DIY: a candle holder with plant cuttings

A gift for your Christmas table

This year's holiday season is all about increasing the amount of green in your life. The more green, the better! Just having a Christmas tree (or even better, one of these plants as an alternative tree) isn't quite enough. December, therefore, is the perfect time to give plant cuttings a stage. Follow this DIY to create a dining table centrepiece with a candle and some plant cuttings. You could even give the finished product as a gift!

DIY: a candle holder with plant cuttings | thejoyofplants.co.uk
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It's not Christmas without candles

Candles are the ultimate mood enhancers to complete your Christmas table and give it a cosy feeling. For this DIY, we used four candles, but feel to use more or less depending on your taste and mood. 

You will need

  • Concrete mix (tip: don't use a cement variety, as it will set too hard)
  • A form/mould to pour the concrete into
  • Gold leaf
  • Cling film
  • Aluminium foil
  • Sandpaper
  • 4 candles (feel free to use more or less)
  • 4 candle stubs (or more or less - choose the same number and size as the candles you want to use)
  • Wax rounds (or something else to hold the candles in place)
  • Test tubes (to place the cuttings in)
  • Cuttings from your favourite plants. We used Pothos and Tradescantia 

How to make your candlestick with plant cuttings

Step 1

Make the base of your candle holder out of concrete. Make sure that the concrete mixture has the thickness of pancake batter and that all air bubbles are mixed out of the concrete mixture. A good way to do this is by dropping the bowl containing the concrete mixture a few times so that the air bubbles to the surface. Then, pour the mixture into your desired shape, ensuring that you don't fill the mould all the way to the brim as the level will rise slightly when you make the holes for the candles.

Step 2

While the concrete is still wet, make the holes for the candles and the test tubes for the cuttings. For the candles, wrap the stubs in cling film and press them into the concrete. Leave them there until the concrete is hard. For the test tubes: wrap the test tubes in aluminium foil and press them into the concrete, leave them there for a while and then remove them. Then, decorate the plateau with gold leaf.

Step 3 

Once the concrete is almost dry, remove all the candles. If necessary, use sandpaper to smoothen the edges of all the holes.

Step 4

Is the concrete completely dry? Then place your new candles and test tubes into the holes you made for them. To ensure that the candles remain in place and upright, you can use adhesive wax rounds or candle glue. Fill the test tubes with a little water and with your favourite cuttings, such as Pothos and Tradescantia.

Step 5

Enjoy your centrepiece! Light the candles and place it in a nice spot in your home, or give it to a loved one as a present. 

MORE CHRISTMAS INSPIRATION

Looking for more inspiration about celebrating Christmas with plants? Our Christmas dossier has all the inspiring ideas you could ever need. Bring on that warm festive feeling by decorating your dining table for the season, or get started with this festive display of plants. For a daily dose of inspiration, follow us on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. 

 

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