St Lucia Day Candles Head Wreath

 
Amplify the December 13th St. Lucia Day celebrations, 

with two dozen leaves, scattered crumple berries, 

and five miniature 3D lit candles. 

Recommended to be worn by a young girl, 

or modified for a larger head by beginning with

a larger head band and using more leaves

and longer ribbons, etc.

Or, this delightful “crown” can also be part of 

Christmas decor when set on an accent table 

or draped over a peg, 

or for a springtime May Day festival. 

Pinch-shape and glue rounded end of each leaf, 

bend edges in and crumple the berries, 

form faceted candles and insert slice-form flames at top. 

Arrange and attach these elements onto 

a wrapped purchased headband with several 

narrow ribbon streamers trailing from the ends.

Sample project leaves are cut from hand-made paper. 

Or trace and cut from fiber felt, or experiment with semi-pliable 

cardstock using the alternate “engineered” leaf 

with cut-on glue tab.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut or prepare the shapes:

A candle body (5)   B candy insert (5)

C flame point slice (5)  D flame shorter point slice (5)

E leaves (approx. 18-20)

F crumple berry circles (approx. 12)

Also shown: purchased plastic headband

and florist tape to cover band

Not shown: ribbon streamers - 15-16" lengths

of 6 or more varied narrow ribbons, quick grab

or hot melt glue

The sample project used handmade green paper

in two of the three shades shown. One recommended

good source for the paper is Midnight Studios Etsy shop.

For more info, follow this LINK.

Another leaf material alternative is to use regular card stock

and cut them using the engineered leaf shape which

includes the cut-in bottom end glue tab.

Shown here, the cut edges at leaf center are

brought together, then . . .

. . . adhesive added to one "tip" inward face,

and the leaf is shaped by holding those tips together

until fully secure. Engineered leaves are then

positioned and attached to headband in similar manner

to the hand-traced and formed leaves.

2. Hand-made leaf paper is too thick to cut so the alternative

is to cut 2-3 of the plain leaf template shape, glue

together to prepare a sturdy tracing template, then

traced efficiently and hand-cut. The sample project

used two shades of green paper.

3. Handmade paper is wonderful to work with because

it can be dampened (as shown here using a small

bowl with water inside) . . .

. . . and shaped while still wet. Here, the bottom,

rounded end is pinched together, then . . .

. . . held in place with a small folio clip until dried,

which only takes 10-15 minutes when placed near

a heater vent, etc.

4. Once the leaves are prepared, formed, and

the bottom tips glued (glue may not be required

with handmade paper), add some dimension by

distress inking the edges and top tip.

You may also choose to trim some of the bottom

tip bulk away at an angle as the assemble attachment

to the head band proceeds.

CANDLES

5. Prepare the candle shaft and insert by bending back

on all vertical perforations and end caps or wedge tabs.

6. Form the candle shaft into a tube to overlap

the plain side edge across the opposite flange tab

to perf line, adjust top and bottom for alignment,

and join the seam.

It may be helpful to insert an appropriately-sized

dowel or equivalent into the tube to provide 

a "press-against" hard surface so that pressure

can be applied all along the seam.

7. At candle top end, bend the wedge tabs inward

to perpendicular, apply glue to outward surfaces of

tabs, then bend top cap down into position to

glue in place; adjust tube shape to match cap.

8. Insert the top end of the reinforcement (punch

circle end) so that . . .

. . . center portion of reinforcement matches to

the widest wall of candle shaft.

Push the reinforcement all the way in (see following

image), pausing to apply liquid adhesive dabs 

at top sides of insert, and to end surfaces, so that . . .

. . . bottom cap can grab and attach to as many

places as possible. Adjust tube shape so that

the bottom of tube matches the bottom cap,

then hold in place until secure.

9. Use distress ink to color the tips (front & back)

of the two flame shapes for each candle unit.

Sample project uses both red and orange ink.

10. Prepare the flame unit by selecting one of each

flame shape, rotating so that the planes of shapes

are perpendicular to each other, then slide together . . .

. . . and push fully together until bottoms align.

11. Insert the '+' end of flame into the equivalent

slot cuts at candle top cap, then carefully push

fully in until bulb of flame shapes stop at cap level.

Pull out slightly to apply glue where the insert stems

of flame can attach to slots, then push back in.

CRUMPLE BERRIES

 For each berry:

12. Bend back at the near-edge arm of perf cuts

all around circle (6 bends).

13. Next, bend circle edges inward to form a cup.

TIP: obtain a glue bottle cap or other equivalent

that can help to shape the center and sides of

the berry as shown here.

Remove from assist-form, then continue to push edges

under and inward . . .

. . . until the desired berry non-uniform ball shape

is obtained.

If the top surface caves in, us a tool handle tip

to insert and gently push back out.

NOTE that "found" berries can be substituted in

place of the crumpleberries.

FINISHING

14. Prepare the plastic headband using your choice

of methods. 

Narrow strips of pliable paper or cardstock can be used

to wrap as with floral tape. Felt strips can be cut wide enough

to be glued to each other at upper and lower edges,

and trimmed to match rounded ends. Even paint can be

used, if it's bond to plastic will hold the elements being

glued sufficiently securely without peeling.

The sample project used brown (or green)

floral tape, beginning at one to wrap around in a spiral

with the first end being covered, then . . .

. . . the slightly-overlapping spirals of tape progressing

around the curve and ending at the opposite end

where the tape covers and completely conceals

the plastic.

15. Identify the wide back face of the candle shaft . . .

. . . then position at the center of band on the outside

curve, with lower edges of candle and band aligned,

and glue it securely in place with quick-grab glue such as

hot-melt or Fabri-Tack, etc.

16. Divide the band length on each side of center

in approximate thirds, then position a candle approx.

one-third back from center candle on each side.

Repeat to position and attach a candle one-third

back from second candles. The band tips will be free.

17. Cut pair lengths of coordinated, varied ribbons approx. 9"

long, stack ends of first set with cut edges even and

glue together or stitch across to join. Repeat for

second set. Select one end to begin attaching leaves from

and position end of first streamer bundle at that end,

 overlapping approx. 1/2", and glue securely.

18. If using floral tape, tear a short length and wrap

over to conceal ribbon ends, and work up toward 

end candle for a few wraps and tear to trim excess.

19.  Position first pair of leaves near band end,

overlapping the ribbon ends. Place one leaf angled

toward band end and slightly down . . .

. . . and one slightly up, side by side

over the band, and glue in place.

20. For the alternating row, position a single leaf

pointing back straight along the band, slightly

overlapping the previous row pair pinched ends.

21. Continue in this same manner, testing where

the next leaves or leaf will be placed before

attaching. Working over the bulky leaf ends and

candles takes some effort and creativity.

22. When the next-to-final leaf or leaves are attached,

position and attach the second ribbon joined ends

as was done with first ribbon streamers end. Wrap

to conceal in a duplicated manner.

23. Position the final leaves (or leaf).

24. Audition which leaves around the band you wish to place

the contrasting crumpleberry leaves in, then position

a berry deeply into the leaf at pinched end hollow

and glue in place at each selected location.

Here is the completed head wreath.