Artificial Topiary Trees in Vintage Candlesticks

Do you ever spot something at a thrift store, see the price, and start laughing maniacally to yourself because the thrift shop is crazy? Crazy for thinking someone will pay the price on the tag? Well, that happened to me when I spied these vintage candlesticks. I left them on the shelf for some other sucker to overpay for, but they haunted me. Whispering to me to upcycle them into bases for artificial topiary trees…

The project idea crystallized in my mind right there in the store. And despite muttering to myself all sorts of colorful words about the price, they ended up in my cart.

Turns out, I WAS THE SUCKER WHO WOULD OVERPAY FOR THEM.

But the color of the glass was too much for me to leave behind.

Plus, I had a project idea in my mind that was clear as a bell, and I had a pretty good hunch it would work.

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Spring Topiaries with Wine Corks and Vintage Candlesticks

My upcycling idea for the glass candlesticks came from an old Christmas project of mine. Remember how I repurposed these chambersticks as Christmas tree bases?

Well, my plan for the candlesticks was similar, but for Spring. So, I gathered a few crafting materials, including a narrow wooden dowel, wine corks, topiary balls, and wrapped floral wire.

After ensuring that the wine corks fit inside the vintage candlesticks, I grabbed my drill to create a larger hole for the dowel. I also sawed the dowel in half.

First, I outfitted the drill with a smaller bit and grasped the cork in my left hand. I slowly drilled through it, then did it again with a larger bit. Once the holes had been drilled, I trimmed down the length of the corks with a serrated knife. 

I didn’t do that before drilling so that I had plenty of cork to hold while slowly drilling.

Then, I made sure the dowels fit snugly inside the corks and propped them up in the the vintage candlesticks.

Since most of the artificial topiary trees that I see in home stores have “vines” wrapped around their trunks, I wanted to do the same thing. So, I used the wrapped floral wire to wind around the dowels as vines. 

Building a Spring Topiary

I wrapped the floral wire around each dowel once, and snipped it off with wire cutters. Next, I did it again, but in the opposite direction of the first “vine”.

When I was satisfied with my “vines”, I slid them off the dowels and set them aside.

Next, it was time to paint the trunks of my artificial topiary trees! I used a couple of shades of brown craft paint and grabbed a stenciling brush. 

Sometimes, I find that stippling paint does a better job on porous surfaces, like dowels and cork. Even if there’s no stenciling involved!

The paint dried quickly, and I placed the trunks of the topiary trees back in the candlesticks.

So far, so good!

Next, I slipped on the “vines” that I had created earlier, carefully weaving the dowel through the center.

All that was needed was the finishing touch- the topiary balls, of course!

Artificial Topiary Trees in Vintage Candlesticks

You may have noticed that I had two different topiary balls in an earlier photo. I couldn’t decide in the home garden store, but in the end, I preferred the faux succulent ball better.

I didn’t even need to glue it in place, as each ball fit snugly on the top of my artificial topiary trees!

And yes, I also trimmed a little length off of one of the dowel trunks, too. I decided I wanted my topiary trees to have varying heights.

But aren’t they perfect? The vintage candlesticks worked brilliantly as bases! And that pop of blue color with the green of the topiary balls is so fresh and Spring-y.

Perhaps the best part is that everything can be broken down and removed for storage. And I can still use the glass candlesticks as, well…candlesticks if I want to!

I have a bonus for you- it’s the second Wednesday of the month which means it’s Thrift Store Decor Team day! So, check out why my upcycling friends have been up to…simply click the links beneath this collage to see their “afters”.

1. Thrift Store Tropical Tray – Domestically Speaking

2. Topiary Trees in Vintage Candlesticks for Spring Decor – Sadie Seasongoods

3. Stoneware Crock Makeover – Our Southern Home

4. Cheese Box Flower Display – Petticoat Junktion

5. Repurposed Chandelier Succulent Planter – My Repurposed Life

6. Watering Can Spring Wreath – House of Hawthornes

7. Gold Dipped Step Stool Makeover – My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

8. Spring Decor Cloche – Refresh Restyle

And if you enjoyed this upcycling idea for Spring topiaries, then you may also be interested in the Easter decor I created for my hobnail milk glass dishes, too!

Craft on!

S

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