DIY in a Day brings you step-by-step instructions for easy projects that will spruce up your space — within 24 hours (or less!).
As spooky season slithers closer and closer, it's fun to add festive touches around your home. If you prefer a more subtle approach to Halloween decor, these DIY coiled serpent candleholders add just the right bit of mystery and intrigue while still blending in with your everyday decor. Made from oven-bake clay, they come together in under an hour and are easy enough to make that even little ones can help. Pair them with spiral taper candles (which you can buy or DIY) to add a dose of eerie elegance to your shelves, mantel, or coffee table.
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Things You'll Need
Step 1
Pinch off a golf ball-sized piece of clay and work it between your hands to warm it up and make it more malleable. Place a piece of parchment paper on your work surface, and roll the clay into a thin log shape that's about 18 inches long.
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Step 2
Press one end of the log with your thumb to flatten it and create the shape of a snake's head, and form the other end into a pointy tail shape.
Step 3
Roll the log into a coil at the tail end of the "snake."
Step 4
Place a taper candle into the center of the coil, and pull the clay log taut around the candle.
Step 5
Continue coiling the clay log around the candle so that the candle can stand upright. You want the coil to be fairly snug and wrapped around the candle at least two or three times. Smooth out any dents or dings in the clay.
Step 6
Remove the candle, and place the coiled clay snake on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat the steps above to make any additional candleholders. Bake them at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, and then let cool completely.
Step 7
Once the candleholders have cooled, spray them with a few light coats of gold spray paint. Let the paint dry for a few hours.
Now insert your taper candles into the coiled serpents, and enjoy the ssssspooky ssssstyle!
