Cement Candle Holders and Vases on Hallmark's Home and Family Show

Cement Candle Holders

Supplies

- Quickcrete Anchoring Cement; this dries quickly

- Tealight Candles, or larger candles depending on the desired outcome

-Paper Cups; large and small sizes

- Gloves

- Dust Mask or medical mask (or something to cover your nose and mouth)

- Craft paint and paint brush; optional

-Paint stirrer, or something similar to mix the concrete

-Sand Paper

Directions:

*Work in a well-ventilated area, and work on a covered surface

*Use a mask and gloves to prevent touching or breathing in the cement dust

*Each cement may have different measurement directions, but usually it is a 4:1 ratio cement to water

*Pour the water into the large paper cup, and while stirring, slowly pour in the cement

*Keep adding cement and mixing until you achieve a cake batter like consistency

*If it becomes too thick, add more water

*You want it to be about 2/3 full

*Once mixed, tap the cup onto the counter to remove excess bubbles

*Working quickly, place the smaller cup into the center of the cement filled larger cup and push it down into the cement; fill the small cup with a rock, or some change, something to weigh it down

*Use your hands to make sure the cup doesn’t float up

*It won’t take long for this to harden, so you need to make sure to work quickly

*Another way to do this is to use tea candles instead; make sure to find the ones that have plastic or metal around them, and simply place then into the top of the cup filled with cement (3/4 full) and push it down into the cement, hold it down until it starts to harden, which won’t take long.

*Allow to harden; timing will depend on which cement you use(depending on which cement you use)

*Use sand paper to sand away any undesired edges

*Rinse under water to remove and debris

*Allow to dry

*Paint as desired

*Place candle into the center of the cement, or use as a vase (for the ones that are made without the tea light)