DIY: Glitter Candles

Candles are a great way to dress up your home decor whether or not you actually burn them. For me, nothing says the holidays like some sparkle and shine and so glitter candles are perfect. These are a great gift that are simple to make and are easy to personalize. You can be as creative or fancy as you want with these. You can use them in your table centerpiece or as a favor for your guests. No matter what you do with them, I promise they will make your holidays a little more festive and bright.

Supplies:

Modge Podge
Sponge brush
Candles, any size, shape or color
Glitter*
Paper plate

I used a small white candle about 4 inches high and a red candle about 10 inches tall.

*I used green extra fine glitter and then regular silver glitter. You can use any size glitter that you want.

Modge Podge dries pretty quickly so you will want to do this in smaller sections. I decided to start with the white candle and green glitter. I wanted a simple glitter band at the bottom, so in small sections I Modge Podged the bottom and sprinkled glitter over each section. I did this all the way around the bottom.

I wanted to do a striped candle, but realized that I needed painter's tape which I unfortunately didn't have. However, I was lucky because this red candle came with a label wrapped around the middle, so I decided to do two silver stripes at the top and bottom and use the label as my painter's tape. I put these two candles with a wine bottle holding some festive and fun holiday floral sprays. If you are willing to get a little bit dirty with the glitter, then these will definitely be for you!

Holiday Wall Decor

I don't have much on my walls and I had an extra canvas so I decided to spruce up my walls and make some festive holiday artwork. The canvas I had was 8 x 8 and I wanted to do something that reflected the one thing I miss most about the winter time here...snow! I painted the canvas a light blue color and used a stencil to trace a larger letter to make them stand out. I free handed the rest of the words, "Let It Snow". I added some snowflakes in the extra space and then for a bit of sparkle glued some blue and clear rhinestones. I can't say that I can the best at free handing things, but I guess it's okay for things to look less than perfect. This took less than an hour to make and if you don't like it, you can always repaint it and start again (before you add the rhinestones of course). So let your creativity run wild and see what you end up with!

Delicate Daisy Wreath

The winter has come and gone and the weather is slowly getting warmer, so I figured that it was probably appropriate for me to start on my spring wreath. However, I think like most I have an issue with not having enough storage space, so I wanted to make something that was not so bulky, but simple and sweet. While perusing Pinterest for ideas, I can across the perfect wreath and it couldn't have been simpler to make. It used green fuzzy yarn for "grass" and embroidered daisy flowers to make a field of daisies wreath. Though the link only gave pictures and not the amount of supplies needed, I made by best guess and just went for it. You will need two packages of yarn, ribbon of any color, some straight quilting pins, and 1 1/2 yards of embroidered flower edging. This you will most likely need to find at a specialty fabric store. The daisies I found were yellow, so I used yellow ribbon to match. However, the ones in the original post I found were pink, so I think it's up to you on what color you want to go for. Keep in mind that you will need to find matching straight pins, so it's probably best to not go too crazy.

 The best part about this wreath is how simple it is to make, though I have to admit it is a bit time consuming. Start off with a styrofoam wreath and hot glue one end of the yarn to the wreath. All you do is just start wrapping the wreath in the yarn. You can make the "grass" as dense as you want. I made mine very tightly wrapped because I wanted it to look lush and for the stryofoam not to show through. Keep wrapping and wrapping and I promise you will eventually finish. It felt like forever, but it doesn't require much thinking so pop in a movie and you'll be done in no time.  

Once you get done with the yarn, it's time to add the flowers. I use a wreath hanger, so instead of using the ribbon to hang the wreath, I made a very small bow to put at the top. Next cut apart the daisies and attach them to the wreath using the straight pins. You can put as many on as you like in whatever pattern you want. I tried to do mine in a random fashion and included some on the inside and outside of the wreath. Now you are done! I told you it was super simple. The other fun part about this wreath is how versatile it can be. You can add some wreath picks for Easter or add some other flowers to it if you want to change it up. This is a dainty, feminine, and delicate wreath that will be easy to store and is the prefect way to welcome spring.

Oh Fall, Where Are You?

Table Top

I am officially done decorating for fall. Like I said, not that much room to decorate, so it's pretty easy to do. Though I love the wreath that I made, I don't really get to enjoy it since I usually inside, not outside. However, I have recently discovered how much I enjoy candles and knew that I wanted to use them in my fall decor. There is something about the flickering flame and the relaxing aromas that just makes the world seem simple. Plus it makes the space feel cozy, homey, and warm...the perfect adjectives for fall. I found this really fantastic pine cone spray at Hobby Lobby and knew it would go well on the top of my table. I have a round table, so unfortunately I can't really do a long display (which can be really amazing). This spray had leaves, nuts, berries and because I do like a little bit of shine, tastefully glittered pine cones. I bought three small glass votives that I randomly (but strategically) placed within the spray. The candles were apple fig tart scented and they smell beyond amazing! I anchored the display with an ivory candle that also happens to smell spicey and very fall like.

Coffee Table

Last year I used apothecary jars filled with dried beans, popcorn kernels, and nuts. I like the layered look that it makes, but wanted to do something different. I found this really fun vase filler at Hobby Lobby that was different sized mini pine cones and glittered acorns in orange and gold. The glitter is done in a sophisticated manner and adds a nice pop of color. I put this in a medium vase and tied a piece of raffia around it. I used a smaller bowl and filled the bottom with white popcorn kernels and used the leftover leaves and acorns from the wreath on top of that. That created a nice blend of textures and colors that coordinated with the other vase. The magic number in decorating is three so I did a high vase that I layered with more kernels and small dry red beans. I used the green leaves off the reddish/orange/yellow mum flowers I bought and then added the flowers. This way I can always enjoy the flowers without them dying. The trick to creating a visually appealing grouping is to use things with various shapes, sizes, and heights, but to use things that tie them all together. When you use small elements and carry them over that creates the cohesive look that makes it all come together.

I had some of the dry red beans and popcorn kernels leftover, so I decided to use the polka dot votives I bought from One Kings Lane (see One Kings Lane post) again. I told you that they were very versatile and could be used all year round. I divvied up the filler between the three and then placed one of the apple fig tart votives on top. If you have votive holders that are too tall for the candles you have, this is a great way to fix that. Just make sure that you are using something that won't catch on fire. So now I am officially ready on the inside for fall, but I am just waiting on the weather to catch up with me. Let me know how you get your home ready for fall and what great ideas you have in store.

Who needs the dentist?

I am a fan of at home beauty treatments because you can personalize them, they are fun to do, and easy on the wallet. One of the things that I am always looking at is teeth whitening options. There are mouthwashes, toothpastes, strips, and trays. It seems like every time I walk down the aisle, I am a little bit overwhelmed and at a loss for how to pick. I have tried my fair share of the products, but I have only really found one "at home remedy" that works. You know what the best part is?! It's not even on the aisle. It is at home in your pantry. I was browsing Pinterest and found this fantastic suggestion for whitening your teeth from The Budget Diet.

Mix together a small amount of toothpaste, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and a 1/2 teaspoon of water. Brush with it for 2 minutes. Use once a week until you find your ideal shade of white and use once a month after that for upkeep. I can personally say that I tried it and it actually works! I know it sounds weird and it doesn't exactly taste super minty, but it's totally worth it. Let me know if you have any other home beauty treatments you love because I am always open to suggestions.