How Do You Embellish A Candle?

Candle embellishing refers to decorating plain candles with various materials to make them more visually appealing. This can involve adding beads, sequins, lace, fabric, dried flowers, painted designs, and more to the outside of candles.

Some common techniques for embellishing candles include:

• Gluing beads, gems, sequins onto candle surfaces
• Wrapping sections of the candle with ribbon, lace, or fabric
• Attaching dried flowers or leaves
• Painting designs, stripes, or patterns directly onto the candle
• Carving, sculpting, or shaping plain candle surfaces

The main benefits of embellishing candles include:

• Making store-bought or plain candles look more decorative and special
• Creating beautiful centerpieces and homemade gifts
• Providing a fun DIY craft project for all skill levels
• Allowing for creative self-expression and customization
• Producing one-of-a-kind embellished candles on any budget

Supplies Needed

To embellish candles, you’ll need the following supplies:

Candles: Select candles in different shapes, sizes and colors to embellish. Plain candles work best as blanks for decorating. Glass votives, tall taper candles, pillar candles and jar candles are common options.

Decorative Embellishments: Collect different beads, gems, sequins, lace, fabric pieces and artificial flowers to attach to the candles. Have an assortment of small and large pieces in different colors and styles.

Hot Glue Gun: Use a hot glue gun with glue sticks to attach embellishments. Look for a low-temp gun for work with candles.

Scissors: Keep scissors on hand to trim lace or cut flower stems to size.

Prepping the Candle

Before you can start embellishing a candle, it’s important to properly prep the candle surface. This ensures that any decorative elements will adhere properly. Here are some tips for prepping candles:

Make sure the candle is clean. Wipe down the outside of the candle with a paper towel or clean cloth to remove any dust, oils or residue from the manufacturing process. You want the surface to be free of debris.

Allow candle to fully cool before embellishing. Never try to decorate a candle while it is still warm or hot. Wait until the wax has fully set and the candle is at room temperature. Warm wax can melt embellishments or prevent adhesives from sticking properly.

Adding Beads and Gems

Beads and gems can add an elegant, sparkling touch to your candles. Play around with different colors and sizes to create interesting designs and patterns.

Use hot glue to attach beads and gems. Apply a small dab of hot glue where you want the bead or gem to go, then quickly press it in place. The hot glue will dry clear and keep the embellishments securely attached.

Try using coordinating colors of beads and gems that match the candle color. Or create contrast and interest by pairing opposite colors. Mixing different sizes and shapes also creates visual appeal.

Arrange beads and gems close together to fully cover the candle surface, or space them out in swirls, stripes, flowers and other designs. Outline the bottom edge of the candle or sprinkle accents over just the top portion – get creative with patterns and placements.

Sparkling crystals, iridescent beads and shimmery gems make candles glow. Try clear, silver and gold options along with colored gemstones. Layer different sizes and types together for lots of texture.

Group coordinating beads and gems to make flower or starburst shapes on candles. Use big statement gems as focal points, surrounded by smaller beads. The options for embellishing candles with beautiful beads and gems are endless!

Attaching Fabric and Lace

One creative way to embellish candles is by attaching pieces of pretty fabric, lace, or ribbon. Cutting the fabric into fun shapes or strips before adhering it to the candle creates an eye-catching look.

To attach fabric or lace, use a hot glue gun. Apply a small dot of hot glue on the candle surface, then quickly press the fabric piece onto the glue. Hold for 30-60 seconds as the glue sets.

For wider pieces of fabric, lace, or ribbon, it helps to first glue down the center, then glue the edges. This prevents the material from drooping or sagging on the candle.

Aim to space out the fabric pieces evenly for the best look. Mixing different patterns and textures also helps the candle look more dynamic.

Fabric is a great way to match your candle embellishment to your decor. Try using pieces from a favorite patterned bedsheet or tablecloth for a coordinated look.

Using Flowers

Fresh or dried flowers can beautifully embellish candles. If using fresh flowers, be sure they are fully dried before attaching to avoid moisture issues. Dried flowers work best as they will not wilt or shed petals.

Attach flowers by putting a small dot of hot glue on the back of the flower and pressing onto the candle surface. Hold in place for 30 seconds as the glue cools and sets.

Avoid flower types that are prone to shedding like roses, carnations, and mums. Hearty flowers such as lavender, baby’s breath, and chrysanthemums hold up best.

Consider using flower punches to cut flower shapes from patterned scrapbook paper if you want more control over the flower color and shape.

Painting the Candle

Painting candles is a fun way to add color and design. Acrylic paints work best for painting candles. Make sure to use acrylic paints labeled for use on candles or able to withstand heat. Do not use regular acrylic craft paints, as they can contain chemicals unsafe for burning and emit unpleasant fumes when lit.

Before painting, make sure the candle surface is clean of oils or residue so the paint adheres. Lightly sanding the surface can help the paint grip better. Apply multiple thin layers of paint rather than one thick coat, allowing each layer to fully dry before adding the next. Thick layers of paint may crack or chip when the candle burns. Let the painted candle cure for at least 24 hours before burning so the paint has time to fully harden.

Acrylic paints allow you to get creative with colors and designs on the candle. Paint patterns, shapes, words, or scenes onto the candle surface. Use a paint pen for finer details. Sponge daubers, paintbrushes, and other tools can create unique textures and effects. Apply a clear acrylic sealer spray after the paint is completely dry to help seal and protect the painted design.

Only burn an acrylic painted candle once the paint has cured according to the manufacturer’s directions, usually at least 24 hours. Test the paint before lighting by waving a lighter near the surface to ensure no chemicals linger. Never burn a candle with wet paint, as this poses serious fire and smoke inhalation hazards. Properly cured acrylic paint is safe for candle burning.

Adding Scents

One of the easiest ways to embellish a candle is by adding pleasant scents. This allows you to create a customized candle that matches your personal preferences or home décor theme.

There are two main options for scenting candles – essential oils and fragrance oils. Essential oils are extracted from plants and can provide pure, natural aromas like lavender, citrus, mint, etc. Fragrance oils are artificially created scents that allow you to emulate almost any smell imaginable, from baked goods to fresh linens.

The optimal method for adding scents is to incorporate the oils into the wax before pouring the candle. This allows the fragrance to fully blend throughout the wax so it will release evenly when the candle is burned. A general guideline is to use 1-2 ounces of oil per pound of wax.

Drop the essential or fragrance oils directly into the melted wax and stir thoroughly to incorporate. The scent will infuse into the wax as it cools. Then simply pour into the container and allow to fully harden before lighting.

Scenting your embellished candles allows you to engage another sense and create an even more custom, decorative piece for your home. Just be aware that some natural essential oils can produce more soot, so follow usage guidelines carefully.

Safety Tips

When embellishing candles, it’s important to keep safety in mind. Here are some tips to help prevent fires and injuries:

• Avoid using flammable embellishments like feathers, dried flowers, or paper near the wick or flame. These can easily catch fire.
• Attach embellishments low on taper candles to keep them away from the flame.
• Use flameless battery-operated candles for arrangements with flammable embellishments.
• Keep embellished candles out of reach from children and pets. Supervise burning candles.
• Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles before leaving a room.
• Place burning candles on stable, nonflammable surfaces.
• Avoid placing candles near drafts which can cause rapid, uneven burning.
• Trim wicks to 1⁄4 inch before lighting to avoid high flames.

Following basic fire safety guidelines will help ensure your beautiful embellished candles remain safe decorations.

Displaying Embellished Candles

Embellished candles make for beautiful decorative accents and centerpieces. Here are some tips for stylishly displaying your handcrafted candles:

Use embellished candles as accent pieces on shelves, mantles, side tables, console tables, buffets and more. Cluster a few together in complementary colors and styles for lots of visual interest. Or highlight a single ornate candle as the focal point on a shelf or table.

Give embellished candles as gifts! These make wonderful presents for birthdays, hostess gifts, teacher appreciation gifts, holiday gifts and more. Place your homemade candle in a gift bag or box and tie with a pretty ribbon.

Use embellished candles as table centerpieces at special events and parties. A cluster of candles makes an easy DIY centerpiece. For more height, place your candles on a mirror, platter or candlestand.

Embellished candles also make unique wedding centerpieces and decor. Scatter them down the center of long banquet tables or use a few on each guest table. For a unity candle alternative, have the couple each select a candle to light.

Get creative with displaying your handcrafted candles around your home! Accent a stack of coffee table books, line a windowsill, display on the mantel or use in the bedroom. There are endless possibilities for adding a touch of ambiance with your embellished candles.