A Quickie Candle Lantern

These are ideal for an emergency, or for when your flashlight dies unexpectedly.

As Lokidude mentioned the other day, candles are handy.  The problem is that they spread their light all over (not always a problem), they're easy to blow out, and wind can make them hard to light.  So here's a way around that.

Find a standard coke can (this is a tall one).

Mark three lines -- one a little less than the length of the can, and one crossing it at each end.

Most drink cans are very thin aluminum, so you can push one blade of a scissors in and then cut it, or just use a sharp knife. Cut all three lines, then unfold the wings you created.

Most cans have a domed bottom, so you may need to push the center of the dome down to create a better surface for the candle to sit on.

That's it.  Insert a tealight candle, votive candle, or a short piece of a standard candle in.

You can sit it on a table, or the ground, or bend the pull-tab up and use a wire to hang it.  It'll direct the light where you want, and you can bend the wings in or out to help protect it from the wind.