Words and photos Laurie Newman
Bring a touch of the ocean into your homes with these homemade shell candles. They make great gifts and are really easy to make. Simply follow these 5 steps for a beach inspired home.
You will need:
Scissors
Pre-waxed wicks
Soya wax
10 shells (Cockle shells work particularly well)
One saucepan
One Pyrex jug
Want to make them scented? Add a few drop of your favourite essential oil to the melting wax
Top Tip: You will need shells with depth to them to avoid the wax running over the sides.
Method:
- Turn the shells over so that the concave part is facing you.
- It is best to place the shells on a couple of layers of newspaper just in case any wax pours over the edges.
- Place the wicks in the centre of the shell making sure that the metal circular base lies flat – this can be a bit fiddly so find the part of the shell which is most stable.
- Meanwhile, pour the wax into the Pyrex jug.
- Fill a saucepan ½ full with water and carefully place the jug of wax inside.
- Be careful not to fill the saucepan too full with water otherwise it will overflow.
- Turn the stove to a medium heat and stir the wax with a wooden spoon until it has completely dissolved to a liquid.
- Once the wax has dissolved, remove from the heat and, if using, add 5-6 drops of essential oil and stir.
- Remove the wax from the heat and pour slowly into the shell- try to avoid pouring wax over the wick, as this will cause it to move.
- Leave to stand for at least 1 hour before moving the shells. You will know when the wax is set as it will turn to a white colour.
