If you want to make a quick and easy gift for someone or even just a little decoration for your home, make a glass votive holder into a decorated piece of home decor for yourself or someone else! You probably even have a votive holder somewhere around your house or you can pick one up at almost any store.

Last year I made one with the retired Buffalo Check Background stamp with black ink on Real Red cardstock. I really loved the look. This year it seems like a black and white check is quite popular so I redid the votive holder. I found a piece of black and white check paper in the Pattern Party Designer Series Paper that is available free as Host Reward in the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog. Of course, you will have to judge the size of paper you need to use for your votive holder. Mine is about 2 1/2″ wide and wraps around the glass. If the glass tapers a little bit at the bottom the paper won’t fit around perfectly but that’s okay. Wrap it around as well as you can. I also tied a Real Red ribbon around to hold the paper in place. You can simply tie a bow, or for Christmas, I added some bits of artificial greenery and red berries. You could add a tag with a greeting or name, a little wreath instead of the greenery, maybe a small ornament, whatever you like and have in your stash!

Add a small votive candle or tea light and you have a cute little gift for someone! Wrap it up or put it in a cello bag and tie it with a ribbon. Just the presentation can take the gift up a few notches!

Christmas is coming VERY soon now, but it’s fun to make a few things for gifts or your own decorations for the holidays! This is the time of year we have looked forward to all year! Take some time to make those things you wanted to “get around” to making!