Last week I shared how to make your own Memphis style 80’s planters, and this week I am taking a few of the extra concrete planters I had and turning them into DIY candy striped concrete candles! The concrete shapes lend themselves really well to candle making. All you need is a little bit of paint, some wax flakes and a wick and you will be well on your way to a cute candle in any pattern you want. I went with a candy stripe theme for my candle, but really the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Materials:

–Concrete planters (the one I got is out of stock now, but any of these will work)
-Acrylic craft paint
-Spray primer (I used Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 spray primer)
-Soy wax flakes
-Candle wax melting pot (or a metal bowl you only plan to use for candle making)
-Wick
-Fragrance Oil (optional)

Begin by spray painting your planter with the primer and let dry. Then come in and use your acrylic craft paint to paint on the design of your choice. For this candy stripe, I used thin wash tape to tape off lines first.

Once the concrete pot was painted, I added a wick and then melted the wax flakes in the melting pot. I added a few drops of fragrance oil and poured the melted wax into the planter. Then I perched two pencils across the top of the planter next to the wick to keep the wick standing up. Once the wax cooled, my candle was ready!

And in case you don’t want to go the whole candle making route, after you paint the pot, you can just add a faux succulent for a super cute alternative!

So which way do you like the DIY candy striped concrete candles better? As candles or as planters? I liked them both, so I actually have one of each! Oh, and in case you missed it, the tutorial for the little gem photo holders can be found here. 

The abstract art print is one that I painted this past weekend and I now have prints available of it in my shop. Who can so no to inexpensive abstract art?! Not I! And that ombre wine tumbler? You can find it right here!