Tuesday, May 3, 2011

DIY Seashell Candle

Transform your beach treasures into beautiful decorations with these easy shell candles.

What you'll need:

• Bar of paraffin wax
• Wicks
• Metal wick holders
• Double boiler with a pouring lip
• Shells
• Stubs of old coloured candles (optional)

Most of these items can be found in your local craft shop. If you can't find metal wick holders, remove the wicks from tealight candles. You can use stubs from old coloured candles to make candles in various shades.

Method:

Clean shells in a 10% bleach solution. Rinse with cool water and let dry.

Cut up the paraffin block into smaller chunks with a sharp knife. Melt them in the top of the double boiler by heating the water below to a slow simmer. Use the paraffin as is, or you may wish to add bits of coloured wax for different colour combinations.

Cover a steady surface with plastic or old newspaper. Balance one of the shells on a small cup and slowly pour in the melted wax. Immediately place the wick and wick holder in the centre of the shell. Leave wax to cool and set for at least 30 minutes.

Light, and enjoy your beautiful new sea shell candles!