As a child of the 80s, I admit that I have somewhat of a nostalgic fascination with Perler beads.  I probably made a hundred different designs when I was a kid, but I never imagined that they had so many other possibilities beyond the little plastic peg boards!  This Perler bead candle holder by Mai at BudgetBabe is pretty amazing.  And while the website is in Danish, there is a handy translator button on the site’s sidebar that will put it into English for you, and the photos explain the process pretty well.  What other nifty decor items could you make using this type of method?  [how to make Perler bead candle holders]

Project estimate:

• Perler beads, $1
• Mug, on hand
• Vegetable oil, on hand
• Toaster oven or convection oven, on hand
• Candle, on hand or $1

Total:  $1 and up