Please note: This activity involves painting with hot wax and should be undertaken with adult supervision
Ok, so you have your beautiful pressed flowers, let's make something special out of it. Gift cards and book marks are a wonderful way to make use of pressed flowers... but I'm going to try something new with some candles I have in the cupboard.
You will need:
- Pressed Flowers
- 1 white taper candle. Don't worry if it isn't new, you are going to melt it down anyway.
- 1 Pillar candle with a smooth surface
- Paint brush (Don't choose your most favourite paint brush. Do you have an old one in with your art supplies?)
- Very small saucepan.
I have used a single large Phalanopsis Orchid for my candle, but I really love delicate pansies or viola as a very pretty option. Using a single, large flower will create more of a lantern effect where the room will take on a hue of the colour. Delicate flowers on the candle are more of a feature on their own.
Step 1.
Prepare your work space. You are going to be working with melted wax which you don't want to cool while you prepare your space.
Step 2.
Place your white taper candle in a small saucepan and melt it. It is better if the wax is well heated, rather than just melted.
You will actually only need a small amount of the taper candle, so you might like to break 1/4-1/3rd off and save it for a future project?
Step 3.
Once wax is completely melted, move it to your work space. Using the wax as glue, stick your flower(s) in position.
Step 4.
Using your paintbrush, paint a thin, but even layer of wax over the flower so that the pressed flower becomes part of the candle. If the wax starts to become thick and cakey during this step, pop the saucepan back on the stove to reheat it.
Step 5.
While the wax is still hot, tip the remaining out in the garbage bin or in a place where it wont harden and clog up the drain. Wipe out the remnant wax with paper towel before washing your saucepan.
Step 6.
Spark up your candle and watch it glow.
