Candles |

Having spent most of last Sunday covered in glitter from putting up the Christmas tree and all the festive trimmings that come with it, my little home now looks like the inside of Santa’s grotto. However the desk I work from upstairs seemed to be looking a bit too bleak for my liking, but without wanting to spend a small fortune dazzling it up with Christmas goodies I decided to set myself a small budget and spruce up my little workspace with a few festive treats that don’t burn too much of a hole in the pocket…

Fairy Light Fever:

Having first spotted these in the aisles of Primark, I was pretty shocked to discover they were a mere £1.50… what a bargain! Last year I bought a set from Ikea which were considerably more pricey, although the light is quite a harsh white tone so I’m just not as keen. These ones however omit a lovely warm glow that makes the perfect backdrop for photo’s or just to cheer up your work space.

Candles Gallore:

You all know by now how much I blooming adore my little scented candles and after finding these pretty gold & purple holders in Ikea I just had to bring them home with me! The gold ones were £2 each and the purple one (I’m pretty sure) was only £1. I also spotted a bag of 100 Glimma tea lights for £1.75, they last approx 4 hours constant burning and are undoubtedly the best for value out of all the ones I’ve tried yet!

Merry Material:

I’ve been hoarding felt squares in my material box for the last couple of years, so I thought it was high time I put them to good use. These fun festive fancies are so darn easy to make too; it’s simply a matter of cutting out your shapes and sewing or stitching them together, alternatively you could use material glue – just don’t forget to stuff em’ before you seal otherwise they’ll end up looking a tad skinny. I opted for making a cheery little robin & traditional Christmas pudding. Cute eh?

The Empty Pickle Jar:

When I spotted this empty gherkin jar lurking on top of my kitchen counter I knew he had a greater destiny in life than simply ending up in the recycling heap. After digging out my glass paints, I decided to give it a colourful lease of life by up-cycling him as a unique little candle accessory. One can never have too many tea light holders right? 😉 You can buy glass paints from any good craft store. I use Pebeo Vitrea pots as the colours are so vivid & glossy. Alternatively E-bay is full of great starter sets from as little as £5 or you could opt for glass paint markers which are super easy to use!

Twinkling Twigs:

At this time of year my garden is awash with leaves, twigs and lots of other green fingered paraphernalia, so why not put some of it to good use? After gathering, clean & dry your chosen sticks (or twigs if you make a mini version – your empty gherkin jar could be ideal for this) then spray with either gold or silver paint and dust with glitter (optional, but looks super pretty)

Once dry you can display them in any vase or jar you like, as mine was see through I used some pretty pebbles to add some detail & keep the sticks supported … voila, your own glittering twig display!

Don’t forget you can also interweave some fairy lights through them to create some extra twinkle… they really help emphasise the sparkle in the glitter.

The Mini Tree:

Last but not least, what Christmas space would be complete without a teeny tiny tree? I spotted this one in a local discount shop for £1 and just couldn’t resist! They also had lots of multi coloured battery lights that work a treat in helping to make it that little bit more cheery. He’s rather adorable wouldn’t you say?

So there you have it, my way of adding a sprinkle of festive cheer to any work or living space without costing a fortune… in fact I spent well under £15 for the whole lot. Not bad eh?

Have you added any mini decorations to help cheer up your crib? Or maybe you have a few merry little tips of your own to share? As always, I love reading your thoughts & feedback in the comments below! Til next time…

Cheerio Chums 🙂