Guiding lights: Use locally-made candleholders to set the mood

Dim the lights and set the mood for your New Year's Eve celebration with versatile candleholders made by local artists. These luminescent creations also make great hostess gifts.

Artist Merrilee Moore makes swirly glass-blown votive-holders in dozens of colors. The nest-shaped items are thick and solid, and they can be used to hold dips, flowers, nuts and candy. Popular colors right now include celadon, chocolate brown, cream, champagne, turquoise, orange, red, and jewel tones in purple, green, raspberry and amber. The votive-holders are $49 and available at David Smith & Co., the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, the Seattle Art Museum and Bainbridge Arts and Crafts.

Chunky glassybaby candleholders come in hundreds of colors. Like potato chips, you can't have just one. You'll want to collect them for every occasion. They're available at the Green Lake shop and also at a special kiosk at University Village through December. Ten percent of all glassybaby sales at University Village will be donated to the University of Washington Medical Center to benefit patients receiving cancer treatment. The candleholders also double as cups and vases. $40 each.

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