I’d really been enjoying the sunshine, being out in the garden with the smell of blossom and the buzzing of the bees as the days got warmer… and then the summer disappeared leaving me with rain and gloom. Since Jon is in Cambridge this weekend and the rain had me stuck in the house, it seemed the perfect opportunity to try making some tea cup candles and bring the feeling of summer indoors using beeswax and lavender essential oil for that summery feel.

These were really easy and turned out really well- all you need is beeswax, essential oil, wicks, tea cups and an old saucepan. The wicks, oil and wax pellets were relatively cheap online and the tea cups were a steal in local charity shops. The blue cup and saucer came to 40p earlier today and the pink tea cup and saucer were £1.50. I even got a new saucepan for £1.95 to melt my wax so that my pans didn’t get damaged.

 

 

 

1)      Measure out your wax, I found that to fill a tea cup I needed about two cups full of pellets.

2)      Set up a double boiler so that the wax doesn’t burn and allow your beeswax to melt slowly.

3)      Dip your wicks in the melted wax to coat them along the length, I used pennies to weight mine and ensure they were straight.

4)      When your wick is securely in place, take your wax off the heat (I added my lavender oil at this stage) give it a stir and pour into the cups.

5)      If your candle has dipped or cracked, add a little more melted wax to level it off before trimming your wick to a safe length.

6)      Hey presto, your candle is ready for lighting.

 

 

 

I am more than a little smug about these. I’ve really been enjoying lying on the sofa as they flicker in the corner. They’d be great presents or decorations at a tea party.