Valentine Marbled Candle Holder

My name is Nina and I am addicted to votives and candle holders. And tea lights.

Is there a local chapter for the Candle Holders Anonymous Association in my area?

What? You say there isn’t such an organization?

Phew! I guess I’ll just have to make peace with my obsession — and make some of these fun Valentine marbled candle holders with my grandkids.

Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

• 2-3 bottles of fingernail polish in Valentine colors (red, pink, white)
• some small glass votive candle holders
• some toothpicks
• a fairly large bowl that you don’t care about

Fill your bowl about 3/4 full of warmish water.

Slowly pour one color of fingernail polish on the water. Pour your second color on the water. Swirl with a toothpick to make the colors look marbled.

Carefully roll your candle holder in the water.

Set the candle holder aside upside down on a paper towel to dry. (I let mine dry for a couple of hours.)

Ta da! You’ve got a lovely marbleized candle holder.

I’ve made a little video to show you how it’s done. Showing is so much easier than writing out directions! I apologize that the candle holder is out of focus at the end. I do believe my cameraman was slightly distracted. (Ahem, Grandpa!)

Your granddaughters will really enjoy making these Valentine marbled candle holders. They could use them to decorate their bedroom or give away as a Valentine present to their friends.

Wouldn’t it be fun to have a party where you polished your granddaughters’ fingernails by the light of a candle in these candle holders?

So let me tell you what I learned. First, make sure you use a bowl that is big enough to roll your candle holder in. It’s really difficult if it’s a small bowl.

Second, make sure that you don’t care about the bowl. You’ll get some nail polish on it. You could probably remove all of it with fingernail polish remover. But, it might be a hard job. And could wreck the bowl in the process.

Next, don’t pour your nail polish colors side-by-side. Pour one on top of the other. That way, you’ll get a nicer marbled effect.

Don’t hold your nail polish too high above the water. It will sink instead of float on top. That would not be cool.

Last, you might want to have some empty bottles that you don’t care about (like old mayo jars) to practice on. After doing one or two, your granddaughters will get the knack of how to roll the candle holder in the nail polish.

Once your grandkiddos get the hang of making these little marbled cuties, they will want to make a whole herd of them!

These would be fun to make for other holidays, too: Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Christmas. Whatever.

Happy marbleizing!