"Homemade Holidays" Guest Post

I guest posted yesterday over at Michele's blog "The Scrap Shoppe" . She's hosting a fun series called: 

I shared some more of my altered candles.
You'll need: 

• Glass Jar Candle ( also known as prayer candles, Novena candles) You can find these lots of places.  I first found them at the grocery store but subsequently ordered a case of them from Dollar Tree's website. 
• Scrapbook or wrapping papers
• Embellishments...ribbon, buttons, beads, die cuts etc.
• Mod Podge

I like to combine patterns and textures so I used three different papers:

 

Decide which paper you want as your base. Cut to 8x8 then tear top and bottom edges. Cut remaining papers to 8 inches length and decide how wide you want the next layer, I did 4 inches for the middle,  and then 3 for the top paper. Tear top paper across the top and bottom as you did for the base layer. Mod Podge your papers together to form your candle wrap. Should look like this:

Patterned paper base, music paper middle, patterned paper top

Mod Podge candle wrap to candle. Cover top with more Mod Podge and you'll have this:

You can make the "wrap" cover as much or as little of the candle as you like. Now it's time to embellish which is the fun part! I used various things I had on hand like buttons, self adhesive rhinestones, ribbon, silver tinsel pipecleaners.  I chose a couple of diecuts from a package by K&CO and adhered to the center with Mod Podge. Then I added these strips of rhinestones ( Michaels Dollar Section):

I also added some buttons using a dimensional adhesive or you can use hot glue:

And some more coordinating self adhesive rhinestones on top of the buttons. To finish, I like to wrap the top "lip" of the candle with ribbon or you can use wire, beading thread or whatever you can think of. I used some vintage looking ribbon yarn and a silver tinsel pipe cleaner on these.

Hopefully this made sense but if you have any questions, please leave a comment  or email me! There's really no right or wrong here. Thanks so much Michele for having me over for Handmade Christmas! 

Also linking up at:

Joyeux Noel Christmas Candles

I had so much fun with my Parisian and Thanksgiving altered candles that of course I had to do some for Christmas! Especially after ordering a case of them from Dollar Tree's website which they shipped to my local store. Why they don't have them IN the store beats me! I'm going to do a step by step tutorial for a guest post later this month but here is one batch :

They remind me of Christmas ribbon candies. I did the sentiment on my computer and used a ribbon frame from The Graphics Fairy. Used coordinating scrapbook papers from "Me&My Big Ideas". Beads from my stash and some fun velveteen and pom pom ribbon I got at Michaels.

 

Linking Up At:

Thanksgiving On Halloween

Very quiet Halloween here so I worked on some Thanksgiving treats. More altered candles ( did I mention that I found out you can order things from Dollar Tree's website and they'll have them delivered to your nearest store for a slight charge?)
The process is the same as the "Paris Collection" and "Lumiere".

• Plain Novena Candle
• Mod Podge
• Assorted Papers and Embellishments
• Go wild

Downloaded Oak Leaf Image From The Graphics Fairy, Changed Color and Added Text

 I had some copper tags in my stash so I got out my metal stamps and stamped "Give Thanks" on them, then fired them up with my pencil torch:

Added copper eyelets and mounted to cream cardstock.

I had some "Lion Brand" ribbon yarn left over from a previous project which I tied around the rim over the beaded thread. Embellished with buttons and adhesive rhinestones.

Hope everyone is enjoying their favorite chocolate goodie today!

Linking Up At:

 

The Paris Collection

Welcome to those stopping in from:

No, I'm not auditioning for Project Runway. When I did the first candle in my "Lumiere" post, little did I know how addicting these would be! So I did another one which I added to that post. And , um....I've since done two more so I decided 4 was a collection and since they're all Paris themed..."The Paris Collection". Here are the two newest:

And here are the four together: 

Now, try explaining to the Safeway checker what you're doing with all these candles. Eyes. Glazed. Over.

Linking Up At:


src="http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad164/frenchychick/blog/frenchy1st-2-5.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket" />
SUGAR BANANAS