| Pillar candles are a cheap way to dress up any table | | | | pillar candles. |
| and make great gifts. With just a few added touches, | | | | Making organic dye: |
| you can take a simple organic pillar candle and turn it | | | | You can use just about anything you can find in your |
| into an expensive looking gift for a few mere dollars | | | | yard that grows from flowers, berries, leaves, grass, |
| over the price of the pillar candle. | | | | just about anything you see you can use. Since you |
| Here is what you will need to turn an organic pillar | | | | are making the dye for paper clay and it will not be |
| candle into an amazing table centerpiece or a beautiful | | | | washed you do not need to set it, it will act more like a |
| gift for a loved one.o Organic Pillar Candleso Paper | | | | stain rather then a dye. Gather the product that you |
| clay or modeling clay,o rolling pin,o dried pliable vine or | | | | choose to use as your dye, the color will be reflective |
| ribbon,o textured roller (textured stamp pad rollers | | | | of the product you are using. If you want a rust color |
| work best)o Organic dye color of your choice. | | | | to mock terra cotta then marigolds work well, just |
| Since you will be using organic pillar candles to stay | | | | make sure you take only the flower petals and not the |
| with the earth friendly theme, organic dyes give it an | | | | green. Chop up, crush, or use a blender to get the |
| added flare that you cannot get from just using an | | | | product to a near liquefied state or mushy so you can |
| acrylic base paint. Organic dyes can be handmade or | | | | spread it on the paper clay without smudging your |
| purchased at any organic supply store. Hand made | | | | imprint. A sponge dipped into the liquid of the product |
| organic dyes can be as simple as rubbing fresh green | | | | works really well. |
| grass on to the clay once set or using fruit pulps. | | | | Dying the paper clay: |
| The first step is to work with your paper clay until | | | | Simply apply the dye/stain product onto the still wet |
| pliable and between two pieces of wax paper. Roll it | | | | paper clay strips but not to the point where it will drip |
| to about ¼-inch thickness with a rolling pin and | | | | off. |
| long enough to wrap almost the diameter of your | | | | Put a hole on each end of the paper clay strips with a |
| organic pillar candles with leaving about an ¾ | | | | pencil or whatever you have handy. Make sure the |
| inch to an 1 inch gap. Depending on how many | | | | hole is not to close to the end of strip though. |
| centerpieces or gifts you are making will determine the | | | | Now wrap the strip around your pillar candle. It should |
| amount of paper clay you will need. After you rolled | | | | hold on its own but if it doesn't take some scrap ribbon |
| the paper clay out to desired length and an even | | | | and tie it lightly, just enough for paper clay to hold |
| ¼-inch thickness, in one direction only, take the | | | | around pillar candle. Let it air dry. When it is dry, |
| textured roller over the top of the rolled paper clay | | | | remove scrap ribbon and replace with your decorative |
| with just enough pressure to leave desired imprint. | | | | ribbon, better yet even dried natural vine and you have |
| Now cut the rolled paper clay into about ½-inch | | | | a beautiful organic pillar candle centerpiece that you |
| wide strips, or desired width depending on height of | | | | can use for your own table or give as a gift. |