More Candles - Big Big Forums

Tigerseye0420 · 10-16-2002, 12:47 AM

Nature Lover's Candles and Leaves
Positioned in rustic wood holders, hand-dipped candles and wax-coated leaves bring the outdoors in.

Hand-Dipped Candles

The holders can be made easily by drilling a hole in a small piece of wood that stands upright. Make the holes slightly larger in diameter than your candles.

What You Need:

Candle wax
Hammer
Chisel or screwdriver
Small pail
Old tin can
Hot plate or stove
Old saucepan
Candle wicking
1-inch dowel or broomstick for hanging

Instructions:
1. Break wax into small pieces using hammer and chisel. Place wax into old tin can and place can in water in saucepan. Water should be at least 1/3 the depth of the pan. Place pan over low to medium heat. Water will bubble and melt wax in can. NEVER put can of wax directly on the burner. After the wax is melted, remove the can and the saucepan from the stove and place it on a covered surface.

2. Cut a piece of candle wicking twice the length of desired candle plus 6 inches.

3. Dip candle wicking. Fill pail at least 3/4 full of very cold water. Holding wicking in middle, dip wick into hot wax, then into cold water (Step 1). At first, little wax seems to stay on wicking, but after dipping a few times, candles will start to form (Step 2).

By holding wick in the middle, you create two candles. Be sure to keep candles separated while dipping. Repeat, dipping candles back and forth from wax to water until the desired thickness is obtained.

4. Let candles dry. Hang candles over a suspended dowel or broomstick until dry.

Nature Lover's Candles and Leaves

Wax-coated leaves offer long-
lasting beauty.

Waxed Leaves
What You Need:
Candle wax
Hammer
Chisel or screwdriver
Small pail
Old tin can
Hot plate or stove
Old saucepan
Natural leaves
Waxed paper

Instructions:
1. Select leaves. Choose leaves that are complete and in good shape. They need not be dry.

2. Break wax into small pieces using hammer and chisel. Place wax into old tin can and place can in water in saucepan. Water should be at least 1/3 the depth of the pan. Place pan over low to medium heat. Water will bubble and melt wax in can. NEVER put can of wax directly on the burner. After the wax is melted, remove the can and the saucepan from the stove and place it on a covered surface.

3. Prepare drying surface. Spread waxed paper on a flat surface.

4. Dip leaves. Holding leaf by stem, dip leaf into hot wax. Suspend in the air for about 30 seconds. Lay on waxed paper to dry.

Tigerseye0420 · 10-16-2002, 12:49 AM

Glistening Goblets
From the book, 501 Fun-to-Make Family Crafts
Painted goblets double as elegant candleholders when they're filled with strings of beads and votive candles.

After your New Year's party winds
down, send these decorations home
with your guests as favors.

What You Need:
Clear glass stemware
Glass paint in desired colors
Disposable plate
Paintbrushes
Strings of beads
Votive candles

Instructions:
1. Wash and dry the stemware. Avoid touching the areas to be painted.

2. Place small amounts of paint onto a disposable plate. Paint desired motifs on the base and stems of the glass. If layering colors, let dry between coats. Let the paint dry.

3. Bake the painted pieces in the oven if required by paint manufacturer. Let cool.

4. Place beaded string in the stemware. Nestle a votive candle in the beads. To avoid breakage, do not let the flame get close to the glass.

Tigerseye0420 · 10-16-2002, 12:51 AM

Bell Pepper Candleholders
Bright colors of the season take on a new use when you turn ordinary candleholders into bell peppers.

Make these festive candle
holders to show your patriotism
this 4th of July.

What You Need:
Paper
Pencil
Bell peppers
Paring knife
Taper candles

Instructions:
1. Cut the tops off of the peppers, and core out the inside. Draw star shapes onto the peppers. Using a knife, carefully cut out the star shapes.

2. Set the peppers on a clear plate leveling off the bottom to set straight. Place candles in bell peppers. Do not leave burning candles unattended.

Tigerseye0420 · 10-16-2002, 12:54 AM

A Can-Do Christmas

Make unique metal luminarias by piercing designs in the sides of juice or soup cans and standing pillar candles of an appropriate size inside. They'll look wonderful atop a mantel, on a staircase, or along an outdoor walkway. Use a can opener to make V shapes all along the edges. Vary the size of the cans for an unusual grouping

Joyful Jars

Canning jars make wonderful country-style candleholders for indoors or out. Half-fill them with sand and wedge a taper candle down into the sand. To complete the folksy and festive display, tie a sprig of cedar and berries around each jar's mouth with twine or raffia.

Firelight, Candles Bright

Enhance the cozy effect of a fire by grouping pillar candles in front of the hearth, as shown. To display them, half-fill a terra-cotta planter with sand (available at hardware stores and home centers) and stand the candles in the sand. If you live in an area where the weather is balmy, you could also do this with outdoor planters for a special nighttime occasion.

Tigerseye0420 · 10-16-2002, 12:55 AM

Colorful beads sparkle by candlelight.

Sparkling Beaded Candleholder
Reflect upon the season and create our colorful beaded candleholder.

What You Need:
Beading wire (available in crafts and discount stores)
Wire cutters
Glass or plastic beads as desired
Glass votive candleholder
Hot-glue gun and hot-glue sticks

Instructions:
1. Cut a piece of wire approximately 36 inches long.

2. Place one bead on the end of the wire, threading the wire through the bead a second time to secure. String beads on wire as desired, securing last bead as for the first.

3. Wrap beaded wire around candleholder to determine the placement. If you desire more length, simply cut and bead an extra length of wire.

4. Secure one end of beaded wire with glue at the top edge of the candleholder. Wrap the beaded wire or wires around the candleholder, securing with glue about every inch.

More Ideas:
To cover a larger candleholder with beaded wire, simply make several lengths and glue in the same manner as for the small votive candleholder.
Try this same idea threading miscellaneous jewelry findings, shells, and shank buttons onto the wire.
If desired, select beads in seasonal colors. Add them to the wire in 6-inch lengths of one color, or mix them up for a mottled effect.

queenofquitealot · 10-18-2002, 09:04 PM

I love those ideas you found. You and I think a lot alike in decorating. I loved all of those!!
I thought I saw everything about decorating with candles, whew these are awesome ideas!!!
Keep sharing please!!!!!!