DIY Dollar Store Sugar Skull Votives

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Do you celebrate Dia de los Muertos? You are going to love this easy dollar store DIY – it is going to make the perfect seasonal decor. These sugar skull votives look awesome during the day and put off an eerie glow by night.

Dollar Stores are where it’s at for craft supplies

There’s no way to avoid it: I am almost embarrassing to shop at the dollar store with these days. It’s not because I’m loud or unruly or anything of the sort. It is because after many years of creating content for this website, I cannot just “shop” the dollar store. And that is because I do not just see regular products on the shelves. Oh no. I see teacher gifts, Halloween crafts, Christmas DIYs, kid-friendly Valentines… all sorts of things that I can make for this site (sometimes with a free printable thrown into the mix).

Last week was no exception. Landon and I entered the store as he looked high and low to spend $2 of his tooth fairy money. (You have never actually known torture until you have waited for a 5 year old to decide what to spend $2 on in a dollar store.)

We were on our way to the cash register when I did a double-take and caught these outrageously awesome looking wine glasses on the shelf. Sugar skull stemless wine glasses! In assorted colors! Immediately my mind started running with different ideas.

I bought one of each color and brought them home. I actually have a couple different project ideas for these cuties, but first and foremost, I wanted to make a cool looking candle holder.

Sugar Skulls and the Day of the Dead

While my Spanish is a tad rusty, I actually took 7 years of Spanish classes between middle school, high school and college. I remember first learning about the ancient Aztec tradition of the Day of the Dead in 8th grade. I was fascinated by the celebration that honored the deceased and loved the sugar skull tradition.

I think sugar skulls are awesome pieces of seasonal decor. They would also be perfect for a Coco themed party.

DIY Sugar Skull Votive Materials

To whip up these adorable sugar skull votives, you will need:

Sugar Skull Wine Glasses (amazon has similar glasses here)
Sugar Crystal Sprinkles
Tealight candles (or battery operated tealights)

You can create these votives in a matter of minutes (seconds, actually)!

How to make DIY Sugar Skull Votives

1. Fill the bottom of each wine glass with sugar crystal sprinkles. Fill them until you get a look that you like. Mine were filled approximately 1-2 inches with sprinkles.

2. Nestle one tealight into the sprinkles in each glass.