Quick Christmas Candle Lantern

November 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Leftover wrapping paper from last year, a simple ribbon and some live mistletoe.

Leftover wrapping paper from last year, a simple ribbon and some live mistletoe.

I love burning candles.  Especially at Christmas.  I needed a quick way to make a plain looking candle fit in with the festive décor.  I just grabbed what I had at hand to make a simple paper sleeve for candles around the home.  I was partly inspired by the live mistletoe that I bought from some very resourceful boy scouts outside of the local Lowe’s.  They picked it from a local park and were selling small bunches to support their troop.  Smart thinking and well done.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

Paper, ribbon, a way to create a decorative edge and some live or artificial embellishments. Simple as that. My one tip would be to make sure the paper you use has some transparency to it in order to diffuse the light and create a warm glow.

Paper, ribbon, a way to create a decorative edge and some live or artificial embellishments. Simple as that. My one tip would be to make sure the paper you use has some transparency to it in order to diffuse the light and create a warm glow.

 

A simple lunch sack worked for this sleeve. The seaming inadvertently became part of the design, highlighting the scalloped edges.

A simple lunch sack worked for this sleeve. The seaming inadvertently became part of the design, highlighting the scalloped edges.

 

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The Stars Come Out at Christmas

November 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment

 

Distressed red is right at home for the holidays.

Distressed red is right at home for the holidays.

Stars are apparently my shape this year for Christmas.  I found some furring strip stars at a local antique shop for my holiday kitchen. (see post here).  I found some wood stars on my trip to the Round Top Antique show (see post here) that I will use to decorate.  Lastly, I found some wood star shaped trays in graduated sizes that I thought would be great for a Christmas project.

My project for this week is a tiered, star shaped tray.  I imagine using it for every day display of seasonal fruits in my  holiday kitchen or holding sweet treats and cookies for entertaining or perhaps holding silverware and napkin roll ups for a Christmas buffet.  At any rate, a number of  uses for the holiday and incredibly easy to make.  It took less than fifteen minutes to make and that included the time needed for the epoxy to cure.

What you need:

medium and large star shaped trays from Joann.com

red, wood candle stick from Joann.com

five vintage glass knobs (optional)

epoxy

 

From Joanns.com

From Joanns.com

From Joanns.com

From Joanns.com

The assembly is pretty straight forward.  I attached the candlestick to the smaller tray first and once the epoxy set, I attached the other end of the candlestick to the bottom, (or larger) tray and the vintage knobs for legs.  I found that weighting everything down with a brick helps created a strong seal with the adhesive.

 

A vintage glass container helps top of the display with cheery candy canes.

A vintage glass container helps top of the display with cheery candy canes.

Sweets are a natural choice to fill the Christmas Star Tiered tray.

Sweets are a natural choice to fill the Christmas Star Tiered tray.

Although optional, the vintage glass knobs are a great way to finish and refine the project.

Although optional, the vintage glass knobs are a great way to finish and refine the project.

This easy project can be used a number of ways while entertaining for Christmas.

This easy project can be used a number of ways while entertaining for Christmas.

 

 

 

 

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Christmas Craft – Faux Vintage Paper and Pipe Cleaner Candlesticks

October 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment

 

This is the very first one I ever made. Sweet little petite pipe cleaner candle stick.

This is the very first one I ever made. Sweet little petite pipe cleaner candle stick.

 

Oh yes…it’s time (past time, probably) for us bloggers to start sharing Christmas ideas. The first down the pike is a faux vintage candle stick using vintage paper, pipe cleaners and hobby store embellishments.   I came up with these a few years ago when I was looking for a hand made way to decorate my small, table top feather Christmas Tree.  These are actually fairly simple and a great afternoon project that doesn’t require much in way of materials.  Here is what is needed:

  • 2 silver pipe cleaners per candle
  • glue
  • strips of paper approximately 2.5″ by 8″, preferably cut with scalloped scissors on the long edges
  • Christmas themed embellishments

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

xoxo

 

 

Pipe cleaners, hobby store holiday embellishments, glue or glue dots and strips of vintage paper

Pipe cleaners, hobby store holiday embellishments, glue or glue dots and strips of vintage paper.

 

These looks so pretty in a vintage container

These looks so pretty in a vintage container.

Here is the general progression. You will end up winding the coil up the corkscrew portion of the pipe cleaner. It acts as the bobeche.

 

The vintage paper adds a nice mellow touch.

The vintage paper adds a nice mellow touch.

 

Many different ways to decorate the finished product.

Many different ways to decorate the finished product.

 

Vibrant reds against the greens looks lovely.

Vibrant reds against the greens looks lovely.

 

 

Make each one a little different. That is the fun part!

Make each one a little different. That is the fun part!

 

A pretty little Christmas poinsettia as a holiday flourish.

A pretty little Christmas poinsettia as a holiday flourish.

 

A tableside vignette that includes holiday blooms in a vintage ironstone pot.

A tableside vignette that includes holiday blooms in a vintage ironstone pot.

Found at Round Top several years ago, each one of the hand blown ornaments is shaped differently. Kind of like these little pipe cleaner candle sticks!

Found at Round Top several years ago, each one of the hand blown ornaments is shaped differently. Kind of like these little pipe cleaner candle sticks!

Another great use for a vintage candy dish.

Another great use for a vintage candy dish.

Strewn about effortlessly makes decorating easy instead of stressful

Strewn about effortlessly makes decorating easy instead of stressful

Hand blown vintage Christmas ornaments.

Hand blown vintage Christmas ornaments.

 

 

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Mercury Glass Patterned Votives – How To.

January 31, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Re-posting this blog article because it is one of the most requested articles from my site.  I am still thinking about the variations on this technique and when I will have time to share them…

In the mean time, I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

Twinkly Light. Just lovely.

 

I like a little mercury glass for that touch of elegance that it brings.  Flash photography can’t quite showcase the twinkly quality of the mirrored paint effect, however, in person…it is just lovely.

Since my post yesterday, I have gotten quite a few emails asking about the technique used to make this antiqued, mercury glass votive.  I was planning to post this later in the week, but have moved the post up a couple of days because of the requests.

Let’s get started!

Here is what you will need for this project:

  • Glass vessel
  • Looking Glass Paint (online or at Walmart in the spray paint section)
  • Embossing folder/machine
  • Paint tape
  • HVAC tape (also called foil tape, it is 2″ wide and is found at home center stores, like Lowe’s)

Before you get started there are two important things to follow explicitly in order to have success, and trust me on this…I made these mistakes a few times:

  • When you have applied your foil tape to the glass: BURNISH, BURNISH, BURNISH.  Simple finger pressure will do, but if you don’t press down on every part of the foil, you risk not having a clean image remain when you pull the tape off.
  • When you paint the glass vessel, go very, very lightly on the paint.  Micro bursts of paint with very thin coats.  You don’t want more than two coats and don’t try for heavy coverage…the tape won’t be able to remove the negative space so that the image emerges.

Lastly, no worries.  If you mess up, just scrub the inside of the glass with a sponge and some elbow grease and the paint will come right off and you can start over.

As a foot note for this project, I tried this technique with other paints…but it doesn’t work.  I tried using a copper paint for a fall project and regular spray paint has different properties and the tape usually takes the entire spot of paint off with no image remaining.

Just have fun.  This is a technique that has a lot of possibilities…only limited by your imagination!

Send me pics of your finished product and I will post in a future blog article!

Always,

Cindy

Remember to click twice to bigify!

 

 

 

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Discovery: Wire and Linen Lanterns from Lunabazaar

January 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Wire and Linen Lantern

I am forever perusing the Internet for fun and interesting websites with products that inspire me.  Lunabazaar.com is just one of those sites.

Particularly this Wire and Linen lantern.  I am already thinking towards spring when there is this transitional time between spring and summer when the weather is quite glorious.  It isn’t cold like winter or hot like summer, but rather just right.  I love it when I can throw open the windows and doors and really enjoy my little old cottage in the way it was intended.

Being able to light candles and lanterns and enjoy some sitting time on the porch is one of my favorite things.

Lunabazaar.com has many things to look at like mercury glass ornaments and candle holders, paper parasols, glass vases and many different colors, cut glass small decanters and string lights.  They are a great source for accents for your home styling or items to support a color or a theme for a party or gathering.  Take a look, this website has a lot to offer and I think you will enjoy it. I have embedded some of their wonderful merchandise below.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

Pearl Opal Glass Vintage Candle Holder

Mercury Glass Candle Holder

Gilded Glass Candle Holder

Glass Votive Holder

Cotton Lace Parasol

Perfume Bottle

Paper Parasol

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Great Tidings of Joy

November 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

What is the holiday without going off into the twinkly lit night bundled up for a visit with family and friends, or having holiday guests for a short stay?

Here is a sweet, thoughtful idea that has an element of easy handmade to it.  Easy enough of a craft to fit in amongst all the other hustle and bustle of the Holidays, but involved enough so that your gift recipients appreciate the effort.

Hand made holiday match boxes gifted with a candle for hostess gifts to say thank you or left on a bedside table for an overnite visitor to say welcome.  Use your favorite scented candle; something that will remind them of you.  My personal favorite is Trapp Candle Scent No. 04, Orange Vanilla.  It is a fragrance that oddly works in the breezy days of summer or the cozy, cold nights of winter.  If you order one online, or pick one up…I think you will be glad you did.

 

Orange Vanilla Trapp Candle.

 

The matchbox steps:

Simple designs using clip art printed on copy paper.

Use your sticker machine or use traditional glue.

The finished product:

Different designs limited only by your imagination.

 

Craft store embelishments to add a little Holiday sparkle.

Packaged for gifting:

The home made match box paired with a favorite candle, in festive packaging.

Welcome your Holiday Guest with something to fall asleep by.

Coupled with Holiday treats as a Hostess gift.

 

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Not Everything is Brilliant

August 16, 2012 by 1 Comment

Random Stack of Starfish.

A simple centerpiece.  Not brilliant, but easy.  Sometimes that is all that I have time for.

Not quite ready to pull out the Halloween decorations, however, I am starting to change out my vase fillers which are filled with an abundance of pencil starfish from the summer season.  I kept a few aside and got the idea to use them as a centerpiece for my dining table for the next couple of weeks as we transition into fall.

The dining table, which is now in the window nook has become the best place for me to get comfortable and cozy and do some computer work.  A lovely scented candle, a hurricane globe for some height and German Glass Glitter starfish and easy, peasy…it’s done.

Until next time,

xoxo,

Cindy

 

Easy Centerpiece.

Quaint little glass glittered starfish.

 

Rustic and the Refined.

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