Create Your Own Decorative Halloween Candles With A Cute & Affordable DIY

Remember those temporary tattoos that were so edgy and cool when you were younger? Did you ever wonder why they aren't as popular anymore? It turns out these fun decals haven't completely faded into oblivion like many fads from the '80s and '90s. In fact, while wearing them all over your face and hands like you did as a kid might draw some raised eyebrows, there still seems to be a very useful (and clever) niche for these stick-on designs. Not only can temporary tattoos create the most unique, not to mention simple, Halloween decor, but you won't feel sad when you burn them because they didn't cost much to make! All you need are some plain, long tapered candles and a pack of temporary tattoos, and you're ready to make your own Anthropologie candle without the heavy price tag.

If you follow the current styles of the spooky season, it's likely you've noticed that DIY decor is in (Tide pod containers as jack-o'-lanterns, anyone?), and you also may have noticed that big-brand stores are featuring tapered candles with printed bats, ghosts, and other Halloween-themed ornamentation ... for a steep cost. Instead of dropping a lot of money on something that is likely going to melt within a few hours and all but disappear, why not make your own? 

White candles like these tapered options from Target ($7.00) will work best for this DIY, especially if you're using black decals, but if you manage to find temporary tattoos in other colors, you can play around with the color of the wax candles you buy. You can find packs of Halloween temporary tattoos online at Amazon ($9.99 for a 250 pack).

To get started, cut out the Halloween-themed decals you plan to stamp on your candles. Try to get one decal per cut-out to make it easier to transfer these onto the wax. Using a wet sponge or cloth, gently pat the back of the temporary tattoo so that the print transfers onto your tapered candlestick. You can gently check your progress by lifting the paper up to see if your tattoo is properly transferring. Gently pull the paper away when you're sure the decal has adhered to the wax. Continue this process up and down your candle, spacing out the decals so you're left with a clean, aesthetic finish.

If you plan to light your candles and let them burn, simply leave it at this step, as the temporary tattoos will disappear as the wax melts. If you don't plan to actually use your candles and want them only for decorative purposes during the holiday, you can upgrade this DIY by adding small dots of paint around your decals, or use glitter paint to gloss over the Halloween shapes to add dimension. Pop your candles into some spooky holders, like Breegan Jane's skulls, and watch as your Anthropologie-inspired decor ads the perfect touch to your seasonal designs. 

Transferring prints onto candles to decorate them easily turns basic candles into an inexpensive statement piece, so before you drop $30-plus for a set of two, just make unlimited versions for less than $20!