I got this idea to make some festive holiday candles for Thanksgiving using these little decorative pie crust cutters. This one looks like a leaf.
Fabulous!
If you’re going to cut out wax shapes, it’s best to use a firm wax. I’m using pillar wax here. Container wax, and especially soy wax, is too soft to cut out shapes easily. I melted and dyed pillar wax in fall colors.
I used mini bread pans lined with aluminum foil and poured the wax about 1/4-inch thick. Let the wax set up until firm enough to hold its shape in the form, but still soft enough to cut.
Cut out the shapes, pressing firmly to make a clean cut.
I let the wax set up completely before breaking out the shapes.
Meanwhile, I did a few thin layers with the colors in the bottom of the wicked jar before adding some white soy wax with apple scent. Then I arranged the colored leaves in a band around the jar.
Have you figured out yet what is wrong with this project?
Yeah. Flat shapes, round jar. I need a square-sided jar for this to work because when I add the rest of the wax, the leaves–which don’t sit flat against the rounded glass–are covered up as the wax fills in.
Bummer. And yet I persevere! What if I break out the shapes before the wax is completely hardened then press the still-flexible leaves against the inside of the jar to mold them against the rounded side? I don’t have a totally flat, square-sided jar, so this is my only option. Here I go! Again.
This might work!
And it did, at least pretty good.
I just used red and yellow leaves on this one. I should have used red and brown. Or red and orange. The yellow didn’t provide enough contrast with the white base.
But it was so much better than my first attempt, who cares! I used a brown leaf on top, with a hole poked through while the leaf was still soft to thread it onto the wick.
I’m sure I could improve on this project yet.
But I think I’ll wait till Christmas!
In Pursuit of Autumn Leaf Candles
Nov
1
1
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Tauni says:
:moo: Good Morning Suzanne!! I have been “Netting” so to speak, for nearly 17 years … a time when “the web” was something you swept from the corners of your ceiling. SO … do not take this lightly when I say … this is the best site I have ever been to!!!!!!!!!!! (how many of those can I use before they put me in punctuation jail?) As soon as your newsletter appears in my box … I’m swept away for hours and the outside world fades away. I am not much of a “blogger”, as I feel there isn’t much I can add to such “perfection”. But something overcame me this AM … 4:33AM!!!… reading the “candle drama”. Just in case this might cross your path … with the deepest and most sincere breath I can take … THANK YOU!!
On November 1, 2011 at 5:47 am
Leah says:
You could put wicks in the leaf candles and make a floating candle centerpiece too. You’d have to keep the wax a little thinner so they’d float! Like your candle!!!!
On November 1, 2011 at 8:09 am
CindyP says:
Oh what a great idea! I think they’re cuter with the round jar and you were able to make them work!
On November 1, 2011 at 8:33 am
holstein woman says:
Very resourseful, they’re beautiful just the same!
On November 1, 2011 at 9:51 am
Jersey Lady says:
Neato!
On November 1, 2011 at 10:23 am
mammaleigh says:
OK I can totaly see White and Blue, Or green and red for Christmas with snowflakes….I am seeing stocking stuffers (for the moms and aunts) Ok wow you got me going! I have not done any candles in a long time…I think I might have to break it out today!
On November 1, 2011 at 10:59 am
joykenn says:
Why did you put the base of different colors? A structural reason?
I could see using colored wax and creating candycorn colors–orange, then yellow and then white at the top?
Also, looking at the candles in the jar again, how about pressing them against the glass at different levels as if the leaves were suspended, blown by the wind?
This totally a great idea. With the other shapes I could really see a batch of holiday candles. Or, there’s one of the cutters that might make a flower if you were able to put a brown center in it–a daisy or blackeyed susan. Looks fun.
On November 1, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
joykenn, I just wanted to put some color stripes at the bottom. No necessary reason!
On November 1, 2011 at 1:53 pm
MaryMooCow says:
Wow, super pretty! And you do have perseverance–man! Great job as is!
Mary
http://lundkids.blogspot.com
On November 1, 2011 at 10:35 pm
stacylee says:
Suzanne! Where do you get all this wax! You made 40 candles last week, and I spent 20$ on wax, used all my old candles, and harrassed everyone I know to give me their old candles, and still only made like, seven candles!
On November 2, 2011 at 11:35 am
MalagaCove says:
Why not do them like chunk candles where you cut wax into chunks and then pour just enough wax to bind them, so you can keep the chunks? I found something where you put shapes on the outside, chunks in the middle to hold the shapes and then more wax to bind them. Would that work for you?
Judi
On November 2, 2011 at 11:02 pm
Madeline says:
OK, girl.Where DO you get all your energy???????
On November 6, 2011 at 6:03 pm
prvrbs31gal says:
I don’t know, looks more like a snowflake than a leaf to me! But I love the fall colors and the ‘candy corn’ layering.
On November 6, 2011 at 7:33 pm