Today I have a guest post from Emily who blogs at Momonthemove35.com, sharing how to make your own melted bead candle holder. Over to Emily:
Has anyone seen the beautiful melted bead project ideas floating around the internet? Basically, you take kids beads, like pony beads, and melt them into colorful other things. I’ve seen earrings, barrettes, and headbands all made out of melted beads. They are so fascinating and I love all the bright colors! So I started thinking about other fun things that could be made with melted beads. The clear beads produce a beautiful stained glass window effect when melted together. When the light shines through the colors sparkle so vibrantly! I’d really like to make a suncatcher out of these soon! Hopefully, I can make one and enjoy it outside my window this summer! However, that’s a project for another day!
Today, I would like to share with you the fun idea I did come up with! Since the light shines through these colorful beads so beautifully, I thought I’d try making a candle holder. My kids and I experimented a little and created these beautiful colorful candle holders that can be used with battery operated tea lights. The kids enjoyed helping to make these! Of course, you need to definitely help them with the hot oven parts and the hot glue gun parts. With parent help, this project is a great family fun activity!
Materials
- Small clear colored beads (pony beads, triangle beads, or small round ones work best)
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Glue gun and glue
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Cookie Sheet
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5 Pipe Cleaners
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Battery operated tea light
Directions : How to make your colourful melted bead candle holder.
1. Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 400 degrees.
2. Take your pipe cleaners and shape them into squares. If you fold them in half and fold them in half again then open them. You will have your 4 corners. Twist them together at the corner where they meet. Lay them flat on your cookie sheet
3. Fill in the 5 square pipe cleaners with beads. Make sure they are filled in completely but only one layer of beads.
4. Put the cookie sheet filled with beads in the oven or toaster oven for about 20 minutes. Watch the beads and when they are all melted they are done. They will smell like they are burning. Some of the posts I’ve read on the cooking part suggest doing it outside or on a grill. I just cracked my window open a bit. The smell stops when you take them out of the oven. As the beads cool, you will hear a cracking sound. This is okay! They are just cooling off and hardening again. When the beads are completely cool they will pop off the pan very easily. They may stick a little to the pipe cleaners. Just gently pull them off.
5. You have two options now. One side of each piece will be smooth and flat on one side and bumpy on the other. You can glue your pieces so they are bumpy on the inside or bumpy on the outside. We chose bumpy on the outside to show the fun textures! Next take 2 of your squares and line them up together at the corners. Put hot glue along the edge of one of them and stick them together. Hold for a few seconds until the glue hardens.
6. Next take 2 of your squares and line them up together at the corners. Put hot glue along the edge of one of them and stick them together. Hold for a few seconds until the glue hardens.
7. Add another side piece in the same way. Then put glue on the two sides and add the last piece.
8. Turn your candle holder up so the bottom is open and the top is open. Add glue to the edges you want to be on the bottom. Place the last piece and connect it to the glued pieces.
9. Finally, put your battery operated tea light inside and enjoy the beautiful colors as they shine through!
About Emily
Emily blog at Mom on the Move and you can also find her on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
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