Homemade teacup candles from thrifted teacups

Like all normal 27 year olds, I have a large collection of teacups.  In my head, I live in a large, rambling farmhouse with an oak sideboard.  The type with little brass hooks from which my teacups would daintily hang, all colourful and inviting.  In reality I live in an an old Edinburgh tenement (the picture on the Wikipedia page of the back of an Edinburgh tenement building could be a picture of my building, it's identical), which, although more than large enough for 2 people and a dog, is not quite big enough for an antique oak sideboard.  Plus, lugging that thing up 3 flights of stairs?  No thank you.



So, although over the years I've amassed this collection, I decided recently to start living the life I ACTUALLY live, rather than the fantasy life I've built up in my head (*ahem* cupboard full of gardening equipment for the non-existent-but-future-garden-space).  Off to charity and friends has gone a lot of the stuff I accumulated but some of it was too pretty to let go without crafting first.



You've already seen the first of my teacup makes, the teacup pincushion.  Incidentally, my Mum loved this when she got it as part of her Christmas present!  Just got to make myself one now, since I've mastered the art of using hot glue to secure the cushion, without gluing myself to the table or the inside of the cup.  Hot glue on your thumb nail is surprisingly sore.



Followers on Instagram may have seen some of these already.  Feel free to join me in the Instagram fun!

I bought eco soy wax, scents, wicks, wick holders and dye from Whickedwax1 on Ebay, recommended by Frances of Lapin Gris Crafts.  Postage was fast and the supplies were good quality, I would definitely go back.  Making the candles themselves was surprisingly simple, once I'd mastered how to attach the wick to the wick stand.  I slopped a fair amount of wax on the counter, since I don't have a pyrex bowl with a pouring spout (and was half-cut at the time) but soy wax is super easy to clean up, who knew?!





I used 'baked apple pie' and 'cinnamon' scents, since I thought they'd be nice and festive.  On Frances' recommendation I used half a pot of scent for each candle, though I would probably go with a quarter per candle next time.  The scent is reasonably strong and making them did stink out the kitchen slightly!  The amount probably depends on the size of your container though.





I had enough wax left over to make 2 for me!  I would definitely do these again, I have 2 old Yankee candle jars I'm planning on refilling and would love to make a massive candle with 3 or 4 wicks out of vintage glassware you see all the time in charity shops.



Overall, a definite success!  I see many more candle making/wine drinking/radio 6 listening sessions in 2014!