How to Decorate Votive Candles

Stattice Flowers Make a Lovely Candle Decoration

© Beth Taylor

Feb 12, 2009

Something as simple as small, dried flowers turn common, plain white votives into elegant decorative candles. It is easiest to start with votive candles, but larger candles can be beautifully embellished with the variety of leaves, grasses, and flowers that nature offers.

Candle Supplies and Equipment

• Votive candles
• Purple stattice flowers
• Flower press or heavy books and newspapers
• Double boiler
• Empty coffee cans or wax pouring pot
• Candy thermometer
• Wooden spoon
• Paraffin wax
• Old teaspoons
• Clothes iron
• Oven mitt
• Greaseproof paper (wax or baking parchment paper)
• Heat gun (optional)

Dried Flowers

1. Purchase purple stattice from a flower stand or flower shop. The flowers must be pressed and dried for a at least one week before use. Moist flowers will decay and ruin a candle.
2. A flower press consists of two blocks of wood screwed one on top of the other, and pieces of absorbent paper in between. White construction paper works well; old newspaper is also acceptable. To use, place the flowers in single layers between sheets of paper. Place the stack between the wood blocks and tighten the screws. Leave this for at least a week in a dry place.
3. Alternatively, arrange the stattice in single layers between sheets of newspaper, and place the stack between two heavy, hard-bound books such as encyclopedias. Leave this set up in a dry place for at least a week.

Votive Candles

1. Purchase plain, white votive candles to decorate. Both scented and unscented will work with this craft project.

Apply the Flowers

1. Remove the dried stattice flowers from the flower press.
2. Heat the iron and place the handles of old teaspoons against it.
3. Hold a stattice flower in place on the side of the votive candle.
4. Wear you oven mitt -- the spoons are hot! Pick up spoon by its bowl, and gently press on the stattice to melt the wax and make the flower stick to the candle.
5. Do this a total of three times around the candle.
6. As the spoon handle cools, wipe it with a rag and place it back on the iron to heat. Use another spoon.

Candle Dipping

1. Remember to be safe. Wax is highly flammable and must be melted in a double boiler. Any other method of melting wax can result in fire and is dangerous.
2. Place paraffin in the top of a double boiler, cold water in the bottom, and heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon while you heat the wax. Monitor the temperature and bring the wax up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. If desired, heat the votive candle very briefly with a heat gun. This prevents air bubbles forming between the hot and cold wax. Air bubbles are possible but unlikely; this step is optional.
4. Hold the votive candle by the wick. Dip into the hot wax for three seconds and remove. Wait thirty seconds, dip one more time for three seconds. Set aside to cool.

Kitchen Tips

Pour unused wax onto grease-proof paper to store until next time.

Kitchen supplies used for candle making must never be used for anything else, and should be kept separate from food utensils and appliances.

Never put candle making equipment in the dishwasher; the wax will clog. Never pour hot wax down a drain.

Stattice Votive

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