Tea Tin Candles for Centerpieces or Wedding Favors

Written by Jen Kiaba Barry Monday, 15 February 2010 09:50

This week's craft test run is inspired by my lovely sister. We are tea fanatics. Let me repeat: fanatics. When I was living the single girl life I had an entire cupboard dedicated to my incredible selection of tea (and various accompanying cookies, scones, delectable treats, etc.). Later when I moved in with my darling boyfriend, who is King of the Kitchen, he was understanding enough to let me annex the largest cupboard for my collection of teas and teapots.

The problem that I have found with my addiction is that, while the teas come in these gorgeous tins, I don't know what to do with them after wards! I use them for storage, decoration, you name it! Later when my sister came to stay with me for a few weeks, she introduced me to the brilliant idea I had been overlooking all along: candles!! Yup, she had been making candles out of all of her old tea tins!

As long as you keep flower arrangements out of the way, these are great additions to centerpieces for the tables at your reception. Whether you are going for country chic or über modern, there is a way to design these candles to augment your overall theme. Or if you purchase small votive-sized tins these would make great wedding favors!

Four 6-inch-length wire-core wicks, primed

4 wick holders

4 tin cans, approximately 4 inches deep and 2 inches wide

2.5 ounces stearin

1 disk wax dye, if desired

1.5 pounds paraffin wax

Directions:

1. Insert a length of primed wick into each wick holder and place a wick in the center of each tin.
2. In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, melt the stearin and wax dye. (Don't have a double boiler? Learn how to make one *here*.)
3. Add the wax. Melt and mix thoroughly. Heat to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Anchor the wicks in the tins by pouring enough wax into each tin to cover about 1/2 inch of each wick. Allow the wax to cool for about 30 minutes.
5. Wrap the end of the wicks around tie rods and rest the rods on the tops of the containers. Take up any slack in the wicks and center them within the tins. Be careful not to dislodge the anchors.
6. Reheat the wax to 190 degrees Fahrenheit and fill the tins to within 1/2 inch of the top. Allow to cool for one hour.
7. If the wax settles, reheat the remaining wax to 190 degrees Fahrenheit and top off the candles as necessary.
8. Cool for several hours or overnight. Remove the tie rods, trim the wicks to 1/4 inch, and the candles are ready to light.

The Stats:

Cost –About $40 for supplies

Difficulty – Well, we're playing with hot wax. Let's say "medium."

Time – Several minutes of slaving over a hot stove plus many hours of waiting. I would suggest that you block out about two hours.

Fiance Friendliness – All hot wax jokes aside, the question here comes down to how adept you are in the kitchen. Candle wax is highly flammable if you use too much heat. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher available and don't multitask while you are melting the wax! Also, if you are like me, and you severely burned breakfast yesterday (direct result of multitasking), it might be to wise to wait until the hubby is out and about to attempt this one.

I suggest this craft to the brave bride, or to one who has a posse of amazing bridesmaids to back her up. This can be a fun and easy craft with the right supplies and the right state of mind. There are also some very nice candle making kits available at your craft store, which saves you some hassle on your shopping list!

Jen Kiaba is a photographer and burgeoning crafter who lives in Rhinebeck, NY with her lovely boyfriend, two crazy cats and an adorable basset hound. When her hands aren't covered in tacky glue, she specializes in taking romantic portraits of happy couples in the Hudson Valley!