FOILED TEA LIGHTS

Gold leaf adds glimmer to paraffin wax shaped in baking molds. Paraffin’s smooth, glossy finish gives a high-end feel to these homemade candles. Line a row of tea lights down a dinner table, cluster them together or place them individually as part of a vignette.

Materials

• 1-pound block paraffin wax
• ¼ cup stearic acid
• 5 squares red violet candle color, optional
• 8 drops desired candle scent, optional
• 3¼-inch-long coated candlewicks
• Tape
• Metal leaf adhesive spray
• Waxed or parchment paper
• Gold leaf foil sheets
• Metal leaf sealing spray

Tools

• Sharp kitchen knife
• Plastic cutting board
• Double boiler or large and medium saucepans
• Metal spoon
• 4 brioche molds
• 8 wooden skewers
• Scissors

Instructions

In a double boiler or large saucepan, heat water until it boils. Reduce heat to medium. Meanwhile, cut paraffin wax block into 1×1-inch cubes. In the top of the double boiler or in a medium saucepan set inside the large saucepan of boiling water, melt paraffin wax cubes and stearic acid. When completely melted, add color and candle scent, if desired. Stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Remove pans from heat; let sit 3 minutes.

Pour ¼ inch of wax into the bottom of each brioche molds. Place candlewicks into the center of each mold. Position two wooden skewers on either side of each wick, positioning to keep wick straight and centered in the mold. Tape each pair of skewers together. Pour remaining heated wax to fill molds to slightly under the rims. Let sit for 3 to 6 hours in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.

Remove wooden skewers from wicks. Use fingers to stretch molds to release tea-light candles. Use metal leaf adhesive spray to evenly coat the sides of a candle. Place tea light upside down on wax or parchment paper. Center gold leaf sheet over candle base. Use fingers to gently guide gold leaf around sides and into crevices of candle. Spray with metal leaf sealing spray. Repeat for each candle. Turn candles right side up and trim candle wicks to ½ inch.

BEESWAX CANDLES

Making artisan-style candles is easy. For a candle, simply roll a warmed sheet of beeswax around a wick. The delicious honey scent and golden color are beautiful as is or dressed up with gold glitter. A set of six candles makes a welcome hostess gift when tied together with a ribbon.

Materials

• 10 8×17-inch beeswax sheets
• Wick rope
• Spray adhesive, optional
• Fine gold glitter, optional

Tools

• Self-healing cutting mat
• Cork-backed ruler
• Craft knife
• Heat embossing gun or blow dryer

Instructions

Place beeswax sheet on cutting mat. Use a ruler to trim sheet to 8×10 inches. Cut wick rope to 12 inches. Place wick on long side of beeswax, ¼ inch from the edge of the sheet. Use a heat embossing gun to slightly warm the beeswax around the wick.* Using fingers, carefully wrap wax sheet around wick. Apply heat to the next section and wrap evenly. Repeat until beeswax is completely wrapped around candlewick. Use heat tool to bind the edge to the candle. Trim wick to ½ inch. Repeat for additional candles.

If desired, apply spray adhesive evenly to candle. Gently sprinkle fine gold glitter onto the candle, letting excess drop off.

Use remaining scraps from trimming the beeswax sheets to make a beeswax pillar candle, if desired. Use the same technique as for the candles. When applying additional sheets to the candle, heat the area where the ends meet and carefully align. Continue to wrap candle until desired width is achieved.

*Tip: Use heat sparingly as beeswax can become too delicate to work with if it starts to melt.

EMBELLISHED PILLAR

Creating this candle requires common kitchen items, so you won’t need to purchase any equipment. Once your candle is formed, add signature stripes with spray paint, tape and glitter.

Materials

• ⅔ pound premium candle wax
• ¼ cup stearic acid
• 6 drops of desired candle scent, optional
• Empty, clean round canister for potato chips
• 10-inch coated candlewick
• 1-inch-wide painter's tape
• Gold spray paint
• Double-sided tape
• Coarse gold glitter or microbeads

Tools

• Sharp kitchen knife
• Plastic cutting board
• Double boiler or large and medium saucepans
• Metal spoon
• 8 wooden skewers
• Scissors

Instructions

In a double boiler or large saucepan, heat water until it boils. Reduce heat to medium. Meanwhile, cut paraffin wax block into 1×1-inch cubes. In the top of the double boiler or in a medium saucepan set inside the large saucepan of boiling water, melt paraffin wax cubes and stearic acid. When completely melted, add candle scent, if desired. Stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Remove pans from heat and let sit 3 minutes.

Trim top of canister so canister is 9 inches tall. Pour ¼ inch of wax into the bottom of the canister. Place wick into the center of canister. Position two wooden skewers on either side of wick, aligning to keep wick straight and centered in the canister. Tape pair of skewers together. Pour remaining heated wax to fill canister as desired, leaving at least an inch below the rim. Let sit for 4 to 6 hours in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.

Remove wooden skewers from wick. Use scissors to make a cut into the rim of cardboard canister. Use hands to gently tear cardboard from around the candle. Trim candle wick to ½ inch.

Place painter’s tape to cover bottom 1 inch around the candle. Place another piece ¾ of an inch above the first piece of tape. Place painter’s tape over ¾ inch at the top edge of the candle. Place another piece of tape ¾ of an inch below the top piece of tape. Cover the remaining exposed portion of the candle with tape, leaving the ¾-inch spaces uncovered. In a well-ventilated area, apply gold spray paint to the exposed candle surface. Let sit 30 minutes. Remove tape to reveal stripes.

Wrap a piece of double-sided tape evenly around candle, centered between two painted stripes. Roll candle in coarse gold glitter or microbeads. Remove any excess.

GILDED CONTAINER

Hand-poured container candles make pretty accents and are almost fail-proof to form. Gold leaf applied to the bases gives the candles a designer’s touch. These artful, gilded candles are stylish additions anywhere they’re placed.

Materials

• 1 to 2 pounds premium candle wax
• ⅓ cup stearic acid
• 7 squares red violet candle color, optional
• 5 squares blue candle color, optional
• 8 drops of desired candle scent, optional
• 12- to 16-ounce glass container
• 10-inch coated candlewick
• Tape
• Metal leaf adhesive spray
• Gold leaf foil sheets
• Metal leaf sealing spray

Tools

• Sharp kitchen knife
• Plastic cutting board
• Double boiler or large and medium saucepans
• Metal spoon
• 2 wooden skewers
• Scissors

Instructions

In a double boiler or large saucepan, heat water until it boils. Reduce heat to medium. Meanwhile, cut premium candle wax into 1×1-inch cubes. In the top of the double boiler or in a medium saucepan set inside the large saucepan of boiling water, melt wax cubes and stearic acid. When completely melted, add color and candle scent, if desired. Stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Remove pans from heat and let sit 3 minutes.

Pour ¼ inch of wax into the bottom of glass container. Place wick into the center of container. Position two wooden skewers on either side of the wick, positioning to keep wick straight and centered in the container. Tape pair of skewers together. Pour remaining heated wax to fill container 1 inch from top rim. Let sit for 4 to 5 hours in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.

Remove wooden skewers. Hold the top of the container and apply spray adhesive to the bottom sides. Use finger to apply gold leaf foil in an organic design. Scrape off any unwanted specks of gold leaf. Spray with metal leaf sealing spray. Trim wick to ½ inch.