DIY Easter Tea Light Candle Holder

Trolling My Pintrest has done wonders for my crafting. I mostly use it for inspiration and to kick start my inner crafter when she's feeling sluggish. And, this Easter Tea Light Holder is no different. It was inspired by this image I saw posted via the Spirello Blog. I reinvented the craft to be made with plain sewing string, tacky glue, and a small balloon. Here's how...

Click for Larger Image

ONE After you've gathered your materials, tie the spool of string to the end of the balloon.

TWO Then put some tacky glue on the end of your pointer finger, and run the string between your pointer finger and thumb in order to coat it with glue as you wrap the string around the balloon. (I find there is less clean up, when I do it this way)

THREE Let the string dry for a few hours, or over night, then pop the balloon. (The string will probably collapse in on the balloon, but don't be alarmed - it is normal.)

FOUR The holder is very durable, so don't worry about ruffing it up a bit as you peel away the balloon. Just be sure to detach the string that you tied to it in the beginning.

FIVE At this point, the holder is flexible and the bottom can be pressed down as the base and any excess strand of string should be trimmed off.

As you can see in the top picture, I put tea light candles in the holders, but depending on the size of your holder a verity of candles can be use.

I also tested out the flammability of the holders. As with all candles, I do not recommend leaving them unattended, but the candle itself should not effect the holder even when it has burned for hours at a time. If the holder does catch fire it wont have a chemical reaction with the glue, which was something I was concerned about. Click here for more candle safety tips.

New Item: Amethyst Lariat

The word lariat is a derivation of the word lasso; in this style of necklace one beads a long strand, with a large bead and loop at either end of the strand. It can be worn looped through the front, clasped from the back, or wrapped around the wrist. The diversity of this piece is what makes it one of my favorites.
Click here to see it at my shop

Last Minute Valentine's Day Ideas

#1 Decorated with Paper Lanterns

This craft comes straight from Make Me Grow a blog all about handmade crafts. This is my attempt at her decorated paper lantern, originally a summer craft; I transformed it for Valentine's Day. It took me about an hour and a 1/4 a glue stick to finish one lantern. If you're looking to get decorative on a budget this is the way to go; I bought the lantern at the dollar store and used tissue paper left over from the holidays. 

Here are my results:

 

#2 Last Minute Valentines

Some of you may be rushing out to buy a last minute Valentine, so here's a quick idea. Print a sheet of quotes, sayings, or messages of love and make these "lucky stars" (see video below). Then, throw them in a box with some miscellaneous candies. There you have it! A quick, but personalized gift for the people you're thinking about this special day. I made some miniatures for my coworkers. See them here:

#3 Valentine's Day Comes But Once a Year

So you're at the point of no return... you know you're not going to get a gift today, but that doesn't mean you can't give a gift that counts. Browse around for something personal, even something handmade. You can use this extra time to make sure your gift is extra special. And while you're shopping, check out Mind Ruffle's shop; you may find just the gift you're looking for.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Handmade Snowflake Wall Decals

This may be one of my favorite holiday creations to date. These snowflake wall decals are super simple to create and add a splash of whimsy to your holiday home.


Here's what you'll need to start:

- Contact paper (white)
- A permanent marker (black)
- Scissors
- A magazine

Step 1 - Make your snowflake stencil

Cut a page of your magazine into a square (I find the easiest way to do this is to fold the upper left corner across to the right side of the page, making a triangular flap. Then I cut off the rectangular excess at the bottom). It can be hard to get an appealing design the first few times, that's why I recommend using a discarded magazine to create your stencil.

Step 2 - Trace your snowflake stencil
Once you've chosen the snowflake stencil you like best, tape down a square piece of contact paper, the size of your snowflake (I use scraps of contact paper as the tape). Then, trace the snowflake stencil with your permanent marker.

Step 3 - Cut out your snowflake design

Cut out the snowflake pattern inside the black lines. When you're finished, just peel of the back and stick it to your wall or window. I tested the contact paper on my wall and window, and it didn't peel away the paint or leave behind any sticky residue.

Click here for more pictures of these steps.

Enjoy your holiday season with homemade crafts like this one, and visit the Mind Ruffle shop this holiday season. Don't forget you can also like Mind Ruffle on Facebook.

Happy Holidays!