DIY-Floating Candles

Floating Candles

What you will need

*Tools and Materials*muffin tins or other molds
*petroleum jelly or nonstick cooking spray
*paraffin or beeswax candles, or wax bricks and color chips
*double boiler
*candy thermometer
*craft sticks, for stirring1 1/4-inch metal-tabbed tea-light wicks

Floating Candles How-To1. Coat molds with petroleum jelly or cooking spray; set aside. Place used candles in a double boiler over just-simmering water (never over direct heat; wax can catch fire if too hot). As wax melts, stir it and remove old wicks. If using wax bricks, melt and add color according to package directions.

2. When wax reaches pouring temperature (150 degrees for paraffin, 160 for beeswax; if you don't have a candy thermometer, wait until a thin film forms at edges), pour into molds. Then carefully lower in the new wicks.

3. After candles harden (1/2 hour to 2 hours), lift them out by the wicks. If they resist, put molds in freezer until they pop out easily. Wipe off any haze with paper towels.

4. Trim wicks, if necessary, to 1/4 inch before burning.

Muffin TinsPick a size. Mini-muffin candles burn for an hour or so; large ones, for three. A variety of candles in tonal hues -- such as warm reds, oranges, and yellows, like the ones we used -- look wonderful together. Vary the sizes by pouring wax into large, medium, and mini-muffin tins, and create a playful polka-dot presentation. For uniform results, pour the wax to a depth of no more than 1 inch.

Cookie CuttersUse simple, broad shapes to make sure they float. To turn a cutter into a mold, run masking tape along the edge, snip at the corners, and bend the tape so the cutter sits flat on the foil.

With a set of graduated cookie cutters, you can make stars in many sizes at once. Float some in little bowls, and set others in shallow dishes of water. Arranged on a long runner, they will supply your dinner table with a galaxy of gentle light. We like beeswax for these candles. It has a more viscous consistency when melted, which prevents it from leaking out of the molds

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Light Up a Table With Floating Candles - Martha Stewart Crafts

 

Happy Planning!