There’s something about the glow of a candle’s flickering flame, its warmth and scent that have the power to make home feel like home. People who decorate with candles tend to be completely smitten by them.
Candles can feel even homier when you make them yourself, right at home, in time for the holidays. Whether it’s your family gathering around the table or the kids opening their Christmas presents, a beautiful homemade candle quietly flickering away in a corner can simply make the proceedings much more beautiful. Try these candles ideas.
1. A floating berry candle
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For the floating berry candle idea, you’ll need a tall glass container (an apothecary jar would work). Look in a gardening store or an organic produce store for rosehips. If possible, you should look for berries that come with their branches still attached.
The idea is to fill the glass container with water until it is about three-quarters full, put the rosehips in it and to then place a floating candle at the top. With the water magnifying the berries and the branches and the light of the candle filtering down, you are guaranteed a beautiful effect.
2. Christmas luminaries made out of cheese shakers
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For this idea, you’ll need a set of simple clear-plastic Parmesan cheese shakers from any kitchen store. Buy little candles that you can get to fit into them and seal one inside each shaker. The holes on the top should let the flame breathe. To make these little candles really festive, get sprigs of holly, mistletoe or other festive greens, wrap them around each shaker and tie them up with red ribbon.
Wrap a length of 18-gauge wire from any home improvement store around the neck of each shaker and fashion it into a handle. You can even thread a 1-inch jingle bell to each wire for added festiveness. You can easily hang your little candle creations outdoors for a super-cute effect.
3. Candles with a message
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It’s easy to get to your candles to spell out a cheerful holiday message. Get three average-sized tin cans, fill them with water and place them in the freezer. Look for a hammer and a nail and keep them ready. When the water in the cans is frozen solid, take one can out and use the hammer and nail to punch holes on the side to form the shape of a letter of the alphabet.
The aim is to punch one large letter to a can, place them together and spell a word. With three cans, you could spell the word JOY. When you place a candle in each can, the effect of the light streaming out of the holes will spell a festive message.
4. The crocheted votive
If you know a little crocheting, you can use your skills to make special little crocheted votives for the holiday season. You’ll need little votives and simply use your crocheting skills to knit up a pretty woolen sock for each one. You’ll end up with the glow of the candle filtering out through the crocheted stitches of your candle sock. You’ll have a beautiful effect.
5. The dollhouse candle
If you can find a cheap dollhouse at the toy store, you can put a couple of candles inside for the most precious effect. If you can’t find such a dollhouse, you can make a simple house-like facade out of craft paper and place a candle behind it. Your lit dollhouse will look beautiful on a mantelpiece.
6. The cinnamon candle centerpiece
When thoughtfully decorated, candles can make amazing table centerpieces. For a cinnamon candle centerpiece, for instance, get a large, thick candle, cut up several cinnamon sticks as tall as your candle, arrange them around it and tie them up with a red ribbon.
You can add a touch of green with a sprig of holly, too. When the candle is lit, the heat of the flame should toast the cinnamon and let forth a delightful fragrance.
7. The glitter candle
Candles covered with glitter can be both festive and glamorous. All you need to make it work is glue and plenty of glitter. This glitter candle idea can work for nearly any special occasion year-round. You can use red glitter for Valentine’s, black for Halloween, and red, white and green for Christmas.
8. Glittery snow candles
Epsom salts can look like fresh snow. You can easily use it in your DIY handicraft projects in place of the real thing. For glittery snow candles, fill a Mason jar with an inch of Epsom salts. Then, firmly plant a candle in the middle. With the glow reflecting off the “snow” in the jar, you’ll have a wonderful, festive look.
9. Colorful crayon candles
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To make crayon candles, you simply need to throw a couple of wax crayons in with the wax that you melt to pour your candles with. You can get multicolored crayon candles by pouring several layers, waiting until each layer hardens before you pour the next one.
10. Vanilla and coffee candles
Whatever kind of candles you wish to pour, throwing in a few vanilla pods and coffee beans can make for a wonderfully delicious fragrance. As the wax heats up, the toasting coffee and vanilla should release a delicious aroma.
Making candles at home by yourself is one of the nicest DIY projects that you can ever take up. Whatever time you devote to your candle projects you will be more than paid back for with the beauty of the results that you achieve.
