The history, use and value of candles – ways to make really impressive candles

New or old candles can be decorated to give them an entirely new look, methods included carving, dipping and painting but perhaps the easiest way is to cover the candle with flat was. This is a design or renovation technique in which the outside of the candle is either completely covered with designs or individual motifs are placed on the bare candle. Buy either plain or honeycombed sheets of beeswax from craft shops or even your local apiary (look in your local telephone directory or ask at farmers’ markets

Usage

You can use small cake and biscuit cutters to stamp out designs or draw them on with a soft pencil and cut them out with a craft knife. Attach beeswax cut-outs to candles by holding them in position and heating them slightly with a hair drier or heat gun. Heat only to the point of softening the wax so it will better adhere to the candle. Checkerboard designs or stripes can be made by using a sharp craft knife to cut squares or strips of beeswax and then applying them to the candle
Cut a single sheet of plain or honeycombed beeswax and roll it around the outside of a candle that has been damaged or whose colour displeases you.
Old pillar candles that have been partly burned down and so look rather grungy can be smoothed off with a paring knife. Bring beeswax squares up the sides and over onto the top of the candle to give it a new top edge.
Pressed flowers can be applied to the candles by softening the application area slightly with the back of a spoon that has been warmed over a heat source such as a candle or a low gas flame. Hold the spoon slightly above the flame and position flowers on the candle, then press into position with the heated spoon.

Decorated Candle photograph by basykes, used under a creative commons attribution licence