to trace it the same way you did the bottom of the votive holder. Place your votive holder on a piece of white paper. If you used the first piece up drawing your first pattern then use a second piece. Mark off a spot on the rim of the votive holder with a washable marker. This is where you will start tracing the rim to create your pattern. Draw a line down the left side of the rim of the votive holder extending the line just past the edge of the rim so the piece of Japanese grain paper covering the top and the bottom of your votive holder will overlap, leaving no gaps. Place the tip of your pencil just below the bottom edge of the rim of the votive holder. Roll the votive holder and move your pencil simultaneously across the paper until you reach the point where you started. Don’t lift up your votive holder yet, you need to roll the votive holder and draw the line about another half inch so the ends of the paper will overlap, leaving no gaps, when you apply the paper to the votive holder. Draw a line up the side of the rim of the votive holder like you did at the beginning of this step.
7. Lift the votive holder off of the piece of white paper. Now you need to connect the lines you have drawn when you were tracing the rim of the votive holder. Take your pencil and draw an arc connecting the lines you drew that represent the sides of the rim. The size of the arc should roughly be equal to the size of the arc at the bottom created by tracing along the bottom edge of the rim. When you have finished drawing your pattern cut it out. Try it out on the rim to see if it fits properly. If it is a little too long at the bottom don’t worry because the piece of Japanese grain paper covering the top will overlap the bottom of your votive holder so there will be no gaps. If it fits properly you can trace the pattern onto the Japanese grain paper. If it doesn’t fit, trace it again onto your white piece of paper and adjust it slightly where necessary. Cut it out once again and try it out on your votive holder. If it fits this time you can trace it onto the Japanese grain paper.
8. Place your pattern onto the Japanese grain paper. Holding it firmly in place with one hand, trace it with the pencil in your other hand. Cut out the shape.
9. Place the votive holder straight on the Japanese grain paper and trace around the bottom edge straight onto the paper. Cut out this circle and try it out on the bottom of your votive holder. The circle shouldn’t overlap the bottom of the votive holder. If it fits set it aside. If it doesn’t, trace it again or adjust as necessary. Cut it out again if required.
10. Now that you have all the pieces of Japanese grain paper cut to fit your votive holder you need to prepare the votive holder before applying the paper. With a damp paper towel, wipe off the small marks you made with the washable markers. Take the 4 leaves you have chosen to use and decide where you want them to go. Since you will be using a small amount of podgy it isn’t necessary to pour some into a dish. Dip your paintbrush into the podgy and spread a small amount where you want one leaf to go. Use the brush again, without dipping it into the podgy, to pick up the first leaf. Apply it to the predetermined spot and spread the remaining podgy over the leaf. Repeat the process for the remaining leaves keeping in mind the leaves should be spread out so you can see a leaf from all sides of the votive holder.
11. Once you have applied all the leaves it is time to cover them and the votive holder with the shapes you cut from the Japanese grain paper. You want to do this fairly slowly so you can position the paper properly. You want to start with the piece of Japanese grain paper you cut for the bottom of the votive holder. Spread a small amount of podgy on a small area of the bottom part of the votive holder. Place one end of the piece of Japanese grain paper into the podgy glue, adjusting it quickly if necessary. Remember, the top of the piece should be lined up just below the edge of the rim of the votive holder and it is okay if it is too long at the bottom. Continue spreading small amounts of podgy around the votive holder and pressing the paper into the podgy until you are back where you started again and the ends are overlapping.
12. Now it is time to apply the piece of Japanese grain paper you cut for the rim. Spread a small amount of podgy on a small area of the rim of the votive holder. Place one end of the piece of Japanese grain paper into the podgy glue, adjusting it quickly if necessary. Remember, the top of the piece should be lined up with the top edge of the rim of the votive holder (not overlapping at the top) but it is okay if it is too long at the bottom. The edge of the top piece will overlap the edge of the bottom piece of Japanese grain paper. Continue spreading small amounts of podgy around the rim and pressing the paper into the podgy until you are back where you started again and the ends are overlapping.
13. The final piece of Japanese grain paper to apply is the circle for the bottom of the votive holder. Turn the votive holder over so opening of the votive holder is touching your work surface. Spread podgy on the bottom of your votive holder. Center the circle of Japanese grain paper over the bottom of the votive holder and press it into the podgy, adjusting it if necessary.
14. While the bottom is starting to adhere to the votive holder you can spread a thin sealing coat of podgy over the rest of the Japanese grain paper. It is recommended to only spread on a thin coat of podgy because it takes longer to dry if you use too much and can create bubbles in the podgy which may dry that way. Spread a thin coat of podgy on the bottom of your votive holder while it is still pointing up, carefully so you don’t disturb its position in case it wasn’t completely adhered yet.
15. Let dry overnight to make sure it is completely dry before using filling it with a candle and lighting it.