Dragon’s Egg DIY Candle Holders: Concrete Crafting!
These stylish DIY candle holders would easily be at home in any top-end home decor store, but you can create your own for only a few pounds, using simple ingredients! A fantastic gift for Christmas, or the ideal centrepiece for Christmas dinner and beyond, check out Penelope Quinn’s tutorial below, and discover how to create these yourself.
You Will Need:
- Concrete for Creatives
- Balloons
- Masking tape
- Spray paint
- Tulle or gauze
- Rubber gloves
- A mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Water
- A small bucket or jar to sit the balloon
- Plenty of scrap paper to cover surfaces
Step 1:
First, prepare your cement mix according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Note that some cement will need sand or builders mix before they will start to bind, others are ready to pour. Try to go for quick dry cement in the smoothest mix possible if you can find it! Mix the concrete so it is about the consistency of cake mix – it shouldn’t be too runny or dry.
Step 2:
Blow up your balloon (silicone is best – the thicker the better! This will help the balloon’s shape hold up under the weight of the cement) and wrap a piece of tulle around it. Secure with a tie.
Step 3:
Next, use your masking tape to secure the balloon firmly to the small bucket.
Step 4:
Now it’s time to apply your concrete. Start from the top, and carefully pat the mixture into the tulle.
When you need to add more cement, my tip is to keep adding it to the top of the balloon, and gently pressing the concrete down, until it starts to flow down the sides.
Keep going until over half of the balloon is covered.
TIP: Always wear gloves when doing this step, and don’t forget to put down some paper to protect your surfaces, it will get very messy!
Step 5:
Leave to set for 24 hours, then when it feels dry and solid, cut the top of the balloon, and allow the air to leak out. Carefully peel away the tulle and dust off any excess sand with a brush.
Step 6:
Use spray paint or acrylic paint to decorate your DIY candle holders – gold, copper and champagne gold look fantastic on the inside!
Looking for more stylish home decor inspiration that you can create yourself? Check out the rest of our home craft articles, projects and tutorials right here!
- Try Your Hand At Reversible Crochet! - 21st January 2021
- Beautiful Brush Lettering Quote: Make Motivational Art! - 19th January 2021
- Sew Your Own Craft Organizer - 16th January 2021
When trying to let the air out of the balloon slowly (so that it doesn’t go BANG and crack the concrete) – put a small piece of sellotape on the balloon, then take a pin and gently press it into the middle of the sellotaped area. This will allow the air to s.l.o.w.l.y escape and in doing so will peel itself slowly off the concrete. You will still have a slightly attached bit towards the bottom, but the majority of the job will have been done for you.
I only know this trick because my dogs HATE balloons and the bangs they make – so it’s a trick I’ve practised for years. It works brilliantly.
what a great idea for creating next years presents all i need is the balloons to get me started