Pressed Flower Candles

by Patti @Hearth and Vine

Here's an idea. Dress up a candle with pressed flowers. It makes a great gift for a friend or especially now, would make a great addition to your spring tablescape or other vignette. You will be impressed with yourself when you see just how beautiful this transformation is, will little money and level of difficulty.

Materials

1 candle (at least 2 1/2 inches in diameter and not more than 6 inches high)

pressed flowers and leaves

spray adhesive (strong hairspray works too)

1 large candle pouring pitcher to melt wax (lg coffee or tall broth can)

2 lbs paraffin

Directions:

Spray your candle with the adhesive and place your floral material on. You can also wrap a piece of paper around the candle and cut it to cover. Then take it off and lay flat on a table to plan out your design.

Melt the paraffin by placing your can with the wax, in a saucepan, filled with 2 inches or so of water. I chopped it up a bit to help it melt faster. Gently lower the candle into the wax and quickly but steadily remove it. I just held onto the wick but you could tie a cord onto the wick to help with dipping. Continue dipping the candle a few times to get the desired effect you want. The more you dip the more opaque the end result. It's really a matter of preference so have fun experimenting. Set the candle on some waxed paper to dry.

Once again, this is a great project to share with a friend. There's more than enough wax to cover many candles. If you use a coffee can or even a large broth can you can let the wax harden when you are done and cover it with some foil to keep for another time. You can press flowers yourself (an old phone book works great) or you can buy them in craft stores and online.