Reef Design

Tealight Candle Holder

Seashells & Sand

This Guide will help you to set up and design your own Tealight Candle Holder similar to the one pictured above.

Specific Materials:

1. a 5"x5" round wood base.
2. a glass votive candle holder.
3. a small figure of a fish - glass, porcelain, resin
4. a small figure of a crab
5. seashells 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch size

General Materials:

1. a bottle of Elmer's Glue-All or equivalent
2. a can of polyurethane - gloss or semi-gloss
3. sand paper - medium and fine grit
4. set of hobby brushes
5. coral pieces
6. sand - preferably beach sand

Optional:

1. Accessories such as small rocks, marbles, pearls, etc.
2. Wood stain or varnish.
Preparing the Base:

Examine the wood base. Remove any stickers. Take a look on the bottom side, the manufacturers or store usually place one of more stickers there. You may need to clean glue off, I use a paper towel and paint thinner.

Use the medium grit sandpaper to smooth down any rough areas as best you can. Sometimes during the manufacture of the base they leave behind some really rough areas. The idea of the sanding is to smooth out and make the rough areas look better.

Use fine grit sandpaper to lightly sand all over the base. This will remove any patina on the wood and help it absorb any stain, varnish, or the polyurethane better and more evenly.

Clean the base by dusting with a rag.

For a natural wood look, apply a coat or two of polyurethane over the wood. Optionally you can apply a stain or a varnish to the base. While it's drying you can move to step 2.

Prepare the Glass Candle Holder:

Make sure the glass candle holder is clean and dry.

Examine the glass and decide on the design you want to place on it. Try some of the shells on the glass without glue to see how they can fit.

With your idea in mind, apply glue to the first shell and set it on the glass. You may have to prop up the candle holder with other items so that you can place the shell and not have it move on you. Let the glue dry before going on, otherwise the shell will slide out of position.

Apply the next one. Let the glue dry. Continue repeating these steps until you have placed all the shells that you want on the glass. Don't worry about minor glue ooze, it will generally dry clear and you will be covering it up soon anyway.

After all the shells are on, and the piece is dry, it is time to apply the sand. It is best to apply the sand in sections, so the glue is still wet when the sand goes on. I place a sheet of newspaper on the table to catch extra sand.

Apply the glue in between the shells and use a brush to spread it around. Try not to get to much glue on the shells. Pour sand on the glue. Lightly shake off the excess. Continue around the glass until all the glass is covered by the sand. Set the glass candle holder aside and let the sand and glue dry.

Gather up the spilled sand and return it to your container. Save it for use on your next project.

After the sand is dry, apply a coat of polyurethane to the shells and the sand. This will protect both from the elements and bring out the shine.

Putting Everything Together and Finishing:

Now you are ready to make the main design.

Place the base in front of you. Place the glass candle holder, sea shells, and crab on the base to get an idea of how they will fit. Set the candle holder toward the back of the design, as centered to the design as you can get. If you notice in the picture above, the tealight candle holder is set so that the shells are evenly distributed to the front and sides of the candle holder.

Apply glue to the bottom of the glass, around the edge, and place it on the spot you have picked. Push down lightly on the glass to set it in place. You can move it slightly, side to side, until it's in the right place.

Place the larger shells and any coral pieces you've decided to use on the base, then glue them into place. Let the glue dry before moving.

Apply glue to the bottom of the crab,and put it in place. Do the same with the fish. Let them dry completely before moving the base around. Otherwise you'll come back to find they have fallen and you have to do the glueing over again.

Apply glue to the bare wood that is showing and along the bottom of the glass holder. Spread it out using a brush. Pour sand over the glue. Turn the piece over and lightly shake to remove loose sand. Having a page or two of newspaper under the piece comes in really handy at this time.

Gather up the loose sand and return it to your container. Let the project dry.

Pick up and shake to remove any loose sand. Apply polyurethane to the sand and any shells. I also apply poly to the resin figures I use, but not to any porcelain or glass objects.

Apply glue to any accessories that you have decided on and place them on your project. This can be more shells, pearls, marbles, small polished rocks, figures, etc. Let them dry, then apply polyurethane to any shells you placed. Allow to completely dry (at least 12 hours)

Now that you have finished the project, give it try. Place a tealight (the kind that come inside a metal or plastic base) inside the glass candle holder. Light the candle. Enjoy!

CAUTION! TO PREVENT FIRE!

Please be careful when using. Keep away from anything that can catch fire. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Never burn candles unattended.

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