This week has seen me enamoured by the art of tea cup candle making. If somehow you have managed to avoid the probably slightly annoying photos of my makes previously, here’s a photo especially for you-hoo!
Using some pre-waxed candle wicks complete with sustainers (check ebay for plenty of job lots) some used candles, a jam thermometer (£1.99 in my local hardware shop) Some tongs, an old camping frying pan and a cooking pan.
I double boiled by simmering water in the frying pan and placing the cooking pan (along with old candles inside) into the simmering water, letting the candles melt into the melting wax, making sure with the thermometer that the temperature did not exceed 200 celsius. Once melted, using the tongs, I took out the old wick.
Once wax was ready to pour I trimmed the wicks (with sustainers) to a size which only just looked over the rim of the tea cup and I then carefully taped the top of the wick to a pencil and balanced on top of the teacup, making sure the sustainer was flat on the bottom of the teacup and the wick was straight.
Dipping the sustainer into the wax, I then placed it and the wick back into the teacup and then (carefully) poured the wax to the desired height in the teacup.
I made sure an old tea towel was placed underneath the teacup to avoid a waxy work surface!
Leave to dry for around half an hour and voila! A lovely teacup candle, to burn yourself, or give away as a gift!
Also – another option you could try is to drop some essential oil into the melted wax before pouring to give it a lovely scent.
Enjoy!
On another note, I met up for a cuppa and a vintage/upcycling related chat with Jen from My Make Do And Mend Year. Jen is spending a year, from September 2012, making do and mending by upcycling, re-purposing, buying second-hand. Not purchasing anything new (with some exceptions) She is doing wonderfully well and is exceedingly creative in her project!
One of the topics of conversation was about a possible Upcycling event in Wiltshire. Keep your eyes peeled for news!
