During the Christmas season here in Denmark, many people take branches and hang them from the ceiling adorned with beautiful ornaments. It creates a cozy environment for the holidays. I wanted to figure out a way to prolong the use of branch so I came up with a floral version ready for spring: candelabra. This would be perfect for a centerpiece or by a window for a little light.

Materials: branch with lots of offshoots, paper for roses, paper for leaves, glue gun, scissors, candles, metal cups for candles, pencil, gold spray paint, branch clippers, paintbrush

To make a floral candelabra,  spray a rose branch gold and let it dry. Create the various-sized paper roses by first cutting out a pattern similar to the shape of a lemon. Cut out 11 “lemons” for each flower. Then curl 7 of the “lemons” on the horizontal around the paintbrush. Curl the remaining 4 on the vertical. To create the center, take a horizontal-curled petal and dab some glue on the outside tip and form a cylinder. Add two dabs of glue on either side of inside of another horizontal-curled petal and mold it around the center, then do the same to the opposite side of the center with another petal. Continue around the petal until you’ve used all the horizontal-curled petals. To finish the rose, take the vertical-curled petals and add a dab of glue onto the base of the flower. Repeat around the rose.

Create many flowers in various sizes and colors and glue the inside of the center onto the ends of the branches. Cut out leaves in various green shapes and glue to the branch. Take the candles and the metal cups and glue gun to the nooks and crannies of the branch. The metal cups prevent any fire hazard.

I can’t think of a better way to welcome summer than to add even more color to the incoming season of warmth and light.

Project design by Brittany Watson Jepsen and photography by Hilda Grahnat.