How to Create Your Very Own DIY Decorated Candles
When it comes to furnishing your home, it’s natural to want unique accessories that complement your overall style and aesthetic. While store-bought options can work, I tend to find that local outlets rarely have exactly what I’m looking for, which is why I like to create my own DIY pieces when I have the opportunity.
That’s what led me to come up with my latest project: designing decorated candles that add a cute and quirky element to my interior. Filled with inspiration but lacking the skill or know-how to craft these from scratch, I decided to use pre-purchased candles rather than homemade (although either option works) and to add my own twist using a selection of flowers, petals, and leaves that I gathered from my garden.
The end result is one I'm really proud of - and it was super easy to achieve too! If your own creativity is stirring and you want to give it a try, here’s a step-by-step guide to talk you through this straightforward process.
Decorating with Individual Petals
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
The first thing you’ll need to do in order to create some stylish candle décor is gather together a few materials. These are all inexpensive and easy to get your hands on, making this a super simple project for a rainy afternoon.
You'll need:
- Petals
- Wax paper
- An iron
- A candle
- A match
- A spoon
Make sure the candle doesn’t come in a glass jar or container, and that it’s big enough to add lots of little details. While plain white is my personal preference, you could equally choose a bright or pastel-colored hue to complement your interior.
Once you have this ready, it’s time to go on the hunt for some pretty petals. It’s entirely up to you whether you want to stick to one particular palette or mix it up. If your garden doesn’t deliver the goods, use it as an excuse to go on a quick foraging trip around your local park or woodland.
Step 2: Iron Your Flowers
Once I’d gotten all of my materials together, the next step was to place the petals on the wax paper, fold it so they were encased between two layers, and then iron over the surface. A couple of quick presses and the flowers were ready to be removed in preparation to attach them to the candle.
Step 3: Attach the Petals to the Candle
With the petals ironed and ready to go, it was time to light my candle and grab the spoon, which I held over the flame until it was hot. When it reached a suitable temperature, I rubbed the spoon lightly across the area where I wanted to place my first petal, to soften the wax and make it adhesive. I then placed it gently down to achieve the desired look.
I repeated this in each spot where I wanted to attach a petal, using the back of the spoon to smooth out any creases or uplifted edges and create a pretty and polished end result.
Decorating with Whole Flowers
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
Using petals as candle décor is a great way to create a cute and unique home accessory, but there are other materials you can utilise if you want to experiment with the look, including whole flowers.
While the process is relatively similar to the one I outlined above, there are some slight differences. If you want to give it a go, you’ll need:
- Scissors
- Flowers
- Wax paper
- An iron
- A candle
- A match
- A spoon
You’ll need to use the scissors to remove the stems from your flowers before beginning.
Step 2: Iron the Flowers
Once your flowers have been cut down to the right size, prepare them in the same way as you did your petals: by placing them between the layers of a folded sheet of wax paper and ironing over them. This is a quick and easy process, which will dry out the flowers and make them suitable for application onto your candle.
Step 3: Attach the Flowers to the Candle
Once your flowers are ready, it’s time to grab another candle, light it, and hold your spoon over the flame. In the same vein as last time, use the heated metal to slightly melt the spots where you want to apply your flowers, before pressing them down.
Be sure to smooth over each individual petal, to make sure they’re properly fixed in place and that you’re left with a professional finish. Get it wrong, as I’ve learnt the hard way, and you run the risk of them peeling straight back off!
Decorating with Leaves
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
While flowers and flower petals look absolutely gorgeous on decorated candles, another option is to go for a woodland theme and use leaves instead. This works best during the summer and fall months, when there’s greater variety and some gorgeous colors and hues to choose from.
As in my other examples, you will need:
- Leaves
- Wax paper
- An iron
- A candle
- A match
- A spoon
Step 2: Iron the leaves
By this point, you already know the drill, but in case you need a reminder, place your leaves between the folded layers of a piece of wax paper and iron over them. Once you’re done, you should be left with dry (albeit brittle, so be careful when handling them) leaves, that are flat, long-lasting, and adhere well to the wax on your candle.
Step 3: Attach the Leaves to the Candle
Now that your leaves are ready, it’s time to light your candle and use it to heat your spoon. Once you’re finished, press the hot metal down on any area where you want to apply a leaf.
I’d recommend using a variety of different types and colors to get an intricate and professional-looking end result. Make an effort to think about your placement carefully, ensuring you don’t press any leaves of the same type too close to one another.
Post-application, remember to smooth over each of these with your spoon, to make certain they’ve adhered properly, and that they provide the gorgeously green end result you were hoping for.
If you want to mix things up even further, you can use all three of these materials in combination to create unique and pretty interior accessories that nobody else will have!
When it comes to decorating your home, it's always nice to add some original twists, and these decorated candles are the perfect way to do that. Planning on giving them a go yourself? Then comment below to show off some pictures of the end result!
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Mary Coakley on Sep 03, 2020
Outstanding 💘 your candles.will definitely 👍 try them thanks for sharing
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Is the reason for ironing the petals/leaves between wax paper to put wax on them? I'm assuming that you take the wax paper off and just use the petals/leaves?
Can you use artificial flowers
Will faux flowers work?