Today’s DIY project is sponsored by Studio Style.
I have a soft spot for peppermint candies this holiday season. Even though I’m not a huge fan of the flavor, those red-and-white swirls are irresistible. To kick off a few peppermint-inspired crafts, I made DIY faux peppermint candies. They look just like the real thing but won’t get sticky or be eaten while you’re crafting. I made a batch of pretend candies and used them in four fun ways—read on to see how.
I used clear cello bags to wrap the candies and package treats. These bags are handy all season long; Studio Style offers a wide variety of sizes and patterns to suit any project. I used the 2″ x 6″ size for this tutorial—each bag makes two wrappers.
Supply list:
- Wooden discs (I used 1.5″ diameter)
- Red and white craft paint
- Paint brush
- Peppermint template (print on card stock; multiple copies are helpful)
- Red colored pencil
- Clear cello bags (2″ x 6″ works well; each bag makes two wrappers)
- Clear tape
- Fishing line or jewelry thread
How to make the candies:
1. Paint the wooden discs white. Two thin coats usually give the best coverage—allow each coat to dry before applying the next.
2. Print the peppermint template onto card stock. You can either use the template as a stencil and paint the red stripes directly, or trace the design with a red colored pencil and then paint the red areas. I traced the pattern with a pencil and then painted following the lines.
3. Prepare the wrapper from a cello bag: cut off the sealed bottom and slice down the back seam through both layers to create two wrapper pieces from one bag.
4. Place a painted wooden peppermint on the wrapper, fold one side down and tape it to the back of the disc, then fold the other side and tape. Tie a small length of fishing line or thread around each twisted end of the wrapper, knotting securely and trimming the excess.
Four ways to use the faux candies:
1. Garland: Arrange the candies along baker’s twine and secure them with clear tape for an instant holiday garland. Hang across a mantel, shelf, or doorway.
2. Gift toppers: Attach a candy to ribbon or twine and tie it around a package. They look charming on top of bows or as a unique finishing touch on wrapped treats like a bag of cookies or fudge.
3. Ornaments: Glue a loop of thin twine to the back of a candy to make a lightweight ornament that’s perfect for a tree, wreath, or package hang tag.
4. Cupcake toppers: Tape candies to lollipop sticks and use them as cupcake or dessert toppers. You can scale up the idea and make a larger version for a cake topper as well.
These faux peppermint candies are versatile: they work for garlands, gift decoration, ornaments, cupcake toppers, magnets, wreath accents, and more. Which way would you use them?
All photos by Studio DIY
This DIY project was sponsored by Studio Style. All content and opinions about the provided product are my own.