Upcycle a Candle Container into a Succulent Planter | The Flamingo Chronicals: Upcycle a Candle Container into a Succulent Planter

Upcycle a Candle Container into a Succulent Planter

 

 
I have been buying these beautiful candles for years. They smell heavenly y'all! What's even better is they come in these amazing containers! I have been saving these pots all this time because I knew that sooner or later I would find a use for them- they are far too pretty for the recycle bin!  I have recently decided to try my hand at growing succulents and these make the perfect little pots! 
 
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These are soy candles made by Swan Creek Candle Company. I buy mine at Bass Pro generally, although from time to time I find them at Tractor Supply or small gift shops. They are not the cheapest candles I have ever bought, but they do last a really long time. And they come in the most beautiful containers- so they are worth the extra money for me! There are so many scents too- but the Mulberry & Mandarin is my favorite. 

Etched Planter

I used etchall® etching creme to decorate my container. Did you know that etchall is the only glass etching creme that is kid safe? I have used it several times at the Girl Scout Camp I run each year- the campers LOVE it!  
 

etching stencil
I used etchmask® to cut my stencil for the project. I like to color my cut lines on my stencils so I can see exactly where they are when it comes time to place it on my project. I use my chalks from way back in the day. Do you still have these? I just can't seem to let them go- I have all the color palettes and I used them all the time back when I made those cute little tear bears. Do you remember those? Or am I just old?? Never mind!  Anyhoo - I use my tool of torture and a mini pom to rub some chalk over the cut stencil, then just wipe off the excess. This makes it so much easier to see where the cut lines are. 
 

Stencil Transfer
After applying transfer paper to the top of the stencil, remove the backing and apply to your project. See how easy it is to see the cut lines?  On this project it wasn't quite as important, but on any project where the surface is curved, or irregular it helps more than I can say! Remove the transfer paper and weed the portions that will be etched from the stencil. Be sure you don't distort the edges of the cut design.
 

Etched Candle
Use masking tape to cover any areas that you don't want to accidentally etch . I am notorious at doing that- so seriously get some masking tape and get to covering!  Apply a good coating of etching creme  and let sit for 15 minutes. Or do what I normally do and apply the creme, move on to something else, forget about the etching creme, then come back to it in a bit. Scrape the cream back into the jar- it is reusable! Rinse the container with cold running water- don't worry, water deactivates the creme so it won't hurt your pipes!
 

Coloring etched glass

 While just the etched glass looks great, I like to color it on a lot of my projects. For this one I used a Rose Gold Wax from Prima. I leave the stencil in place while I color the design, then remove. I think it is less messy that way.  I like using the cheap make-up sponges from the dollar store- that way I can use them once and toss them out. I put a good layer of the wax on the design, and buff with the sponge. Then flip the sponge over and buff the excess wax off.
 
Now,, this particular wax is NOT permanent. It will come off if washed. I am not really worried about washing a planter on my window sill, so I was OK with it.  
 
 
DIY Upcycle Planter


 There you have it! Be sure to check out etchall® on Pinterest to see more fun projects you can make.
 

1 comment:

  1. Ooh! I love this! Now I have to go buy those candles so I have the cool pots to play with!

    ReplyDelete