Design*Sponge » Blog Archive » diy project: kate’s teacup candles

crafter and all around awesome-girl kate pruitt will be joining d*s this month to share some fun, material-themed diy projects. she’ll be focusing on one material for the month and using it in a variety of different diy projects. for this month kate has chosen a material both she and i share an obsession with: ceramics! if you’re like us you probably have a surplus of cute cups and bowls sitting around the house, and maybe would like to refresh them. these teacup candles are super easy to make and would be nice little handmade gifts for the upcoming holidays…if you can bear to part with your treasures! click here for the full post and instructions or just click “read more” below happy crafting!

Kate’s Teacup Candles:

What You’ll Need

1. teacup (saucer optional) - i found most of these at a thrift store
2. wax (i used microwaveable soy wax from a craft store, but they sell all kinds)
3. candle wicks (at least 1″ taller than your cup)
4. candle scent or dye (optional)
5. microwaveable container
6. hot glue gun
7. thermometer

Directions:

1. Clean your cup and saucer thoroughly and dry completely
2. Place your wick in the center of your cup and glue the base down with a dab of hot glue. You can also purchase sticky wax for this step, but glue works fine.
3. Heat wax and add in dye or scent according to package directions. Pour into container. You can gently adjust the wick to make sure it is straight after you poor the wax in.

4. Let sit until the wax is cool and solid
5. Trim wick down to 1/4″.

FIN!

I have collected vintage pottery for years (McCoy, Royal Copley, Roseville, etc) and this is a great way to take it from decorative to functional. Good idea for gifts too…give a candle and a piece of the past. Thanks for sharing!

I saw these on Martha Stewart a while ago and made some teacup candles for my friends for Christmas! Picked up some cute teacups at Goodwill and have been a fabulous addition to all of my friends’ vanity chests.

I am a big fan of this project! I’ve completed many teacup candles this year, and never seem to get tired of the project. Each cup has it’s only little story and is a great way to recycle old treasures (I also sometimes reuse old candles that won’t burn down any longer).
I have a post this month about a few of my favorite teacup candles on my blog. Check it out if you get a minute! :)

I seem to remember that the last time I tried making candles at home, I ended up with a lot of equipment covered in a thin layer of candle wax at the end. As nice as this idea sounds, the clean-up aspect needs to be thought of too. Sorry to be such a downer, but it’s no fun to ruin your favorite kitchen tool, so make sure you buy something dedicated for this purpose (unless someone has suggestions for easy and thorough cleanup).

My 4-year-old son & I just made one for his Nana out of her mum’s teacup. It looks great.

I used that same soy wax and a pyrex measuring cup to melt it in. The thin film of wax was easily removed from the pyrex by running hot water in it and then wiping it out.

And one $8 package made exactly three teacups. FYI

after seeing this idea last week, i went on my hunt for the perfect victorian teacups at the brooklyn flea! i got so lucky. found an amazing vendor who gave me deal! can’t wait to make these for hanukkah/xmas gifts for family!

thanks for the amazing idea!

Debra,

I’m so glad to hear that you didn’t have any clean-up problems! It could very well be that I’m remembering it wrong, or just that the soy wax is easier to remove. I’m very happy, as I’d like to do this project too!

thanks for the tutorial! ive been meaning to make these forever, but i didnt realize that the microwaveable soy wax was so readily available. i just made some and i’m in love. i tried adding lavender essential oil to my wax, so i cant wait til they are completely done so i can test it out.

note about getting the wax out of your containers: place the container in the freezer until the wax freezes. it should be hard and pull away from the glass, making it easier to remove. this should also work for your teacups- once you’ve finished burning them, you can remove the old wax and refill them!

Great DIY. I make and sell teacup candles, and I’m always telling people how easy it is. But you’ve proven it. And, YES, soy wax is water soluable so you can clean out the teacup with a hot, soapy sponge!

My very talented sister has been making these as gifts for years. I think her original inspiration came from the project in Martha Stewart Living, but she’s been picking up great tea cups and saucers at yard sales, tag sales, and flea markets.

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