Simple Natural Hygge Candle Holders That You’ll Love
It’s the last Monday of the month, which means it’s time for the Intl’ Bloggers Club, where 5 friends from across the world get together to share a little something about themselves. This month my friends in the Northern Hemisphere are celebrating the first signs of Spring. Down here in the South, the days are getting shorter and the trees are starting to don their Autumn colors. To prepare for the cold months and celebrate the changes Mother Nature is going through, we decided to make ourselves some hygge candle holders inspired by nature and all those special, cozy moments we’ll be experiencing soon.
Simple rustic Hygge candle holders
What Exactly is Hygge?
The Danish word hygge (pronounced who-guh) means to live in the moment and really appreciate, deep down inside it’s specialness. It’s that feeling of perfect contentment and that all is right with the world. It doesn’t matter if it’s cuddling with your favorite purr baby, watching your kids laugh from their bellies, dancing in the rain or simply lighting a candle. Hygge is all about being fully aware and grateful for the simple, beautiful things in life.
The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.
I really wanted to incorporate all of those feelings in the hygge candle holders so I chose to use:
- Some beautiful dried out branches to remind me of all that nature has to offer, no matter the season.
- Bits of an old broken jaffle maker that brings back many happy memories of making toasties on the braai with friends and family.
- Rusty bits from an old lantern that’s been outside forever. I have a deep fascination with rust. It makes me realize that Mother Nature will always have her way and that no matter how rusty something gets, it’s still beautiful. Even an old bag like me 😉
Nature’s inspiration
Making The Hygge Candles
The hygge candle holders were pretty easy to make. Cut the branches to whatever height you’re like the candle holders to be. As long as the top and bottom of the branch is level or flat, you’re good. The jaffle bits we had were silver and didn’t quite match the rustic look so we painted them a rusty color to tone them down a little. I’m guessing not everyone has an old jaffle maker lying around, but mason jar lids or even a plate will work too.
Getting the color right
While we waited for the paint to dry, we dismantled the old lantern and found some thick, chunky, solid pieces of wood that would be perfect as a base for the candle holders. We glued, screwed and tied the rusty bits onto the base to add interest.
To attached the branch to the base we simply drilled a hole in the center of the branch at the bottom and another hole in the chunky wood bits and used a skewer and glue to join the two together.
Skewers or wooden dowels to join the branch and base
All that’s left to do was to attach the sprayed jaffle bits to the top of the branch using gorilla glue and a nail.
Gluing on the jaffle bits
Once the glue dries, the hygge candle holders are ready to be used. Just add some candles, get cozy and remember all the little things that make life so special.
I love a little bit of rust
Thinking back, there have been many hygge moments for me. Holding my kids for the first time and knowing that the love I feel for them goes beyond anything I had ever known before. Every time my hubby gives me one of those deep, all enveloping hugs. You know, the ones that make you feel like you will always be safe. When the fur babies look at me and I feel so grateful that they see me as one of their pack. Finding friends who say “we believe in you and would love to make you part of our tribe”.
A single candle can illuminate and entire room, but a true friend lights up an entire lifetime.
Thank you Katrin, Keri, Mary and Pili. Connecting with someone you’ve always admired and finding out that they are more beautiful and real than you ever imagined is a hygge moment. Someone else who made me smile deep inside my soul was Steve McCurry. You know the guy who took one of the most iconic photos ever, the Afghan Girl. I painted this miniature in the background a while ago based on one of his brilliant photos.
Jalalabad, Afganistan
Whenever I use someone’s photos to paint something, I always ask permission first. Most of the time the photographer doesn’t even acknowledge you, especially if they’re as famous as what Steve is. But this exceptional man actually sent me an email and gave me permission to paint his photo. It’s one of my favorite painting ever, and it’s special because he connected with a wanna be artist and acknowledged me. I actually saved all his emails too, just so I can go back to that moment 😉
When one of your heroes connects with you, that’s #hygge, that feeling, that moment.
Have you had any hygge moments recently? I’d love to hear about them.
And if you like the idea and want to make your own, don’t forget to pin for later.
Pin me please!!!
If you want to learn more about hygge and how to make it part of your life, we’ve got you covered Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more crafty ideas to share with you
Don’t forget to go have a look at all the lovely Spring crafts the other ladies from the IBC have shared down below. And as always wishing you a beautiful week filled with many special moments.
I’ve been Hygge’n and didn’t know it! I’m probably one of few who had never heard of Hygge before but yet my bookcase is filled with Paulo Coelho books and the like. I just came from Katrin’s post about Hygge and popped over here to learn more. I love your rustic Hygge Candle Holders, Michelle! Love the story behind the painting too – you are such a talented artist!
I saw Katrin’s post and it was great Marie. She captured the essence of Hygge’n so beautifully in her words and photos and thank you so much for the lovely compliment too, that makes me really happy
OMG! Should I add this holders to the gallery table? Pinned!
LOL, Jennifer. You are going to have to share some pics of your wedding when you get them. I would love to see
I really love this!! Wonderful idea♥
Thank you so much Maarit, kaikkea hyvää
I have never heard the word hygge but I love its meaning. It makes me think it’s like those moments when you just feel unconditional love for everything. Thanks so much for being part of my life, Michelle. I had never seen any pictures from Steve McCurry but they are amazing, as well as your miniature picture, you have real talent. The candle holder is another show of your art, unique.
You’re so right Pili, it’s that feeling of deep down contentment and love and Steve McCurry is an uber talented photographer. I’m so blessed that he let me paint one of his pictures and to have you and the other ladies as friends
Okay…I gave my mom a hard time about picking up some wood on the side of the road. but I can see that i’m going to have to eat my words—look at how creative this is with an element like that!!
jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
LOL Jodie, moms always know 😉
Your hygge candle holders are awesome Michelle, and that painting is Wow. Your talent is amazing! I am happy the man emailed you back and you had your hygge moment.
Thank you so much Linda, that means a lot
These are so gorgeous! I love the look of the wood you used in them. Wood in home decor is my favorite! And that bit you salvaged from an old lantern is fabulous!
Mine to Gina 😉 Mother Nature gives us so many things we can use in our decor and for me there’s nothing prettier than raw wood. All the stories that are hidden in each piece
Wow I really love them! I already have some cubes so all I need is the brunches! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you so much Katerina, I so glad you like them
Such a nice meaning of the Danish word hygge-to live in the moment and really appreciate it. Great lesson to leaarn from it. These candle holders are looking awesome and rusty colour is nice. I have seen many wooden crafts work at hartbeespoort dam, which people are sellng. I was wondering, how they make them and now you are teaching me how to make them. Thanks dear.
Aren’t those craftsmen at Harties just the best Sadhna? We love going through there on a weekend. And thank you for your lovely comment too
Michelle, your candleholders are so beautiful! I love the rustic charm they have to them. Your painting is also amazing; you’re very talented!! I think I can speak for the rest of the ladies in the group when I say we absolutely love, love, love having you in the tribe! Blessings on you dear friend!! 🙂
Thank you so very, very much Keri. Hope that Spring brings you and your family many happy moments and love
I don’t know how you think of all these things, they look fabulous xxx
Thank you Yvonne 😉
This is a beautiful post; everything about it is heartfelt and I feel it. You are so talented to have painted that portrait. The candle holders are amazing and while Hygge is fairly new to me, I’ve never heard it explained the way you just did. Great writing and talent, Michelle! Pinned & sharing
Thank you so much for your beautiful comment Angie, you made my soul smile 🙂
These are really lovely. I have never heard the term “hygge” before. I like it!
Thank you so much Jess 😀
Well thank you for explaining what Hygge is! I’ve seen the word and didn’t know! Lovely candle holders. Really captures the mood!
It’s such a lovely word, we’ve started using it at home all the time to explain things. There’s no English or Afrikaans equivalent either.
So I open up your post and the first thing I see is the word jaffle. And I’m wondering what that is, so I google it and lo and behold all this yummy food pops up!! Ahh, now how can I concentrate when I’m staring at the food!
Anyway back to your amazing post. The painting is amazing and you are a true artist – don’t ever doubt that. Your thinking and creativity are so original, and that’s what makes you so special. I’m so happy you got to have a Hygge moment with the photographer. Those are the best. The candle holders are earth mother worthy… is that even a thing? And the black candles and that gorgeous round carving in the back? I want those!! 😉 Thank you every day for being part of our special tribe.
Oops, you’re right Mary. I forgot that jaffles might not be a well known thing, LOL and I do believe earth mother worthy is a thing. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement, It means a lot to me.
You’re so beautiful Michelle and so is this post! Your hygge candle holders are perfect for the fall, enjoy them and I’m wishing you many more hygge moments! I am having a hygge moment right now in Germany with my family!!!
Oh that’s lovely Katrin, enjoy it!!! I can’t wait to see some photos of your trip
I am at the office and taking a break. Now I won’t be in the mood for working anymore! 😀
This is project is food for thought! I will steal the idea of fixing the branch and the piece of wood together. I have a lot of wood cubes that I can use. Thank you 🙂
Yay I’m glad to hear that Gabi, not the bit about you being at work, the other bits 😉