One of the coolest things about the holidays as a DIY enthusiast is the we’re pretty sure it’s the number one time of year for being able to combine crafting and snacks in one place. This is especially true where candy canes are involved! It’s not often that you get to make something fun and seasonally themed out of a seasonal snack you enjoy. That’s why we’ve had our eyes peeled lately for candy cane themed crafts and projects we might make with our kids from the actual candy canes themselves.
Are you feeling just as enamoured as we are, if not more, with the idea of crafting with candy canes this holiday season? Check out these 15 fantastic ideas, designs, and tutorials that we’ve come across so far in our search for inspiration!
1. Beautiful candy cane Christmas tree
Have you bought yourself a large bulk quantity of candy canes and realized that you’re never actually going to eat all of these but you don’t want them to go to waste? Well, that’s the perfect time to start crafting with them! We’re huge fans of the way Amen Photography outlines the steps for putting lots of candy canes to use in order to make this layered standing Christmas tree.
2. Pretty candy cane chain garland
If you’re going to craft with candy canes, would you much rather do something a little more challenging and actually change their shape, instead of just using them as they already are in their wrapper? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Frosting and A Smile made this cute (and surprisingly easy) candy cane chain that works well as a Christmas tree garland.
3. DIY candy cane tree centrepiece
Have you actually fallen a little bit in love with both of the ideas we’ve shown you so far but you’re torn between them, loving the shape of the first but the technique of the second? Then we have a feeling you’ll be rather pleased indeed to learn about this amazing project from Sugar and Charm that’s a literal combination of the two! It’s also even easier to do than it looks.
4. Candy cane mice present toppers
Did you actually buy the candy canes you’re looking at right now with the intention of giving them out to people, but now you’re thinking about how you’d rather do so a little more creatively than just handing them over? Well, if you can get your hands on some felt, then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Between Naps on The Porch made these adorable candy cane mouse pencil toppers!
5. Peppermint and candy cane cupcake stand
If you’re even half the crafty baking enthusiast we are then we have a strong feeling you’re going to adore this next idea from Pizzazzerie just as much as we did! Besides suggesting a great candy cane flavoure cupcake recipe, they also walk you step by step through the process of making a candy cane and peppermint baking stand from the actual candies themselves.
6. Candy cane wreath
Like us, do you love making yourself a new seasonal door wreath to greet your home’s visitors with every year? In that case, we think you just might be the perfect person to give this awesomely Christmassy candy cane door wreath design featured on The Crafty Blog Stalker a try! This project is also an awesome way to do a little bit of fun paper crafting at the same time.
7. Candy cane and chocolate sleigh
Did we really catch your attention when we started talking about the idea of giving your candy canes away to friends and family, but those aren’t actually the only treats you’re hoping to shower your close people with? Well, if you’re also a big fan of Christmas chocolates them we think you simply must check out how Ellyn’s Place combined all kinds of treats strategically in order to make these cute candy cane sleighs! We did this last year and gave one to each of our coworkers. They were a huge hit!
8. Parachute cord candy cane Christmas ornaments
Rather than simply crafting with actual candy canes, would you also prefer to celebrate them in general by making some candy cane themed projects using other supplies? In that case, we have a feeling you might get along quite well indeed with these adorable red and white candy cane ornaments woven from two colours of paracord! Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls has all the details for helping you make your own.
9. DIY candy cane candlestick
Are you the kind of candle enthusiast who adores making seasonal versions to burn all year, but you’re looking for a Christmas candle design that’s so easy even your kids could get in on the process of helping you out with it? Well, lucky for all of us, Be What We Love has the perfect tutorial for combining all of that with your love for candy cane crafts!
10. Edible snowy candy cane ornaments
Have we actually really piqued your interested so well with this whole concept of making things out of candy canes by actually melting them down that now you can’t help wondering whether there’s a project out there that your kids might actually still be able to eat at the end of the season? Well, patience pays off, because that’s precisely the kind of thing Home Cooking in Montana teaches you how to do! Take a better look at their tutorial to see how these edible sugared candy cane ornaments were made to look like snow frosted stars.
11. Rudolph candy canes
Have you actually been scrolling through our list hoping to come across a project that’s so easy even your younger kids might be able to make it all on their own, boosting their confidence and freeing you up to do other holiday prep? In that case, we’d be willing to bet that you’ll appreciate the way A Pumpkin & A Princess outlines the simple steps for making these very easy candy cane reindeer using pipe cleaners, googly eyes, crafting pom poms, and just a dab of glue.
12. Long heart candy can door wreath
Were you feeling almost convinced by the concept of making a candy cane door wreath like we showed you before but you’re just not sure you’re in the mood for the paper crafting required to make the embellishments you saw in that design? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how The Kinwoven Home made this long and short heart design using full sized and miniature candy canes all in one place!
13. Fun peppermint stick platter
Have we actually still got you thinking about how much you like the idea of making some kind of baking display from heated candy canes but you’re not sure a tall stand is quite the direction you want to go in? Then here’s another awesome but similar alternative for your consideration! Instead of building your stand up tall, try following the steps on Munchkin Munchies to make a flat platter that’s great for serving Christmas cookies on instead.
14. Peppermint candy bowls
What if you also purchased a big bag of delicious Christmas peppermints right along with your candy canes and you’d like to see a few more ideas for turning those into something creative, rather than just your candy canes? In that case, we’d absolutely encourage you to check out the simple ways in which Purl Soho made these adorable peppermint bowls in all different sizes!
15. Yummy swirled peppermint bark
Do your best DIY skills actually usually lie in the kitchen because you’ve always been a huge fan of showing your loved ones that you care through homemade treats? In that case, we have a feeling something like this deliciously minty candy cane swirled peppermint chocolate bark might be right up your alley! Get the full ingredients and mixing instructions on The Daily Meal.
Have you made other kinds of fantastic DIY projects before using candy canes that were a huge hit in your house but that you don’t see here on our list? Tell us all about what you created and how you did it or link us to photos of your finished work in the comments section!
