Dollar Store Fall Decor: Candles Tutorial

My favorite place for seasonal decor is easily the dollar store. I wait and buy a nice piece of seasonal decoration at the big box stores but for all the little details, I just go to the Dollar Store. So today while I was wandering the aisles I saw the white candles they have encased in glass and just knew that I needed to make something with them.

I don’t have the supplies to show you because I forgot to take that picture. What you will need is 3 white candles (in the glass jars) from The Dollar Tree, two cubes of styrofoam from The Dollar Store, mustard colored nylon rope from The Dollar store, glue gun, glue sticks and duct tape. So let’s add that up. To get three fabulous fall candles it will cost 6 dollars not counting the glue gun, glue or duct tape which you probably already have on hand. These remind me of something I would see at Pier 1 for a lot more.

So let’s get started.

Set your candle on top of the strofoam and press hard to make an impression in the styrofoam. Then you’re going to cut your styrofoam into a circle about 1/2 an inch larger than the actual candle. Make sure you can balance the candle on the styrofoam before you proceed to the next step. If the outside of the cut strofoam is bumpy or uneven, roll it with gentle pressure on a flat surface and the bumps should slowly go down.  Using the original round guide you made with the candle, cut out an indention for the candle to fit inside of the base. This will give it a little more sturdiness.

Now cover the entire base in duct tape. Why? Because hot glue will not stick to styrofoam but it will stick to duct tape.

Now gently untwist about 1/2 an inch off the beginning of the rope and glue it inside the indention cut into the base. Slowly start glueing the rope around the top of the base. I went ahead and glued my candle down into the base during this part so I would be sure the candle would fit and that the rope would be snug against it’s base. Keep going until the entire top is covered in rope and then slowly start going down the base.

If you lay the candle on it’s side while glueing down the rope, you will have less gaps in between the rope. Just keep glueing, placing the rope and then gently holding it in place for a few seconds until it sets.  Keep going until you’re at the bottom. Then once again slightly untwist a small section and glue the strands onto the bottom of the base. You need to untwist it so it won’t be as bulky and make the finished candle wobble.

Now repeat with your second candle but with the styrofoam base only half the height of the first base. To tie in the third candle I did not use a base but I did glue a few bands of the rope straight onto the glass of the candle.

So when you’re done you get this….

Three tall candles that tie in one of the pantone colors for fall, mustard yellow, and all for $6.

Here’s what it looks like on my partially decorated fall mantle;

It’s not finished yet and the picture is dark and grainy but I wanted you to see how tall and beautiful they are. Great texture, plenty of shine, a pop of color and a nice white. Beautiful.

So what are going to be making from the Dollar Store this fall?

Please pin this craft if you love it.

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