Kelly Wilkinson, from the lovely craft blog Make Grow Gather, is guest blogging this week at another one of our favorites, Design Mom. Yesterday she posted this simple "upcycling" project that seems like the perfect Saturday afternoon activity. We've seen photo cubes before, but this one ups the ante by acting as a candleholder too. The blurry blown-up images Kelly chose give the finished product an edgy, modern feel. Learn how she did it after the jump...
Kelly's helpful step-by-step on flickr shows how she dismantled a bunch of old jewel cases and glued them together into a cube. She printed her images on vellum so that the candle would produce a nice soft glow. Then, using the CD label as a template, she cut her images to fit and inserted them on all sides. Lastly she finished the whole thing off with a grosgrain ribbon to hide the telltale edges of the CD cases.
Maybe it's embarrassing to admit we've still got a few jewel cases lying around, but hey, we always knew we'd find a use for them someday.
Head over to Make Grow Gather for more of Kelly's projects.
(Via Design Mom)
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
The World's Ugliest Condo: The Big Bathroom Reveal 
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Homesteaders' Cocktail Recipe: Lovage Simple Syrup
Comments (6)
do you think it's safe? couldn't the paper on the inside catch fire or something? maybe use a little electric tealight or something...
I think it looks cool! But I also have the same concerns that plumeria does. That plastic isn't meant to be near fire! A battery operated tealight would be the way to go if you wanted to use it for a "candleholder."
Thanks for those comments, guys! It looks to me like Kelly has used a glass votive holder with a candle inside it (see last photo). That might provide the necessary barrier to keep the flame away from the paper/plastic. But yes, a battery-operated tealight would be another (maybe safest) option.
Glad you pointed that out!
- Susie
I love this idea. If I can find a fire-proof way of doing this project, does anyone know where I can find vellum paper 8.5x11 inch paper so that it slides through my printer ok? Thanks in advance.
LovingSSF -
I'm pretty sure Paper Source (on Fillmore or Chestnut, if you live in San Francisco) carries 8.5x11" vellum.
Have fun!
- Susie
Clever! And useful for more than candles.