2  cups vanilla-flavored candy coating

2  tablespoons shortening

15  pretzel logs

  Decorative colored sugars and small multicolored decorative candies

  Paste food coloring

1  cup pretzel sticks

1. In a medium saucepan combine candy coating and shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Gently stir in pretzel sticks. Remove coated pretzel sticks and arrange into star shapes on waxed paper (reserve remaining melted candy in saucepan). Sprinkle sticks with colored sugar or decorative candies. Chill about 1 hour or until firm.

2. Dip pretzel logs into remaining melted candy coating. Place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with decorative candies. Add the star tops, if desired, using some of the remaining candy coating as "glue." Allow coating to set up.

3. If desired, tint any remaining coating with paste food coloring. Place in a heavy, self-sealing plastic bag. Cut off a tiny corner of bag. Pipe melted colored coating onto wands. Or, dip one end of wand into a contrasting color candy coating and sprinkle with colored sugar. Chill about 1 hour or until set.