Let’s make easy pumpkin candle holders, what do you think?

What Can I Use to Hold Candles?

Use Jars and More to Hold Candles

First of all, many items can be used to hold candles. For example, empty jars, mason jars, trays, a glass plate, a slice of wood, teacups, or even a charcuterie board especially for a centerpiece. Get the easy details to make your own! Think of all the possibilities, a hot chocolate bar, smores board, spice, and apple desserts.

Imagine how pretty this will be for a dining table, especially for Thanksgiving. Add small pumpkins, medium pumpkins, and fall foliage with this tea-light pumpkin candle holder. Even dried flowers from your garden, dried hydrangeas, or fake flowers from Michaels craft store. Even pine cones, acorns, and nuts in the shell work great with these natural candle holders.

During this time of year, candles add a touch of romance to dining tables, lanterns, or even pumpkins. Whether these are real pumpkins or fake pumpkins from the craft store. You can even find small pumpkins at your local grocery store.

By the way, pumpkins aren’t the only pieces that can be used to hold candles. Think about using oranges, green apples, red apples, pears, and artichokes to name a few. I often say nature gives us many gifts to use in our home decorating for the seasons.

What’s the Purpose of a Candle Holder?

The Purpose of Pieces Under a Candle

For the most part, the primary function of candle holders is to provide a secure and safe base for candles to avoid any mishaps. Placing a lighted candle without a sturdy base is a disaster waiting to happen. Even a slight push can cause the candle to fall over, and the tablecloth or curtains might catch fire.

What Color Combinations to Use?

Color Combinations to Use for Pumpkins

There are many paint color combinations to use for fake gourds and pumpkins.

This will continue to be an easy process. Think of nature when choosing colors. Pumpkins come in a variety of colors.

For example, dry brush dark avocado, and after it dries a bit add another layer of color. How about a lighter green to add more texture and a realistic look? Here’s an example, of this process to make these look like Heirloom gourds from the pumpkin patch.

Also, dark orange paint and add white paint to the orange mix together for a lighter orange and layer it on top for another Heirloom look.

How about using a grey/blue color this will give the look of a Cinderella pumpkin. These are beautiful but hard to find in NJ.

Another example is to use white paint and add dark green into the creases of the pumpkins for tea-light candle holders. Remember to always take a look at nature for inspiration.

Supplies Needed:

• Small pumpkins fake or real – the color of your choice
• white craft paint – optional
• light brown wax or raw umber craft paint – optional
• small chip brush
• small stencil brush
• paper towel or rag
• utility knife be extremely careful

Remove the Stem and Make an Opening

Removing the Stem and Making an Opening

Step 1

Before cutting the pieces for the pumpkin candle holders remove the stem. For a fake pumpkin, the stem should pull right out or twist out. For a real pumpkin simply cut the stem off.

By the way, make sure you don’t throw the real stem away. Why? The stems are great to dry and add to your fall decor next year.

I save my stems every year from our pumpkins on our front porch and have quite a collection. You can visit my natural elements home tour and get a glimpse of a tiny bit of the collection of dry stems and preserved acorns in my home tour and the best part, I share how to preserve these for years to come.

Step 2

Next, place your tealight candle on top of your small pumpkin and trace. Next step, use a utility knife and carefully cut the hole for the candle. After cutting the hole take some of the foam out to fit the depth of the tea light.

However, if you are using a real pumpkin remove the seeds. Most of all, don’t forget to clean the seeds and save them to roast. Roasted pumpkin seeds are delicious and a healthy snack.

Adding a Realistic Look Fake Gourds With Paint

Add A Real Look to Faux Gourds and Texture With Paint

Step 3

Now step 3 is optional however it is so quick and makes a huge difference with these fake pumpkins it adds a realistic look. I simply dry brush them with white craft paint.

To dry brush dip a small chip brush in the paint and wipe the excess off on a paper towel or rag. There should be barely any paint on the brush. Next, brush on the paint and let them dry for about 10 minutes.

By the way, this can be done to orange pumpkins as well. Simply buy craft paint in a lighter or darker shade of orange and use the same dry brush technique. These are affiliate links.

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Lastly to add even more of a natural look add either light brown wax as I did or use raw umber craft paint. I suggest a small stencil brush for this step. Add a bit of wax or paint and immediately blend it with a rag. I mainly add this to the creases to give the pumpkins a shadow. This gives these the look they have when buying small pumpkins or even gourds at the farmstand, pumpkin patch, or food store.

Adding Tealight Holders to Your Home

Adding These Tealights to Your Tables for a Gathering

Finally, how about adding these as centerpieces, scattered on a coffee table with other fall elements such as corn husks, pumpkins, acorns, or bare branches from the yard for the comfy and cozy fall season?

These candles will look pretty on the Thanksgiving table don’t you think? These pieces will be perfect for a Halloween party too!

I hope you enjoyed this quick idea for making easy pumpkin candle holders and making these for an event or you are having for the fall season.

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