DIY Gilded Cement Tealight Holder

I've been wanting to do this project for a while.  It was one of those, "I'll do it when the stars align and I just so happen to have all of the ingredients."  Well, last week was one of those days when it all came together and I finally got to make my very own Gilded Cement Tealight Holder.  Join me, wont you, as I take a trip down memory lane and reminisce on the many failures and successes brought on by this deceptively "simple" project.  In fair warning, however, this post is basically going to chronicle how to do this project in the most back assward way possible.  

For this project, you will need:

1. A container aka mold
2. Cement
3. Smaller DISPOSABLE containers (like shot-sized Dixie cups)...you'll understand why I stress disposable 
4. Masking or painters tape
5. Scissors
6. Something heavy
7. Sand paper or sanding block
8. Needle nose pliers
9. Spray paint- optional

 Ok, so while walking Dexter, I happen upon some of my people (read: fellow Mexicans) doing some landscaping and brick laying and recalled a time when I read this great DIY cement planters tutorial from Kate of Centsational Girl.  I literally visit her site every day while making my internet rounds because her blog and talent is er.may.zing!

 Anyway, I had this on the back burner for a while because I seriously could not afford to buy the 55 lbs bag-o-cement she recommended.  But when I saw my people working their magic with that cement mixer and a gazzillion bags of cement I felt like a slot machine cause all I could hear were those glorious KLING KLING KLINGING sounds that let you know you've hit it big. 

As soon as we got back home, and much to my man's embarrassment, I grabbed an empty Q-Tip container, a couple bucks (just in case they took me up on my offer to pay for it), walked back to the house where all the landscaping was taking place, scored some cement for free, and walked back home with prize in hand 

:) 

Anyway, this is what I started with: container full-o-cement, glass tea lights (cause I'm that kind of smart special), some saran wrap, and masking tape. 

  

Look at all that cementy goodness. Isn't it magnificent? 

 

OK, so, here's the part where you head-desk or face-palm or SMH your little heart out cause I straight up used 3 glass votive candles because the original intention was for those 3 little guys to fit in there all snug-like.  But, BUT! How, HOW I ever thought this would work in the end I have no idea.  Actually, that's a lie.  I sincerely thought the magic saran wrap would help slip them out like a rabbit being pulled out of a magician's ass hat.

Either way, I wrapped my 3 little guys up nice and tight. 

You'll see why later, but this ended up being one of the biggest P.I.A. in the world and I would recommend using some of these bad boys instead of glass for the same textured effect that was achieved with the saran wrap.   If you want it nice and smooth, skip the saran.

Like the genius I am I went ahead and just shoved the wrapped candles into the wet cement but that just tore the saran and I had to clean and re-wrap all 3 candles. 

I finally put two and two together and figured out that I had to empty the mold and put the candles in first so I scooped the cement out into a separate bowl, then poured a 1/2 inch layer it into the mold, set the votive candles on top of that layer, then poured the rest of the cement into the mold. 

LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES, KIDS!

See how sad my hand looks?

***Be sure to wash off any cement that gets on your existing cement*** 

I used the brick as a leveling tool to make sure all 3 votive candels were in there evenly. 

The cement set after two days of forgetting about it and looked like this.

 

I used a pair of scissors to cut the plastic and just tore the rest off by hand.

 

 Free at last and I was pretty surprised because it didn't look insanely horrible.

 Here's another genius moment.  As you can see, the middle votive slipped out pretty easily. I'm glad because I kind of liked the way that one smelled. But the rest? They weren't so lucky :(

 

So....yeah....after whacking it a couple of times and having shards of glass shoot up into my face I realized that I was really close to winning one of those Darwin Awards so I moved the party into a plastic bag. 

I got a little carried away with the hammer and cracked the cement. 

Sonofa!

 

Fail, right?

No worries, though.  I just poured a crap load of Elmer's glue in the cracks, wiped off the excess et voilà! It was as good as new.

A couple things not pictured here:

1. I used the needle nose pliers listed at the top of this post to pull out the saran wrap that got stuck in the dry cement.
2. I sanded down the rough edges with sand paper and a sanding block.
3. The spray painting process, but that's super easy.  Just tape the edges you don't want sprayed and cover the rest of the cement block with paper or plastic, then tape that down.   

I used Rust-oleum Metallic Gold spray paint. Seriously LOVE the stuff!  I have it in silver too.

The light was absorbed by the flat grey cement so the bright metallic gold paint really helps reflect the warm glow of the flame and highlight the interesting textural effects of the saran wrap impressions.   

Here's how it looks in my bathroom. 

 

Not too bad, huh?

Til next time, 

.V.