Hello Craftberry Bush friends! I am exctied to be back this week sharing a fun DIY candle holder made from simple pinecones. October is racing by and it is nearly November. I am always surprised how quickly this time of year passes and before we know it Christmas will be right around the corner.
I anticipate the change in seasons… We go from bright crisp autumn breezes to frosty chilled air in winter. As the seasons change so does our decor.
I like to find ways to transition my autumn decor into my winter decor without having to make too much of a fuss.
One way to do that is use elements such as pinecones and branches because they are present at the beginning of fall and remain throughout the winter days. These rustic ornaments draw attention to the beauty of these seasons. They mimic the changes going on outside. Almost an illustrative story, telling how the colorful leaves and cones fall from their trees leaving the branches bare, only to later be covered in magical snow.
For this DIY, it is as simple as finding or buying pinecones and adapting them to hold candles for subtle ambiance. They can be scattered in a tray on a coffee table or strewn atop a table for a feast at Thanksgiving.
Make just a few or a great many; either way these pinecone candle holders are the perfect addition to any style home.
Here is what you need and how you will construct these little pillars of light…
- Pinecones of varying sizes, a diagonal cutting pliers, glue gun/glue sticks and electric candles (see note below). To take it a step further, I used a white chalk paint wash (very watered down chalk paint) and painted each pinecone at the end to give it a weathered look. This of course is completely optional.
- Take your pinecone and begin using the diagonal cutting pliers to pull out the scales. Each pinecone is unique, so the process may be a bit different for every one. I noticed that the large pinecones needed to be pulled apart from the top (where the candle would rest). The small pinecones already had a perfect place to hold candles on the bottom; therefore, I pulled just a small amount from the top so they could stand flat and flipped them for use.
- If the top of the pinecone was too flat to hold a candle after plucking the scales, I would carefully glue a circular cup to support the candle with the extra scales. I cut the tip of the scales off (using the diagonal cutting pliers) and then glued them (as pictured above) to make a grasp for my candle.
- In addition, if a pinecone would not sit steady on its own, I would insert the newly plucked scales into the layers of scales at the bottom (adhered with my glue gun) to make sure it could stand.
This is a perfect example of decor that transitions easily through the holidays and helps to make decorating simple. The focus can be narrowed down to colors, textures and the fun little details. For example, I thought as Christmas season nears it would be pretty to paint these a glossy white or add some shimmer. The options are limitless with some creativity.
Thanks so much for joining me today and to Lucy for having me. Enjoy the rest of your week!
Note:
- Pinecones found naturally outdoors may need to be treated somehow for bugs. All of my pinecones were store bought so I did not need to do this, but I would imagine searching the internet for tutorials would yield great results.
- Electric Candles are necessary for this project because even though these DIY candle holders are stable they are not suitable to hold a burning flame (too much of a fire hazard).
- To avoid sticky fingers you may choose to wear gloves, as there can be some sap on the scales.
- When using glue guns and diagonal cutting pliers or tools please use caution.
I have recently bought 4 pillows from your shop. I just wanted to tell you that I love them! They are high quality, reasonably priced, and just beautiful designs. Two of them are for fall….subtle lovely colors. Several of my friends have seen them and loved them as well….I have forwarded my friends your blog so hopefully the word of your beautiful pillow designs will spread. I loved the Christmas Beetle! I bought that one for my niece who used to have a red Beetle. She will love it. I noticed you had the Beetle with a surfboard on top….any chance you could do one with a kayak on top? Thanks again for making these pillows available to all of us!
Adorable! I love them. What a great way to use some pine cones, they make your arrangement look so fancy.
Robin thank you so much and that makes me happy to hear you think so! I appreciate your compliment ~
I love these but like you said, I would buy the pinecones. I don’t want to have to search how to get rid of any unwanted bugs in our house and then what if it doesn’t work? I would hope if you buy them in a store the little critters would be long gone. Yesterday I found some pretty leaves on our lawn. I took them inside, got out my laminate paper and laminated them! I don’t have a machine to do that, I had to cut them out and use a popsicle stick to make sure the sticky paper stayed secure. I am going to use them on some cards. I want to look for more leaves outside and see if I can laminate more of them. They look so pretty! Your house looks so pretty and fall like.
Gail thank you so much and yes, my store bought ones were bug free which was a bonus! Your leaves sound lovely and I am certain will make beautiful cards. The colors of fall are truly magnificent. I appreciate you leaving a comment and have a great rest of your week ~
Such a good idea! Thanks for the inspiration. Pinning :))
Thank you very much Antonella!
What a gorgeous DIY for both the Fall and Winter seasons, especially for a candle lover! I also enjoy how you styled them on your table with the other decorations 🙂
xo – Michelle
http://www.borncreativeblog.com
Michelle, thank you so much and I am also a big fan of candles! Hope your week is wonderful ~
I love those pinecone candle holders!
Her Heartland Soul
http://herheartlandsoul.com
Thank you so much and I am happy to hear you enjoyed the tutorial!
Love decorating with pinecones and this idea is so beautiful. I saw this pinned this morning and without looking at where it came from, I knew this had to be a post from you. You have such a distinctive style and photography. I love seeing everything you do!
Jamie – thank you so much, that is such a big compliment coming from you and reading it gave me a smile right now. I have noticed and recognized yours as well. So glad to have had the opportunity to get to know you and admire your beautiful work friend. Thanks again ~
I want to order a deer pillow from you and can’t figure out how to do it. Can you please give me ordering details?
Thanks !!
Some candles do not need to be supplemented. But simpler ones, like yours, will always look more impressive with a candlestick. In addition, you can order a custom cardboard tube and use it for your candle in addition to the home interior