Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Harry Potter Inspired Floating Christmas Candles!

You guys know how much I hate posting projects before they're finished, but our Harry Potter tree is really coming along, and I want to show you all the fun stuff we're making!

First, a lights-out shot:

 OoooOOOooo.

Again, keep in mind the tree itself is still a work-in-progess, k? So just look at the top bits:

 Ta-daa! Floating candles!!

(And yes, the tree IS in a giant wizard's cauldron, which we built for about $15 - but that's for my next tutorial.)



I wanted to make floating candles a few months ago for Halloween, but all the tutorials I found used LED tea lights tucked inside toilet paper tubes, and I couldn't figure out how to make that fit properly OR look right.

So when I spotted these 2-packs of battery operated candles at The Dollar Tree, I decided to do things the Way Easier Way:

Seriously, that's only 50 cents a candle*! It was tempting to buy the whole rack, but I decided 10 would suffice.

[*Batteries aren't included, so also add in the cost of 2 AAs per candle.]

First, pop the candles off their bases, and remove all the stickers:


Next, add "wax" drips using a glue gun. There's a bit of a trick to this, so you may want to practice first on a TP roll.


I found the best method is to start your drips at the bottom, and then draw the thinner line of "wax" up to the top. This part is actually really fun, so go nuts adding as many layers as you want!

The hardest part is avoiding those dreaded glue gun strings, which really show up when you paint, and scream "FAKE!" Scrape the tip of your glue gun on the inside edge of the candle to avoid these, and then be sure to pick off any stragglers before you paint.

Of course, the glue almost look good enough on its own, so you may decide to stop here!

I decided to paint, though, to give the drips more definition. I used a spray primer base coat, and a satin white top coat, to give the candles a nice waxy sheen.

You can see what a difference just the primer coat makes; the drips really stand out.


Finally, I used a watered down craft paint to add a little aging on the non-drippy parts of the candles:

I brushed it on and kept it really subtle, which is great close-up, but disappears completely from far away. So learn from my mistakes, and go BIG if you're planning to hang these from the ceiling!

(To give you a better idea, this lovely Candle DIY by Taylor A. Baird was my painting inspiration:)

 I'd like to go back and darken mine up, but since they're already hanging... maybe next year. :)


To hang your candles, use a Dremel to drill a small hole through the tip of the plastic flames, and thread clear fishing line through to tie a knot. Wrap the other end of the fishing line around a thumb tack several times, and push firmly into the ceiling. DONE.

You can just barely see the line & thumbtack from close up. Both disappear a few feet away, though, making the floating illusion extremely convincing. We've only had ours up a few days, so I still get the urge to squeal like a little girl every time I see them!


The candles turn on and off by twisting the tops slightly, and luckily John is tall enough to reach them each night. I'm curious to see how long the batteries last, since we leave the trees on for a good 8 hours a day. Since the lights are LED, they should last practically forever - but I'll let you know!

Important Note: These candles are so cheaply made that John had to tweak the battery contacts inside each one to make sure they lit up properly. So if yours don't work at first, try bending the metal contacts down a bit.


Hope you guys like our floating candles, and maybe try making some of your own! If you're hesitant to poke holes in the ceiling, you could always hang these on the tree, or suspend a few in front of a mirror for an extra sparkly effect.

Stay tuned for more updates on our Harry Potter tree!


*****

Come see ALL of my craft projects on one page, right here!

71 comments:

  1. Awesome. AGAIN. Thanks Jen and John - we geeks (us geeks?) appreciate you.
    Maureen S

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  2. You're a dribbler! http://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Candle_Dribbler

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  3. I am obsessed with the owls on top of the tree! Once again, great tutorial.

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  4. I love that you are doing a Harry Potter tree, but what do you do with the old decorations from your other themed trees? You must have a huge box full or old Christmas tree decorations.

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    1. We do! Although I combined a lot of the steampunk tree with the vintage paper ornament tree, and I really like the look. All the jewel toned ornaments & peacock feathers are staying in storage, though. Makes me wish there was some kind of Christmas swap where people could trade for new stuff. :)

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    2. I wonder if you could decorate a tree at that tree festival you and John go to every year. Yours are just as good as the pictures you post from that event. I wish they had an event like that in my area. I love checking out other people's Christmas decorations.

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    3. Jen, I had a friend once who did a pre-Halloween costume swap party. He invited everyone he knew to bring any costumes or props that they weren't going to use anymore to swap with other people. He said it worked out really well! You could totally do that for cmas decorations! I know lots of people like to change up their colors or style every few years and have tons of stuff that just sits in the closet. It's time to have a party!

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    4. You next January or November give-away, perhaps. Or an auction fundraiser for your charity of choice.

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  5. I squealed as soon as I saw the first picture. Now I want to go home, take down my tree, and start all over! I'll be stopping by the dollar store today.

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  6. A Harry Potter themed tree?! Amazing! The floating candles, the owls, the cauldron - I love it all. What a fun spin on the traditional tree. Now how to convince my husband we should do a themed tree...

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  7. Aaahhhh! I love it so much. How fun!

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  8. I love how your tree is themed but still looks quite traditional - if I ever had the room (and spare tree) to have a themed tree this is definately the way to go. Also I spy a chocolate frog box! I have one lying around (still with a frog head in it whoops!) and have been wondering what to do with mine besides make it part of a display - never thought of puting it on a tree!

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  9. I know I'm supposed to be focused on the top bit, but you've got rails! You're going to have a tiny Hogwarts Express riding around the tree? That would be AWESOME. Can't wait to see the finished tree!

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  10. This is where I wish I was remotely crafty. I would love love love to have a HP themed tree, but I am not crafty and with infant twins, it's just not happening. I may just have to find HP themed ornaments and call it a day. I will see if I can find an owl for a tree topper.

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  11. Is that track for the Hogwarts Express in the middle? This is fabulous!

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  12. That looks so epic!!! I am working on making the "ping pong ball" lights to hang up n.n Ping Pong Ball Lights Video

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  13. You need to check out craftster.org -- I am part of a Harry Potter holiday swap & am ready to make some cool ornaments...I know you'd have a ton of inspiration there (plus you could add your own!!)...

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  14. I want your tree. The whole thing.

    Seriously though, the candles are really cool. I'd have never thought to create wax drippings with a glue gun, and I don't know why because it looks so easy yet realistic.

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  15. Can't wait for the post on the completed tree - it looks amazing so far! I did very similar candle hanging for our Harry Potter Halloween party about a month back, but without the drilling and drips - I love your glue drips addition and might try it for next year! :) Check out some of the other things from the HP shindig if you are curious: http://www.questsofquirkiness.com/2014/11/03/halloween-at-hogwarts/

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  16. Another rousing success! Well done!

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  17. Awesome! Speaking of crafts, I keep wondering about Claptrap. How's he holding up after a debut on EPBOT?

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  18. I totally just sent my husband to the dollar store. Craft night at my house tonight!

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  19. Awesome.
    I may just have to have random flo9ating candles around my house now. :)

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  20. That looks amazing! Cursing my stucco and concrete ceilings now.

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    1. I'm betting the tiny 3M command adhesive hooks would stick to the ceiling (removable later) and hold up the weight of a candle and 2 batteries. Not quite as unobtrusive as clear thumbtacks, but they do come in clear and basic ceiling white...

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    2. You can get clear 3M command hooks which have an extra loopy bit, for hanging Christmas decorations. I've used them on the ceiling for hanging mini disco balls.

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  21. OMG THIS IS AMAZING! OFF TO THE DOLLAR TREE TO GET LIKE 30 OF THEM!!!!

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  22. Pretty floaty candles... On one hand I want to make these with everything in me and on the other hand I know that I live in a house with a wooden ceiling and pushing thumbtacks into it will only result in bent thumbtacks. Oh well.

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  23. Thank you! I tried the tp roll candles at Halloween and it was so sad looking. This is so much better. Makes me want to try again. Love it ALL!

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  24. Great tutorial! Now if I ever get the desire to have a floating candle menorah, I'll know how. Hmmm....maybe next year. :)

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  25. Wow fantastic!!! Well done Jen and John

    * Rachel CrazyMum *

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  26. Personen!
    The tree already looks great, too!

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  27. If you don't want to use a tack, you can float your candles using this method which uses a toothpick inserted through the drywall to hang objects without a hook or other visible means. http://www.instructables.com/id/Hang-Lightweight-Halloween-Props-Without-Visible-H/

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  28. So very cool - I'd be tempted to leave them up all year round!

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  29. OH MY GOD JEN! YOU ARE BREAKING THE INTERNATIONAL STATUTE OF SECRECY!!! No really, very cool and now I want to hang these everywhere in the house......GET THEE TO THE DOLLAR STORE!!!

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  30. Hello Jen and John, I just finished reading an article about the ugly side of internet. It got me thinking about Cakewrecks and Epbot, both of which are an oasis of good manners and decency. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you and John for keeping the standards so high. Even when the ugly gets dumped on your doorstep (the angry cake decorating woman) you don't descend to vicious name calling or trying to destroy the other person. So....thank you for being a bright candle in the dark world of the interweb. "So shines a good dead in a weary world."

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  31. whoa! that should read "good DEED in a weary world"
    ha ha!

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  32. this is neat! do you have a link for the completed tree?! i'd love to know how you got the train track up to that height and if it really works, plus the details on the cauldron!

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  33. HOLY CRAP, THESE ARE AWESOME!!!!

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  34. These are super awesome! For those pesky glue strings, you might try this. If you hit the object with a second or two of high heat from your hair dryer the strings melt to nothing, but all the heavier glue is untouched.

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  35. Love this! You amaze me with your creativity. Thanks for sharing the pictures. I'm looking forward to seeing the tree when you are completely done with it.

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  36. This has been all around our office; with lots of "oh I am so doing this". What we can't figure out is how you got the train around the middle of the tree? Please post the hows, dos and don'ts

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  37. Jen, I would like to relate to you the conversation my hubby and I had last night:
    Me: What would you think of floating candles around the house for the holidays?
    DH: Do they come with floating people to hold them? I might have to say no to that.
    Me: No, ghosts needed, I read a tutorial on how to do them myself.
    DH: Great...uh wait, are they lit candles?
    Me: Well unlit would be weird.
    DH: I mean, like flame - cause that could be an issue.
    Me: Yeah, the sprinkler system and smoke alarms would go off.
    DH: Then the house gets flooded and we have to fix all that water damage. Just not worth it.
    Me: Not real flames.
    DH: Cool, then go for it.

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  38. These would look awesome suspended over a dining room table!

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  39. A. MAZE. ING!! Absolutely incredible!

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  40. We moved to a different house but before that we had different themed trees in different rooms. A Star Trek/Wars them in my Husband's home office, A Kitchen Christmas Tree, A Harry Potter Theme tree in the Family Room and the Traditional tree in the Living Room. As you can probably guess we have a ton of ornaments.

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  41. I love your tree! The cauldron is a great idea! We have a Gryffindor themed tree every year. The tree topper is the Sorting Hat and of course red and gold ornaments. I do have owls, but I never thought about putting them in the tree. My living room is decorated like the Common Room, so we have it year round and always adding to it. Happy Christmas everyone!

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  42. I would love to know where you got the owl topper and the owlets at. :) this looks so nice and relaxing.

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  43. This was featured at Tor.com today. Very cool idea.

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  44. I loved these as soon as I saw them but couldn't find those candle lights (a frequent problem when I look at craft tutorials, since I live in Canada and don't have access to a lot of stuff that gets posted). When I was shopping in the dollar store today for something else, I found them! I'm going to make these next week when I'm on vacation. Squee!

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  45. I got some LED candles at Amazon that turn on the same time every night then stay on for eight hours, off for 16, then on again the next night. It'd be a lot easier using those.

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  46. Thank you for your beautiful brain and sharing your idea! I just finished mine, though it does not look as great as yours :) My candle flame bulbs looked too LED-blue, so I painted them with Adirondack alcohol ink in "honeycomb" to have a better flame look. It dried fast and goes on transparent.

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  47. I just finished my tree today and hung up my floating candles. Thanks for the tutorial. It was a huge inspiration and has me excited about Christmas for the first time in forever: http://brooke-johnson.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-very-harry-potter-christmas.html

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  48. HEY ALL! just saw she had a new post on how she created the custom hogwarts express! http://www.epbot.com/2014/12/our-custom-hogwarts-express-complete.html plus at the bottom of this post links to her other stuff like the snitches, cauldron base and broom.

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  49. I know I'm SUPER late to the party here, but did you see the invisible candle chandeliers that this company created for a couple of retail spaces? They're the same basic principle and are amazing! I am inspired to take your tutorial and create concentric circles for my project. My entryway has ridiculously high ceilings that are going to waste... this would be a fun way to give it some life!
    http://archidesignclub.com/magazine/rubriques/design/46294-beau-et-bien-lustre-wersailles.html

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  50. I love your tree! You are s genius! I do have a question: how do you tie a knot in the fishing line after it is inserted through the hole in the bulb?

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    1. You'll actually insert the line all the way through to the other side of the bulb tip, so that you can loop it back and tie a knot, making a circle. I hope that makes sense!

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  51. Another late to the party girl here. How long did your lights last? I want to do this this Christmas. I love the floating candles!

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    1. The lights were still going strong when we took them down after the new year!

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    2. Thank you. I am going to do this this year! I am a Harry fan and I have been wanting to do this since the first time I saw the first movie but until now I couldn't find a good and inexpensive way to do it.

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  52. Hi Jen!

    I'm an avid reader of your blog and absolutely love cake wrecks, but I'm a first time commenter. Just wanted to let you know that this post and ultimately your entire HP tree led me to create my own Harry Potter themed tree, complete with a hand-drawn Marauder's Map tree skirt :) I'm working on writing a blogger post about it (with credit back to your page of course) and I'd love to share pictures with you some time!

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    1. Oooh, I can't wait to see, Erin! Please do share pics, when you have them - maybe post the link on the Epbot FB page, so I don't miss it?

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    2. Posted to Facebook! Thanks again for all the sharing you do--hope you enjoy!!

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