Decorating candles with flowers involves affixing natural or pressed flowers onto the candle surface, often sealing them in place for durability and safety. A common technique uses hot wax to create a protective seal over the flowers, ensuring they stay attached and are less likely to be a fire hazard.
Key Method: Sealing with Hot Wax
Based on demonstrations like DIY candle decorating tutorials, a primary method involves using melted wax to adhere and seal flowers onto the candle. This technique is crucial for ensuring the flowers are fully covered and secure.
Step-by-Step Process
Here's a breakdown of how to use hot wax to decorate your candles with flowers:
- Prepare Your Materials: Gather your candle(s), pressed or dried flowers (small, flat ones work best), and a source of melted wax (this can be done carefully by melting wax in a double boiler or using a heat gun with wax flakes/pellets).
- Position the Flower: Carefully place a dried or pressed flower onto the surface of the candle where you want it to be.
- Apply Hot Wax to Seal: Use hot wax to create a seal over the flower. You can drip melted wax directly onto the flower and surrounding area or use a brush dipped in hot wax.
- Ensure Full & Thick Coverage: It is important to ensure full coverage of wax over the flower. The wax should be applied thickly enough to completely encase the flower and adhere it firmly to the candle.
- Repeat as Needed: Keep repeating this process for each flower you want to add to your candle, ensuring each one is sealed with a sufficient, thick layer of hot wax until you have applied all the flowers you desire.
This method effectively secures the delicate flowers to the candle, protecting them and integrating them seamlessly into the candle's surface.
Tips for Success
- Use pressed or very dry flowers. Fresh flowers contain moisture and can cause issues.
- Start with small, thin flowers or petals for easier application and sealing.
- Experiment with flower placement before applying wax.
- Work carefully with hot wax to avoid burns.
- Ensure the wax layer is thick enough to prevent the flowers from catching fire when the candle burns down.
By following this process, you can transform plain candles into beautiful decorative pieces using the simple technique of sealing flowers with hot wax.