Maple Leaf Taper Candle Holders

I'm back with another DIY recycle using soda cans! It's a bit different from the crafts I've made before. This time, I'm punching out maple leaves using a leaf punch instead of hand cutting the designs out from the soda can metal.  Then using the maple leaf punch-outs to enhance taper candle holders I got free from my neighbor. She was moving to Texas in a U-Haul so she had a "take what you want" (free) giveaway since she had limited space to transport her things. And among some of the items I got were several taper candleholders. You can read about what I first made with some of the candleholders here.

For this project, imagine a fancy design of maple oak leaves, crafted from soda cans and wire branches intertwining along the metal taper candleholders for an inviting serene look. These unique pieces blend found items (taper candle holders) and reused/recycle materials (soda can metal). Making them a conversation starter, promoting sustainability while adding a unique, warm and welcoming look to my home. And when the flameless battery operated tapered candles are lit, they give off an inviting serene and tranquil feel. Pretty neat, huh? And doesn't that sound amazing, too?

But before I get started with the "How To," today I am taking part in the "Do It Over Designers" project! In case you didn't know, the Do It Over Designers is a group of talented bloggers who love to recycle/upcycle/DIY, hosted by Anne @The Apple Street Cottage. It happens the 4th Saturday of every other month and it's all about taking something old and/or unused and 'doing it over' into something new. Sometimes Ann has a theme for the Blog Hop and for September, Ann decided on the theme, "Free to 5" - where we take something we've thrifted/yard-sales/found on the curb for $5 or less and transform it!

I hope you'll visit all the super creative bloggers to see their amazing "do over" projects listed at the end of this post.      

So lets' get started with how I made my "free" Maple Leaf Taper Candle Holders! 

Luckily, I had everything on hand to make these lovely, budget friendly dramatic fall designs!

Materials Used:

• Soda Can Metal
• Maple Leaf Punch
• Utility/X-acto knife
• Scissors
• Parchment paper
• Iron
• Soft layers of styrofoam packing 
• Embossing tool
• Brushed Metal Gold metallic acrylic paint/paint brush
• 10 gauge gold wire
• Wire cutters
• Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel
• Flameless Battery Operated Taper Candles

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! Plus Google Adsense provides a platform for me to monetize my content by hosting ads from Google's network of advertisers. The money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

How To:

In case you don't remember what the taper candleholders I got from my neighbor looks like, here is a pic of the ones I'll be using for this craft:

These candleholders certainly lets me unleash my creativity while crafting unique pieces that add a warm and inviting feel to any area of my home for Fall!

And I'm so glad that I was able to use some of the leftover soda can metal from the previous project I made of oak leaves as seen here.

Plus, using some of the left over cut-out leaf pieces to punch out the maple

leaves.

And I had a few solid flat pieces of soda can metal that I cut out previously to punch out the maple leaves, too.

In all, I had fifteen maple leaves punched out for this project.

To help make the leaves lay flat, I heated up an iron to the maximum "linen" heat. Then, placing parchment paper over the leaves and letting the hot iron sit on top until it automatically turned off. Once the iron had completely cooled off, I removed it and the parchment paper to see the flatten leaves.

Then, using a thin, soft sheet of styrofoam packing, for each punched out leaf, I laid the leaf on top and using an embossing tool to apply a firm, steady pressure to go over the center spine and side veins directly into the metal. 

Once the leaf lines were applied, it was time to paint the front and back . . .

of the leaves using Brushed Metal Gold Metallic paint.

While the leaves were drying, I was laying out the design of one branch using 10 gauge wire.

                                                

Once satisfied with the branch design and a little bit of tweaking, it was time to glue the off shoot branches to the main branch or stem using Loctite Professional Super Glue Gel. And it didn't take long for the glue to seal the off shoot branches.

Next, it was time to glue on the maple leaves.

One leaf at a time.

I'm really loving how this leaf design looks! Once dry, it's time to glue it to the tallest taper candle holder.

Since the area of the leaf stems against the wire branch was so narrow, I used what I could find to hold them in place until the glue dried. Taping with masking tape just didn't work.

 This group is for the second tallest candle holder. Once all the leaves are dry and secured to the branch, it will be glued to the candle holder. 

And after adding glue to the shortest candle holder, I used a clothespin to hold the leaf and branch on until the glue dried.

After letting all the glued on leaves dry overnight, here they are all put together!

Celebrating the Beauty of the Fall Season!

During the day and .  .  .

at night!

Before you go, don't forget this is a blog hop and all of the designers have some amazing and very innovative projects to share with you.

Be sure to visit all of this month's "Free to Five" creative projects by the 

 "Do It Over Designers"  listed below:

Patti -  Pandora’s Box

Gail - Purple Hues & Me

Julie - Sum of Their Stories

Cara - Vintage Style Gal

Ann  - The Apple Street Cottage

 Sara - Birdz of a Feather

Kim - Exquisitely Unremarkable

Tania - Little Vintage Cottage

 Donna - Modern on Monticello

Ruffle Ribbon Pumpkin and Bow

Decorating for fall is a fun and effortless way to fill your home with cozy seasonal charm. Imagine using ruffle wired ribbon to decorate a faux pumpkin topped with an adorable Bowdabra bow! It looks quite unique, adding a dramatic, festive feel to any autumn occasion! So let's get started with making one!

I originally published this project on the Bowdabra.com site, where I'm on the Design Team!

Materials:

• Faux pumpkin
• 2.5" wide wired ribbon (50yd. roll)
• Yard stick
• Scissors
• Plastic toothpick
• Straight pins
• Rubber bands/Marker pen
• Fabric glue
• Mini Bowdabra, Tool and Ruler, Wand
• Bowdabra Bow Wire

How To:

First, you will need lots of wired ribbon. I'm using what was a 50 yard roll from Costco. Leave the ribbon on the roll for now and pull out the wire from one end of the ribbon. Secure that end of the wire by wrapping it tightly around something - I'm using a plastic toothpick to wrap the wire around to keep it neatly together. 

To make the first ruffle, as I mentioned before, leave the wired ribbon on the roll. Begin gently pulling out the wire on one of the ribbon edges to create the ruffles, while pushing the ribbon fabric along the wire to form ruffles.

  Continue pulling the wire out, gathering into ruffles. 

Lay the gathered ribbon on the pumpkin base to get an idea of how much it will take to go around the pumpkin before cutting the ribbon off.

I used straight pins to secure ruffles to the pumpkin. They were easy to use and beats using glue. Adjust the gathers evenly along the length of the ruffle until reaching the other end. 

Once you're finish making the ruffle, I like to use a needle to thread the end wire on and then sew the wire into the top edge of the ribbon several times to secure the wire and then cutting off the excess. 

              

After securing the first row of ruffles, use a rubber band to mark where to place the next ruffle on the pumpkin and draw a line around the pumpkin with a marker pen. 

                     I'm really loving this ruffle ribbon pumpkin design! 

Continue making additional ruffle layers, gathering the ribbon and adding layers, to dress up the pumpkin.

There are now five ruffle layers on the pumpkin! Time to make an adorable bow using the Mini Bowdabra to complete this lovely, whimsical look!

Let's start by inserting an 18" piece of bow wire folded in half into the Mini Bowdabra, tucking ends under.

Then take a 10" strip of ribbon for the bow tails, pinching the ribbon in the middle and inserting it down into the Mini Bowdabra. 

Next, dovetail the ends by folding each ribbon end together and cutting at an angle from the corner end up to the fold on the opposite side.

Next, pinch the end of the ribbon on the roll, placing it down into the Mini Bowdabra.

Create a bow loop by folding over the ribbon at the 3" mark on the ruler and twisting the ribbon down into the Mini Bowdabra while smoothing the ribbon out. 

On the opposite side, fold over the ribbon at the 3" mark creating another loop, twisting the ribbon down into the Mini Bowdabra.

Then make another loop, folding over at the 2.5" mark, twisting the ribbon down into the Mini Bowdabra and .  .  .

making another 2.5" loop on the opposite side for a total of four loops (two on each side). 

Use the Mini Bowdabra wand to crunch down the bow .  .  .

using scissors to cut off the excess ribbon. While the bow is still in the Mini Bowdabra, thread the two loose ends of the bow wire through the loop, pulling tightly while .  .  .

gently pulling the bow out.

And finally, tie the bow around the pumpkin stem using the Bowdabra bow wire, and then fluff the bow and all of the ruffles for a  .  .  .

fabulous and gorgeous look!

Thanks for stopping by

and take a little time to enjoy,

Happy Crafting!