17. Structural Twig & Wire Votive Holders
Idea Overview
Transform simple plain glass candle holders or upcycled jars into warm rustic light sources by encasing them in a cylinder of uniform straight wooden twigs. Bound with thin copper or brass wire, these twig votives cast long, soft linear shadows across surfaces when lit, building an intimate campfire-like glow.
Materials Needed
- Upcycled small glass jars or votive cups
- Straight fallen twigs or wooden sticks (gathered outdoors)
- Pruning shears or garden snips
- Fine gauge copper, brass, or dark craft wire
- Hot glue gun
- LED tealight candles
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Gather straight, fallen twigs of similar thickness (roughly the thickness of a pencil).
- Trim the twigs with garden shears to a uniform height slightly taller than your glass jar.
- Line up the sticks side-by-side on a flat work table.
- Weave thin copper wire around the top and bottom of each stick, binding them together into a flexible wooden mat long enough to wrap around the jar.
- Apply a few dots of hot glue to the glass jar surface and wrap the flexible twig mat tightly around it.
- Twist the wire ends together at the back to lock the casing securely in place, then trim any excess wire.
- Drop an LED candle inside the glass cup.
Tips & Variations
- Tip: Clean any loose dirt or moss off the twigs using a small stiff brush before weaving them together.
- Variation: Use white birch twigs for a bright, frosted Scandinavian winter aesthetic.