DIY vintage teacup candles:

oh my gosh I'm such a hoarder! 

if I step into a charity shop I undoubtedly exit with some more trinkets I don't actually need but have a wicked compulsion to collect (case in point my growing collection of miss matched teacups and saucers..)

I love vintage teacups, I tend to justify collecting them so I can throw afternoon teas parties but more often than not they sit neglected and dusty amongst my other bits and pieces.

so to cheer up my old china I decided to give it a new life as teacup candles! it's surprisingly easy (and darn quick) you'll just need the following:

candle wax (500g was enough for 3 candles)

pre dipped wicks (available here)

a double boiler (two saucepans will do!)

old teacups

first pick your teacups, I went for mismatched patterns as I wanted mine to be a little eclectic.

now take your candle wicks and attach them to the teacup base so they don't move when your pour in the wax! (I just used a dab of super glue)

leave them on some newspaper and get the wax melting. I used a double boiler method (quarter/half fill a saucepan with water and place a slightly smaller saucepan over the top, it's the same method you'd use to melt chocolate) keep an eye on the hot wax as it melts, once it has turned liquid it's ready to pour!

pour into the teacups and leave them to set! easy peasy!

you may find the wax dries with a slight well in the centre, if this happens prick holes a few centimetres deep into the wax around the wick. just pour over some melted wax to level them off and leave to dry again

it's a really fun and easy DIY and you can be more creative with it by adding colour and fragrance into the wax! the teacups and saucers look so pretty on my bedside table, I can't wait to light them...

the saucepan wasn't hard to clean up either, just pour out and wax and add hot water and washing up liquid and give it a little scrub to remove any excess.

if you like this and my other craft projects I'd love you to vote for me in the cosmo blog awards, I've been shortlisted for best craft blog (eeeeeeep) if I could give you all a hug for helping me get there I would, I can't explain how much it means to me... thank you all again!

big love

caroline x