ETA: I have never had issues with burning the tissue paper -- if you are worried, I'd suggest punching a slightly larger hole where you thread the wickWelcome to the WMS Customer Waltz! You should be sure to check out all the fabulous projects at the WMS forum! :) And as usual, there's a fun game as well. Spot all the watermarks in the WMS DT member's photos and you could win a fun prize. We might have 0 watermarks, 1,2, 3 or more!
This month's theme is Christmas so I figured I'd share a Christmas gift idea. I made a set of candles the other weekend and I thought I'd share the process. I'm one of those people that needs to hand out "perfect" candles... so I had my husband dig through our mini tea light candles to find perfect ones for this gift set.
That said, I don't have enough to create one for each family member as I originally intended. Perhaps... I'll get my bum out to pick up more or one lucky person will just get this "Belinda" original. It's really starting to look like the later as the Xmas season stresses me out. My perfectionist tendencies are not optimal for the gift frenzy season.
So let's get started shall we? These are actually really quick to make and they look fabulous. It always amazes me how much you can do with a little tissue paper and some wax.
1. Gather your supplies - I used a 1 3/8 inch circle punch, snowflake from
Seasons of Love - Tags, ink, tissue paper, and candles
2. Stamp the snowflake onto the tissue paper. I usually test an image by placing it onto my candle to see what works best.
3. Punch out your snowflakes. To give my tissue paper more umph, I slip a post-it note behind so that I get a clean punch.
4. Punch a hole in the middle of your snowflake
5. Thread the tissue paper snowflakes onto your candle.
6. Using your trusty heat gun, apply heat until the wax starts to melt. It'll pull the tissue paper in (and I keep a paper piercer nearby that I use to help it along). Be careful not to hold the heat too long or it'll burn the tissue paper.
6. Ta da! You have pretty candles. Now wrap them up all nice and tight. Add some pretty decorations and you have a great Xmas gift.
7. I'm going to admit, I usually eye the boxes. I place three candles on the paper, mark the edges and score them. Then I measure the height of the candle. I determined it was 6/8 inches so I scored two lines in each direction 6/8 inches apart.
8. Using some oragami skills, I cut some corners, folded and created a box. (Ok, I apologize for this part of the tutorial. If there is interest, I can do a better box tutorial. Unfortunately, I tend to just use a little simple math usually to get my box and never write down measurements).
9. Decorate the box as you see fit.
Stamps: (
Seasons of Love - Tags) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Cardstock: Bazzill, (acrylic) Office Max
Patterned Paper: (Colorful Christmas) My Mind's Eye
Fibers: (ribbon) American Crafts, (silver twine)
Accents: (button) Making Memories, (gems) Hero Arts
Tools: (circle punches) EK Success
What a sweet little gift box full of candles Belinda! Love how you transferred the stamped image! Thanks for sharing the process!
ReplyDeleteWow Belinda! This is fantastic! I love the idea and your tutorial was super easy to follow. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletewhat an awesome idea to stamp the top of these tea candles. this is beautiful! and the directions are clear! thanks for doing this.
ReplyDeleteSo adorable...what an awesome tutorial! This will make such a great little treat to give to someone special, Belinda...love the colors and images you chose!
ReplyDeleteWow, this is amazing! It looks fast and wonderful! Thanks for the tut. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLovely gift idea! Those little votive candles really take on a whole new look with this little addition to the the top of them. Thank you for showing how to do this.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely gift idea. Thanks for the great tutorial.
ReplyDeleteI just made these last night at my SU demonstrator's home for our hostess club. they were so easy and your tutorial is perfect! I do like the way you stamp first then punch out! She had us punch and then stamp! It's so cool to watch the wax just pull in the tissue paper!
ReplyDeletewhat a sweet gift idea
ReplyDeleteOh this is fabulous...Great idea !!Thanks for the step by step!! This would make a great gift idea for so many!!
ReplyDeleteJust a wonderful and great idea. Thanks for sharing. I'm in a rush. Sorry. Have a fab day, evening, morning. Greetings from over the ocean, ines
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute idea and it sounds easy enough...just might try it! Love the way yours turned out!
ReplyDeletegorgeous!! What a clever idea :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet little gift! Brilliant, Belinda!
ReplyDeleteGreat candles and holder, and a fab tutorial, makes a lovely gift.
ReplyDeleteHi Belinda, This is really, really pretty!!! I love how you made that, it's such a wonderful gift to give and love how you showed us how to make it. But please, don't feel obliged to make everyone something! I bet they don't want you to feel stressed! It's just something special for the people who get something! I love what you made!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Wendy
Such a clever way to dress up thos little tea lights!! Love it!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea Belinda! I have a handful of these little tea lights in my cupboard. I think i need to give this a go.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing
Great transformation of simple basic tea-lights (as we call them over here)....I can see them all decorated sitting on a glass or mirrored surface just as a centrepiece and then being lit to create even more wow. They are great, thanks for the idea.
ReplyDeleteTotally cute and gorgeous idea!! Thank you so much for sharing! This is actually something I can imagine trying to do (so many projects are fascinating ... but REALLY :0)!! Hope that you get a chance to make more ... or that the recipient enjoys your original!! LOL
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome tutorial! Thank you for the fabulous idea of dressing up the very unactractive tea light candles. A true cindarella story with paper, stamps and ink!
ReplyDeletethis is such a cool idea tfs xx
ReplyDeleteHow fun are these little candles!! And they're packaged up so beautifully! Awesome project :)
ReplyDeletegreat idea!!!! love your tutorial, it's very good!!
ReplyDeletethis is so fun. thanks for the tutorial! love that you even made the box!
ReplyDeleteGreat project ! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLove'em!! Thanks so much for the tutorial and especially for your hint with the post it note!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. I'm definitely going to try this one.
ReplyDeleteThis is a perfect little gift, and I love your directions! I have done large candles before, but not tealights. I am going to have to do this!
ReplyDeleteYou took simple tealight and turned them into a masterpiece, what a brilliant gift idea!
ReplyDeleteLove the perfect tealights - now as to the box - Perfectionist - NO! You made me laugh so much as I'm a fellow suffererer, just goes to show it is a SELECTIVE tendency. Super idea with the tissue & I love that snowflake.
ReplyDeletePaula (PEP)
http://pepcraftchallexp.blogspot.com/
these candles make such a great gift. absolutely love the unique / customized candles.
ReplyDeleteGreat project! And great job on the tutorial!
ReplyDeleteDeniseB
What a wonderful project Belinda! Love it!!
ReplyDeleteTFS ~
Very cool!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great gift for the holidays Bonnie! Love the snowflakes on the candles!
ReplyDeleteFantastic tutorial that yields a super-cute gift.
ReplyDeleteJust so that you know, math skills are NEVER elementary, since I so lack them.
Some of us need actual measurements. *blush*
Fabulous project and great tutorial Belinda!
ReplyDeleteLovely!
ReplyDeleteso clever - i def need to try this out!
ReplyDeleteI am going to make a bunch of these for gifts...but wonder how they burn---does the tissue cause any fire hazard? I have done the pilar candles before & had no problem but the tissue wasn't directly exposed to the flame.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to give my friends a fire hazard!!
I am a candle maker, too, and tried this technique on pillar candles in the past. It comes out really nice but I worry that the tissue paper will catch fire so I stopped doing it. Do the tealights burn OK?
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful....I too have done the pillar candles but I am unsure of doing these due to the flame being so near the tissue.
ReplyDeleteCould someone please tell us if they burn safely? Thanks.
Eileen and the commenter above, I haven't had any issues but I tend to poke a larger hole than necessary so that the tissue paper isn't too close to the wick. With any candle, you should always supervise. As always, if you leave your email in the comments, I can respond directly. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBelinda, thank you for answering and I will also put a bigger hole in the tissue as advised.
ReplyDeleteLOL Eileen