Each year I look for unusual ornaments or unusual items to decorate for the holidays. Once I find an object in that category, I purchase it as I can't find the same thing the following year. And, it seems, unusual things like folk art and especially hand made items are never there when it comes time for the after Christmas sales. Sometimes I don't know what I am going to do with the object at the time I buy it, but somehow it works out in the decorating scheme. Such was the case this year when I found these metal frame "cages" that hold a tea light candle. The "cage" is made up of beaded wire and clear stones. They are about 9" wide and long and hang by a metal hook and a 10" chain. They also come in different sizes. Mine are the large ones.
I don't know where you are supposed to hang them, but the only place I could find was on the arms of the dining room chandelier. [Yes, I know a real decorator would faint.] The store had them hanging down from the ceiling on plastic fish line. That doesn't exactly work in my house either.
I think they look good hung in clusters. Also, I used flameless votives instead of real tea light candles in them. Votives put out more light. Having caught my fireplace mantle on fire many years ago, I am kind of leary of an open flame. I don't know how the Victorians put real candles on their Christmas trees and lit them inside their homes. Knowing me, the candles would tip and fall off and burn the house down. At any rate, I feel very comfortable with the flameless battery operated ones and you really can't tell the difference. The candle sits on a little bridge between two sides of the cage.
I think they were $25 each but the day I was there the store was having a 33% off promotion.
I found these in the home section of Dillard's department store. They came in silver [shown here], bronze [I got two of those for another room], red and gold. Maybe by next year I will have found a great place to display them. Any ideas?????
I can envision a Swedish all white room with the silver ones hung on large white Birch tree branches in a tall metal urn nearly reaching the ceiling. Silver and white, yummy!
All the best,
Summer
Photo Credits: Swede
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