Create a Halloween Candle Holder: A Quick-Hit Craft

Since Halloween is fast-approaching , it's time to drag out some craft supplies and get busy making a craft that is cute and will be a part of your home for many years to come.

This craft is one that my son calls a sweet candle holder and can be made by the youngest of kids or by adults as well. The craft time is short and the satisfaction high!

The finished craft looks like a piece of candy corn, thus the name, but the smiles this craft bring are pretty darn sweet as well.

The supplies needed are two small terra cotta pots,( I found two approximately 2 in. high at my local craft/fabric shop) orange, yellow and white craft paint, a narrow brush and clear acrylic spray.

The process is simple. Using the darkest color (orange first paint around the little pot 1/3 of the way, up from the bottom. Follow with the yellow paint another 1/3 up and finish with the white on top of that. An instant piece of candy corn! See the resemblance!?! If needed, apply another coat of the colors and let dry. When completely dry, spray liberally with clear acrylic spray. Add simple pillar candles (mine look like ghosts but I have also seen some neat black ones as well) and there you have it, a festive instant decoration!

This craft can also be done in a larger pot to accommodate a votive candle. If you plan on lighting the candles I advise lining the pot with foil to eliminate wax drips. or if you are really feeling crafty, you can create your own candle with wax melted slowly in a double boiler or in the microwave (check for safety instructions on wax before melted) and in fact, if you want to save time and eliminate the need for wicks, you can use birthday candles placed in the middle of the candle wax. This works fantastically and in our all male house, is a great way to get rid of all the pink candles that collect in the drawer. Another plus in using those old birthday candles is it's a way to add some creativity and recycle items at the same time.

And for variety, let your imagination go beyond the candy corn theme. The decoration on the pots can be as simple or as fancy as your talents may be. We have some painted in black with ghosts on the and a decorative design around the pot rim and we also have some with little pumpkins on them (the pumpkins can either painted or once again use the fingerprint method which in fact, is an easy, quick one and very inexpensive too. We found we could make two candle holders for under $1.00 which gave us leeway to splurge on the candles to go within! Once again, give it a whirl and try a craft...take it from one who knows...crafting is great for the sanity and certainly cheaper than therapy! Happy crafting!!!