A Bit of Wintry Decor

One of my favorite handmade Christmas gifts this year was a set of Epsom Salt Luminaries that I made for my sister and her husband.  They're pretty and wintery and, unlike alot of holiday decorations, can be left out for the entire winter season.  I liked how they turned out so much that I decided to make myself a set as well!

I've seen alot of tutorials out there, but here's the process that I used:

1. Spread a layer of Epsom Salts onto a plate (I refilled the plate for each candle holder)
2. Apply a thick layer of Modge Podge to the outside of the glass candle holder (I used a foam brush)
3. Immediately press the Modge Podge covered holder firmly into the Epsom Salts
4. Sprinkle additonal Epsom Salts onto any bare spots  (Because I was using square candle holders, I did one side at a time.  If you're using round holders I would recommend doing the entire holder at once to avoid seams)
5. Let holders dry 24 hours
6. Once the holders are completely dry, lightly brush the outside of each holder to remove any loose salt and empty out any salt that ended up inside the holder
7. Spray the holder with a thin coating of clear sealer
8. Let dry 20-30 minutes
9. Repeat clear coat and drying another 3 times
10. Let dry completely (another 24-48 hours)
11. To finish them off, I just corraled three lovely candle holders onto a candle tray. 

Here's my set all decked out for Christmas.  I just twisted few floral picks together at each corner to add a festive touch. 

I love how the salt gives the candle holders a snow covered effect :)