Easy Frugal Craft | Driftwood Candle Holder

This past July we took a big family camping trip at a park on Lake Ontario.  One of the beaches had some great driftwood.

I didn’t know what I was going to do with it at the time, but I just had all of the kid relatives collect it for me because I knew some fun project would birth itself from it!

Now that it is cold and I’m in winter hibernation mode, I got out the driftwood and made some candle holders.

This is super easy – and very cheap.  I made 2 of them – they each cost me about $5 – $7 to make (depending on how many tea lights you use).

Materials needed:

• Glass vase (get for $1 at Dollar Tree or Walmart or find one at a thrift store.)  I used a tall and skinny glass vase that I had leftover from wedding decorations.  You can pick a size that works for you.
• Petaloo Textured Elements Burlap Blossoms, 2.25-Inch, Teal, 4-Pack (or find something on clearance at Joann’s or Michaels!)
• Rope King ST-300 Sisal Twine 300 feet
• Driftwood (find some on a beach!)
• Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
• Flameless Warm White Tealight Candles with 6 Hours On and 18 Hours Off Timer (batteries included) – I used 3 in each to create enough light
  (I DO NOT recommend using a real candle flame in these – the driftwood will make a real nice fire!!)
• **OPTIONAL: CR2032 Lithium 3V Batteries, 5 on a card (10 Cards – 50 Batteries) for just $8.41.  That’s a great price!  I need to change the batteries approximately monthly if I turn them on daily.

 Instructions:

**Hot glue the driftwood around the outside of the vase.  You’ll have to create somewhat of a puzzle and find pieces that fit together and look nice.  You can just do this with sticks if you don’t’ have a beach near by to find driftwood.  I just like the texture and smoothness and patterns on the driftwood.

**Wrap twine around the sticks to the thickness you desire.  Glue or tie it until secure.

**Glue on a burlap flower.  I like the turquoise – gives it a nice bright color to a very neutral piece.

**Fill it with 3 flameless tea lights.  The number you use may vary depending on the size of your vase.  I also highly recommend getting ones with a timer.  It will be too much of a pain to pour them out and turn them on and off each day.

 They give off a very romantic light that shines and shimmers in-between the sticks.  This is a very easy way to bring some pretty light to these long winter nights!!!!

I ended up putting them on the sides of my magnet photo frames I made a little while back.

Let me know if you try this – I would love to see pictures of your works of art!!!

Find more frugal craft ideas over here!