Heartedly Handcrafted: Repurposed Can - Winter Wonderland Tree Ornament Card and Clothespin Candle Gift Set

Hello everyone!

Thank you Sketches4All

Hope all of you are doing well as many made the mad dash for Black Friday shopping this past weekend and continue the shopping frenzy this week. I've only been out during one Black Friday and that was because I worked in retail that Christmas. I was standing guard at a pallet of Baby Cabbage Patch Dolls and after a few customers peaked under the plastic, before I knew it I was surrounded by people who were determined that their child was going to get one.

Shortly before it was time to allow customers access the crowd had gotten so large that I had to hold my arms out in front of me just to make room to breathe and a few in front of me were protecting me by making people back up.

It was a crazy early morning, but kind of fun too.
One customer overheard me say that I would have liked a doll for my own child. I didn't think there was any possible way I could buy one as the dolls would be gone in a matter of minutes.

The next thing I knew my husband approached me and said that a woman had found him in the store to give him a Baby Cabbage Patch Doll that she had snagged for me when she got hers. It wasn't imperative that I got one, but what a sweetheart. Not only did she get me one, but she went to the trouble of hunting down my husband. She knew who he was because he had stopped in the store to see how I was doing and he was curious about what Black Friday was like.

That was our first and last. Now we do any needed shopping earlier in the year and online. In fact I shop online more and more these days and only really go out to see the Christmas decorations and get stocking-stuffers. I hear about people waiting in line for 2 days just to get the latest cell phone or game console. Now those are serious shoppers! A gift for the candle lover Today I'm sharing a candle and card set. I don't know why I never thought to make a set like this before, because it would make a really cute gift. I suppose everything has it's time. I made the candle from a short tin can (similar, but smaller than a tuna can) and wooden clothes pins. I got the idea from Savvy Mod Living which provides a tutorial. I was very excited, because there were so many ideas going through my head as I looked at it that I had to write them down. After I made my candle holder I decided to make a card to match. Then as I was making my card it hit me that I could use one of the wooden snowflakes I used on the candle holder and make it into a Christmas ornament. So basically this is a three in one gift and very inexpensive to make and the candle holder can be used in a variety of different ways such as a pot for a small plant or desk organizer.

Note: There is texture on the face of my large wooden snowflakes which I did not create. I got these snowflakes second hand and they already had glitter on them. I like the look the glitter created under the white paint, so if you want the same look just apply some glue and a thin sparse layer of medium to large glitter. Then paint over it when it's dry.

How to make the candle holder
Supplies

A package of wooden clothes pins
5 wooden snowflakes (1 extra for the card)
4 small wooden snowflakes
Burlap
Lace

1. Before assembling your candle holder. Paint your can, clothes pins and snowflakes with white acrylic craft paint. I just used a thin layer of paint and didn't worry about full coverage for a more white washed look.
2. Stamp your script onto your large snowflakes.
3. Ink the edges of your large snowflakes so they stand out from the white of the clothes pins.

4. Use ink to cover your small snowflakes

5. Stamp an image of a snowflake onto the front of the small wooden snowflakes.

Assembling and decorating your candle holder
6. Clip your clothes pins on the side of your can. I placed mine together as closely as I could.

7. Wrap your clothes-pinned can with a strip of burlap

8. Center lace ribbon on the burlap and wrap it around the candle holder

9. Hot glue your large snowflakes in place on four side of your can (one across from another)
10. Hot glue your small snowflakes in place (center between the large snowflakes, but higher up)
11. Add bows to the top of your large snowflakes. I just pulled string from the burlap I was using to make my bows.

How to make your card - Completed card measures 5 1/2"w x 5 1/4"h

Supplies
Cardstock
Wooden Snowflake (directions above for snowflake)
Embossing folder
Dies
Ink
Burlap
Lace
Sentiment

Light Brown Cardstock - You will need two pieces

Cut your cardstock 11"w x 5 1/4"h. Fold at 5 1/2".
Cut another piece at 5 1/4"w x 3"h (This will be used for making your decorative bottom piece)

White Cardstock - You will need 3 pieces

Cut at 5 1/4"w x 5 1/2"h
Cut at 5 1/4" x 2 1/4"h

1. Emboss the 5 1/4"w x 5 1/2"h piece with your snowflake embossing folder.
2. Apply ink to the edges of your embossed paper and the bottom half inch. This is the turquoise color you see at the bottom of the card.

3. Die cut the long edge of your 5 1/4" x 2 1/4"h white cardstock with two dies from Spellbinders Bracket Borders One. Choose one that will just punch out a pattern in your cardstock and one that will shape the edge.
4. Die cut your 5 1/4"w x 3"h brown cardstock along the long edge with the edge die you used on your white cardstock. Not the one you used to punch-out a design).
5. Line the two smaller pieces (brown under white) and adhere them together

6. Adhere your fancy cut bottom piece to the lower half of the embossed piece. Don't worry about any line that is visible it will be covered with the burlap and lace.
7. Wrap your burlap and ribbon over the area where the fancy cut pieces end (about the center of your card)
8. I chose to print out a sentiment I made at Picmonkey.com and then wrap that sentiment like a ribbon around the card, but you can just stamp your card with a sentiment if you wish.
9. Add your wooden snowflake ornament to the top of your card. I used a spot of Hot Glue so it could be removed without tearing the card to pieces.

You're done!