Brooke Martin
Decorating candles with dried flowers is a fun and easy DIY project that can add a whimsical touch to your home decor or make a thoughtful gift for a loved one. Not only do dried flowers give your candles a beautiful, natural look, but they can also infuse your space with a subtle floral scent, creating a relaxing and soothing ambiance. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced crafter, creating dried flower candles is an enjoyable way to exercise your creativity and bring a bit of the outdoors inside. In this guide, you'll learn the steps and tips for safely and effectively decorating candles with dried flowers, from choosing the right flowers to placing them perfectly on your candles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy and fun |
| Safety | Only use dried flowers; fresh flowers will retain moisture and won't dry properly |
| Flower type | Delicate flowers with bright colours work best |
| Wick placement | Keep flowers away from the centre of the wick to avoid contact with the flame and prevent clogging |
| Container | A wider, clear container allows more room between flowers and the wick and provides better visibility |
| Additional decorations | Crystals, seashells, beach glass, essential oils, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
- Choosing flowers: Delicate flowers with bright colours work best
- Preparing flowers: Press flowers in a book or iron them to dry
- Container choice: Opt for a wider, clear container for better placement
- Wax and wick: Use soy wax and ensure the wick is longer than the container
- Finishing touches: Tie twine or ribbon around the candle for a personalised touch
Choosing flowers: Delicate flowers with bright colours work best
When choosing flowers to decorate your candles, opt for delicate flowers with bright colours. Avoid large petals and pieces, as these can be more challenging to work with and may not adhere as well to the wax. Instead, select flowers with smaller petals or break up the flowers into smaller pieces. This will also create a more delicate and intricate design.
Brightly coloured flowers will not only retain their hue but will also create a vibrant and eye-catching candle. Pale flowers, and especially white flowers, tend to get lost against the wax and are more difficult to work with. The colour contrast is essential to making your floral decorations stand out.
Flowers like lavender are an excellent choice, as they retain their purple colour and also have aromatherapy benefits. You can also add lavender essential oils to enhance the scent and create a relaxing atmosphere. Remember to keep the flowers away from the wick, as you don't want them to come into contact with the flame.
Feel free to experiment with different flowers and colours to find the combinations that you like best. You can even mix and match various dried flowers to create unique and personalised candles.
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Preparing flowers: Press flowers in a book or iron them to dry
There are a few different methods you can use to prepare dried flowers to decorate candles. Here is a step-by-step guide for two of the most common methods: pressing flowers in a book and ironing them.
Pressing Flowers in a Book:
First, gather the flowers you want to press. You can use any type of flower, but thicker flowers may take longer to dry. Then, get two pieces of paper. Wax paper or parchment paper can help prevent the flowers from sticking to the pages of your book. Place one sheet of paper on a flat surface, and arrange the flowers on top. Cover the flowers with the other sheet of paper, creating a sandwich. Finally, close the book and place it under something heavy and flat, like a stack of heavy books, to apply pressure. You can also use a pizza stone or a baking sheet. The drying time will depend on the thickness of the petals and the pressure applied but typically ranges from two to four weeks.
Ironing Flowers:
Turn on your iron to a low heat setting and turn off any steam settings. While the iron is heating up, prepare your flowers by peeling off any remaining green stems, leaves, or other parts of the flower that may hold extra moisture. Then, place the flower on a piece of parchment or greaseproof paper. Gently press down on the flower to flatten it, and rearrange the petals as needed. Once the iron is hot, place it on top of the flower for intervals of about 20 seconds at a time. You don't want to move the iron back and forth, as this may crinkle the flower. Listen for a sizzling sound, which indicates that moisture is coming out of the flower. When the flower looks dry and crispy on the outside of its petals, remove the top layer of paper and let the flower cool. Your flower may still need a few days to fully dry after ironing.
Both of these methods will give you dried flowers that you can use to decorate candles. The book-press method may produce better results in terms of colour and texture retention, but ironing is a quicker process if you are short on time.
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Container choice: Opt for a wider, clear container for better placement
When decorating candles with dried flowers, the container you choose is an important consideration. Opting for a wider, clear container offers several advantages for both the creation and aesthetic of your floral candle.
Firstly, a wider container provides more surface area for placement of the flowers. This is particularly beneficial when working with dried flowers, as they should be placed away from the centre of the wick to avoid contact with the flame. A wider container allows for a more generous arrangement of flowers, enhancing the visual appeal of the candle.
Clear containers offer the benefit of visibility. You can ensure that the flowers are evenly distributed and avoid any clustering that may interfere with the wick. With a clear container, you can also admire the petals from every angle, showcasing your floral creation to its full potential.
The choice of a wider container also contributes to the overall safety of the candle. By providing ample space, the flowers are less likely to come into close contact with the wick, reducing the risk of clogging. This design consideration ensures a safer burning experience and minimises the chances of accidental ignition of the flowers.
Additionally, the container's width can influence the burning dynamics of the candle. A wider container typically results in a larger wax pool, which can lead to a slower burn. This is advantageous if you wish to enjoy your floral candle over an extended period, savouring both its decorative and aromatic qualities.
When selecting a container, consider the overall proportions of the candle. Ensure the container is not overly wide in relation to the candle size, as this may result in an unstable candle that is prone to toppling. Strive for balance, allowing the candle to stand securely while also providing sufficient space for your dried flower arrangements.
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Wax and wick: Use soy wax and ensure the wick is longer than the container
Soy wax is a great option for candle-making as it is non-toxic, burns cleaner and slower than paraffin wax, and is less likely to cause allergic reactions. Soy wax also has a lower melting point than paraffin wax, which means it will burn slower and longer. Soy wax flakes can be melted in a glass dish over a pot with about a third of the water poured in, creating a double boiler. Alternatively, you can melt the wax in the microwave, one minute at a time.
When preparing your wick, ensure it is longer than the container you are using. This will allow enough wick at the top to hang over the container's end. If the wick is too short, the flame will be too close to the jar's edge, which is a safety hazard. You can use a hot glue gun to glue the wicks to the centre of the container or use wax dots to keep the wick centred.
Wooden wicks are a great option as they do not "mushroom", producing very little carbon, soot, and debris. To prepare wooden wicks, place the wood pieces in a shallow dish and drizzle them with olive oil. Allow the wood to soak for 20 minutes, then remove and dry them with a paper towel. Insert the oil-treated wood into wood wick tabs, ensuring they are made for wood wicks as cotton or hemp wick tabs will not work.
After pouring the wax into your container, ensure the wick is upright and centred. Allow the wax to cool and harden completely before trimming the wick. Trim the wick to 1/3 inch just above the wax if using a wooden wick, or leave a little length above the wax if using a standard wick.
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Finishing touches: Tie twine or ribbon around the candle for a personalised touch
Adding those final flourishes to your candle will elevate its appearance and make it truly unique. Tying twine or ribbon around your candle is a simple yet effective way to personalise it. You can use any colour or type of ribbon or twine that you like, but it's best to opt for something that complements the colour of the flowers you've used.
If you're using twine, consider a natural, rustic-looking option, perhaps something thicker, and tie it around the centre of the candle. You could even add a small charm or pendant to the twine for an extra special touch. If you're using ribbon, perhaps opt for a thinner variety, and tie it in a bow at the front of the candle. You could also add a small label to the ribbon, with a personalised message or the recipient's name.
You could also add a custom label to the lid of the candle, or even to the base, if you'd like to include a longer message. This could be a thoughtful note to the recipient, or perhaps a description of the flowers used and the properties of the candle.
Don't forget, it's important to always keep an eye on your candle when it's lit, and never leave it unattended.
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Frequently asked questions
It is important to only use dried flowers for your candles as fresh flowers will retain moisture and won't dry nicely. Break up the flowers into small pieces and place them away from the centre of the wick so that they don't come into contact with the flame. The petals should also not stick out of the wax.
Delicate flowers with bright colours work best for decorating candles. Dried lavender buds are also a good option as they retain their purple colour and are known for their relaxing and soothing properties.
First, pick some flowers and lay them out on several layers of kitchen towel or absorbent paper. Arrange the flowers so that they will face outwards when pressed, which is easiest to do with the flower head facing down. Ensure that the steam function of your iron is switched off and that the heat is set low. Hold the iron in one place, moving it every thirty seconds or so. When the flowers are dry and slightly crispy, peel back the paper and carefully remove them.
