Since I decorate in shabby pinks, it's challenging to keep it looking "Christmasy". In my insecure moments it looks as if I’m welcoming a baby girl into the studio.
So, my antidote is to use spray snow, snow blankets, white marabou, and the greatest cure in my bag: pink candy canes!
More than snowflakes or frosted pinecones, pink candy canes dispel all doubt that Christmastime is here. Unlike snowflakes and pinecones, candy cares are the exclusive property of Christmas, whereas the former are found in general winter vignettes as well. They’re inherently festive, rousing sweet memories of gingerbread houses and visions of sugarplums.
They are the holiday calling card of The Shabby Streamside Studio.
The only pink canes I've ever found for sale were at Caramelo's in 2008.
I’ve created almost every pink candy cane I have because I’ve almost never seen them for sale. Around 1990 I critically surveyed my tree, feeling the seashells made it look more like a decorative topiary than a Christmas tree. In a variety store, I picked up a pack of canes and noted the red cellophane ribbon around a dainty white plastic candy cane was coming off. I bought them and at home removed the red and painted them pink. I regret my sloppy job, but it was probably the last day of my vacation or something.
I’m far from proficient, but who cares? I’m a neophyte and it shows. The important thing is I have fun and it looks pretty. Glitter covers a multitude of sins.
How I love the relaxing time at the end of a day! To take out my craft tub and sit to turn some common object into an object of beauty is bliss.
Last year, I felt I needed candy canes absolutely everywhere, so I picked up a few boxes of red and white plastic canes at the dollar store.
At first, I painted the red over with pink craft paint. It was tedious and I’d get it on the white anyway. Worse, sometimes I could see red in there still.
Then, I decided to spray paint the whole lot and add a stripe of pink or white later. I prefer this method. Everything gets sprayed with glue, glittered, and enjoyed!
Target has a good selection of various size plastic candy canes every year, and these were made with wrapping beautiful vintage style seam binding from
the wonderful, incomparable, blissful Etsy shop Bluebirdlane.
For thin candy canes, look in your local independent hardware store in the aisle they offer electrical wire. Bendable white wire is pennies a foot, and I made a huge amount for less than $5.
I once made of series of beaded candy canes, but they got so lost on the tree I regulated them to the back.
Michael’s and Walmart recently sold absolutely wonderful twee canes and candies I incorporated into everything. It’s time consuming to do these, but the effect is galvanizing.
Real pink and white candy canes are sold within the easy-to-find Jolly Rancher candy cane set, albeit only two are in a box. I get three boxes and keep some in a cup for that hostess touch. I’ve googled over the past 4 years for a source of pink and white cane, ribbon, and hard candy without success. Someone makes custom candy but it costs too much and it can’t be stored. One year Bath and Body Works had pale pink and cream ribbon candy but it was $7 for a single piece!
I’ve really enjoyed sharing my pink candy canes with you, gentle reader. They make me happy and I hope they’ll make you happy, too.
Until next time, stay shabby!
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