Turn Candle Tin Scraps Into Stunning DIY Flower Decor

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Ahh, tea lights. They're so cute, they add ambiance to any room, and can cover your home in a welcoming scent. But they burn so fast, and once they're done, you're left with that tiny little tin that feels too small to keep for other uses. But before you throw these into the bin and light a new candle, have you considered ways to repurpose old tea light holders? For example, you could turn them into a beautiful piece of DIY flower decor.

The idea for this DIY, inspired by Instagram creator @priyanshibeniwal__, is to flatten metal tea light holders into small petals. Then, these can be glued to a piece of cardboard to create a beautiful-looking flower. Use it as decor as-is, or turn it into a new tea light holder. Another option is to place an Acxico mini copper incense holder at the center of the flower (with a dot of glue) and use the flower as an incense burner. You can customize this DIY by gluing small gems or pearls or adding a bit of paint to the flower. It's a wonderful way to give trash a second life and to feel less wasteful whenever you need to light a small candle.

For this DIY, you'll need to save your tea light tins. You'll need at least 11 small tins, though you could use more for denser or thicker flowers. You'll also need a hammer or mallet to flatten the pieces (or you can turn a hammer into a mallet with a tennis ball), and a ballpoint pen to emboss the petals' details onto the metal. For the base, a 2-by-2-inch piece of cardboard is enough, with some glue and a pair of scissors.

Start by removing the wick holders at the bottom of each tin. This can be done by hand by pulling on the wick, or you can use a knife to help pop the tab off if it's stuck. The tins should be empty, so scrape off any wax pieces, but no need to deeply clean them to remove all residue. 

Then use your fingers to gently press the sides of the tin, forming it into an oval shape with sharp ends. Place them on a flat surface and hammer them flat. The tin candle holder should turn into a flat, leaf-shaped piece of metal that you'll use as the petals of your DIY flower. Once all of your leaves are done, use a ballpoint pen to emboss the relief of a leaf into the soft metal. This shouldn't be hard, since the metal is soft and your pen's pressure can easily create those lines. Draw one long line along the center of the leaf, and smaller ones on either side.

Now, time to assemble. Cut a small circle from your cardboard and cover it with glue. Gently press a first layer of petals around the circle. Then add more glue to the center and another layer, making sure these leaves don't overlap the first ones but sit between them. As you continue adding layers, use your fingers to bend the upper leaves a bit to create a nice, bowl-like shape. After about three layers, you'll have something that looks like a lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) or water lily (Nymphaeaceae). Let the glue harden, and place it on a table, shelf, or counter.