How to create a stunning atmospheric display of country-style floating candles

Bejewelled tealights floating in a gorgeous glass bowl would enhance the table on any special occasion. We used a footed glass serving bowl inside a larger shallow bowl, standing on a rustic wire trivet, to add height to our table. Clear glass is an obvious choice for the top bowl, but gleaming silver or brass to reflect the light, ceramic or wood would all look charming for the lower container. Experiment and make use of what you have to hand to create your own spectacular centrepiece.

You will need
* Unwanted metal jewellery, such as odd earrings for pierced ears, ornamental brads, decorative lapel or hat pins. Ear studs with short posts can simply be pushed into the candle wax, but lapel or hat pins will probably need to be snipped down first. Charity shops are a great hunting ground for cheap brooches and earrings.

* Floating candles are available from Ikea and John Lewis and you could colour the water they float in with a drop of food colouring or add sparkle with a sprinkle of glitter.

* Our footed bowl came from Summerill & Bishop and the shallow one from Ikea, but you could check out large supermarkets, such as Sainsbury's and Tesco for pretty glassware. A handful of cones, seasonal berries or fragrant rosemary sprigs add a woodland feel to the display.

* To complete the country look, use a piece of hessian as a table runner (try Hobbycraft), or choose a chunky linen tablecloth in a natural shade.

Please take care to position your display in a safe place, away from children and pets, and never leave burning candles unattended.

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