DIY Pumpkin Votives

Last year my husband and I decided that it would be fun to carve pumpkins together for a date night.  So I set up a carving station on our coffee table complete with wine and a small selection of hors d'oeuvres (aka Halloween candy).  Long story short, our results are pictured above.  I found a cute way to make festive votives from mini pumpkins and my husband seemed to be more interested in the Halloween candy than carving, so his pumpkin remained untouched.

Creating pumpkin votives would have to be one of my favorite ways to carve a pumpkin because they are easy to make and very inexpensive. Whether you choose to use Glam Pumpkins or "Au Natural," the end result is really quite pretty and makes for a unique way to decorate your home and even your dining table for the Fall season. 

What you will need:

• Mini Pumpkins (preferably without stems- Trader Joe's has mini pumpkins for sale at 69cents a piece!)
• Tea Lights- Love these 6hr Tea Lights from World Market
• Carving Knife (Personally, I am a fan of my Victorinox knife)
  • *I tried using the 1.5" fitted drill bit (as suggested by Pinterest), but found that it was difficult to use and significantly messier than just using a simple carving knife.
• Pencil or thin marker

Instructions:

1. Trace a 1.5" circle on the top center of the pumpkin (**Be sure to press down hard if using a pencil)
2. Using a sharp knife, cut along the traced circle
3. Remove the cutout pieces of pumpkin shell (hollowing out the pumpkin isn't necessary since you will be filling the hole with a votive candle)
4. Insert Votive into 1.5" cutout hole
5. If you decide to use glam pumpkins, the paint will crack during the cutting process.  I would recommend touching up the edges with additional paint before inserting the tea lights.
6. Refrigerate until ready to use.  **These pumpkin votives can last for months if kept in the refrigerator in between uses**

Coffee Table Candles

I absolutely ADORE candles!  Nothing adds that intimate, inviting and illuminating touch to a space like a beautiful candle.  Candles have become a staple throughout my home.  I love displaying them in my bedroom, on my tablescapes, along the back wall of my bar and of course on my coffee table!  

Nest Fragrances Blue Garden Candle was the perfect addition to this blue and white themed coffee table.

As I have mentioned in my post on Coffee Table Decor, Candles are a functional staple that are versatile in shape and purpose.  The three categories of candles that I tend to use for purposes of coffee table decor are:

Tiffany & Co. Crystal Rock Cut Votives - accenting my coffee table for a cocktail party. 

Candles

• Hurricanes - Love hurricanes because they not only provide your table with candlelight, but they also create variety with the height of the candles, texture and overall ambiance.  Here are a few of my favorites:  Crate & Barrel Spin Hurricane Vase (YES!  It can be used as a hurricane or a vase!), Williams-Sonoma Small Footed Hurricane, Pottery Barn Silver Plated Hurricanes, World Market White Ombre Glass Honeycomb Hurricane and Simon Pearce Revere Hurricane (again, a splurge but classic and something I find myself using/decorating with frequently)
• Fragrance Candles-  Over the past few years I have really grown to love fragranced candles.  When hosting a dinner party, I will more often than not light a fragranced candle or two to help mask any smells of cooked food.  I feel like guests would prefer to enjoy a cocktail hour free of cooking smells that should really be saved for dinner.  In addition, I also appreciate a good fragranced candle to help freshen up a stale/musty room.  While I am not a "Country Apple" or "Baked Sugar Cookie" girl (not saying those flavors are bad just not my personal preference), I love floral and woodsy scents.  *Fresh Linen scents are also great, but I tend to use those scented candles in my powder room/bathroom.*  Here are a few of my favorite scented candles that I have been loving lately: Nest Fragrances Blue Garden, Pottery Barn Paperwhite Glass Pot Candle, Trapp Candle Lavender de Provence and Thymes Frasier Fir Candle.
• Votives- A great addition that can help to balance out tall floral arrangements and votives have fabulous placement versatility. A few of my favorites include: CB2 Hoth Candle Holder (adds a great splash of color), CB2 Hatch Candle Holder, Pottery Barn Smoked Glass Votive Cup, Simon Pearce Silver Lake Tea Lights (a moderate splurge) and my favorite the Tiffany & Co. Crystal Rock Cut Votives (a definite splurge…or "investment").

I hope this post has both inspired you and shown you how candles can really add to a space.  Whether you are enjoying a night in on your sofa or entertaining your friends, candles are a warm and wonderful addition.