Lifeways
Autumn Candle
Fall Craft: Decorative Small Food Jar Candles with Autumn Leaves
Introduction: As autumn unfolds and the vibrant foliage blankets the ground, it's the perfect time to embark on creative seasonal projects. One such delightful craft involves transforming small food jars into charming decorative candles adorned with real autumn leaves. I will guide you through the materials you'll need and the step-by-step process to create these beautiful fall-inspired candles.
Materials Needed: Gather the following materials before starting your project:
Small, clean food jars: Empty glass jars work best for this project.
Mod Podge or clear craft glue.
Foam brushes or paintbrushes.
Real autumn leaves: Collect a variety of leaves in different shapes and colors. Make sure they are dry and free from moisture.
Tealight candles or battery-operated tea lights.
Twine or ribbon (optional): For an extra decorative touch.
Scissors.
Newspaper or a plastic tablecloth to protect your workspace.
Process:
Prepare your workspace: Lay down newspaper or a plastic tablecloth to protect your workspace from any potential mess. Ensure your food jars are clean and dry.
Select your leaves: Choose a variety of colorful and dry autumn leaves. You can find these in your backyard or on a nature walk. The leaves will be the key element of your candle decoration, so pick ones that have vibrant colors and interesting shapes.
Apply glue to the jar: Using a foam brush or paintbrush, apply a thin and even layer of Mod Podge or clear craft glue to the exterior of the food jar. Be generous with the glue but ensure it doesn't drip.
Attach the leaves: Carefully press your selected autumn leaves onto the jar's surface, arranging them in any pattern or design you like. Overlapping the leaves can create an attractive layered effect. Press down gently to ensure they adhere well to the glue.
Seal the leaves: After placing all the leaves, apply another coat of Mod Podge or clear craft glue over the top of the leaves. This will seal the leaves in place and give your candle a glossy finish. Allow it to dry for a few hours, or until it's completely clear.
Add a finishing touch (optional): If you want to give your decorative candle a rustic feel, you can tie twine or ribbon around the neck of the baby food jar, creating a bow or a simple knot.
Insert a tealight: Once the Mod Podge is dry and the leaves are securely attached, place a tealight candle or a battery-operated tea light inside the jar. Light the candle, and watch your autumn leaf decorations come to life.
Conclusion: This simple autumn craft project allows you to bring the beauty of the season into your home. These decorative small food jar candles, adorned with real autumn leaves, make for wonderful centerpieces or additions to your fall decor. Experiment with different leaf arrangements and colors to create a variety of charming candles that capture the essence of autumn's splendor. Enjoy the cozy and warm atmosphere these candles will bring to your home during this enchanting season.
Autumn
BY ALICE CARY
Shorter and shorter now the twilight clips
The days, as though the sunset gates they crowd,
And Summer from her golden collar slips
And strays through stubble-fields, and moans aloud,
Save when by fits the warmer air deceives,
And, stealing hopeful to some sheltered bower,
She lies on pillows of the yellow leaves,
And tries the old tunes over for an hour.
The wind, whose tender whisper in the May
Set all the young blooms listening through th’ grove,
Sits rustling in the faded boughs to-day
And makes his cold and unsuccessful love.
The rose has taken off her tire of red—
The mullein-stalk its yellow stars have lost,
And the proud meadow-pink hangs down her head
Against earth’s chilly bosom, witched with frost.
The robin, that was busy all the June,
Before the sun had kissed the topmost bough,
Catching our hearts up in his golden tune,
Has given place to the brown cricket now.
The very cock crows lonesomely at morn—
Each flag and fern the shrinking stream divides—
Uneasy cattle low, and lambs forlorn
Creep to their strawy sheds with nettled sides.
Shut up the door: who loves me must not look
Upon the withered world, but haste to bring
His lighted candle, and his story-book,
And live with me the poetry of Spring.