At home decor stores you could spend anywhere from $5 to $25 or more on beautiful and unique candles.  If you hate to spend that kind of money, but long to have elegant candles in your home, here’s a quick and easy solution.  Decorate your own candles for pennies on the dollar!  This crafting project will allow all the creative leeway you want and it is a perfect idea for gifts as well!  In only a few easy steps you will be enjoying the glitter and gleam of your own homemade designer candles.
  

What will I need?

Small crafting pins ( I used small sequin pins)
Beads
Plain, inexpensive candles
  

How do I do it?

To get started you will want to choose the candle you will be working with.  Find a plain candle in any size, shape and color at a local crafting store or discount retailer.  There are literally thousands of options to choose from.  You could even pick up a few and make a collection of candles.  Next choose the beads you want to add to the candle.  There is a wide range of beads to choose from and most come in packages of 20 or more.  When purchasing your crafting pins be sure to take note of the size of the hole in the beads you choose.  You will need to make sure that the head of the pin is large enough to securely place the bead onto the candle.  Packages of crafting pins can also be found a your local crafting store and usually come in packages of 100 or more.  These pins come in both silver and gold tones, so you can choose which color best compliments the beads and candle you choose.

1)  Decide on a pattern that you will be applying to your candle.  You can place the beads randomly around the candle or chose a striped (or other) pattern.

2)  If you decide create a pattern on your candle, use the point of one of the crafting pins and map out the pattern by making small pin marks into the wax.  Not too deep though, you may decide later to change the pattern.

3)  Using a crafting pin place the bead onto the candle by inserting the pin through the hole in the bead.  Press firmly until the pin is inserted entirely into the candle.  Due to having to insert the pin all the way into the candle you may want to choose the smallest length of pin that will allow you to place the bead onto the candle.

4)  Repeat until you have completed your pattern or have placed the desired amount of beads onto the candle.  You’re done!

You now have a charming decorative candle for the fraction of the cost!  Family and friends will delight in this thoughtful and creative gift.
  

Additional tips for this creative crafting idea:

Make a matched set of candles.  Purchase the same color of candles in differing sizes, or the same size of candles in differing colors.

Display your candle collection on a glass plate (you can purchase these inexpensive candle trays at a local discount retailer or save even more money and look at the price of plain glass dishes.  You can usually pick up a good sized glass plate for about a dollar).

Add several different beads to one candle.

Forgo using the beads and use just the crafting pins inserted into the candle as decoration. 

If you want to make a really fancy pattern on your candle, use a stencil and map out the pattern.