DIY Anthropologie Inspired Candles

When Tiffany of A Splendid Occasion (a fellow Tennessee gal!) was recently browsing Anthropologie, she was inspired to recreate it with her own flair! We’re thrilled to have her on the blog today to share this fabulously chic DIY with all of you! I know I personally love Anthro style and can’t wait to make some of these gorgeous candles for year-round decor and neat gift ideas! These would be darling as centerpieces for a party or wedding too!

SUPPLIES NEEDED

Unique vintage glasses
Fragrance
Martha Stewart Pearl Paint
Oven
Spray Paint
1 Sheet of Paper
Wax flakes
2 skewer sticks
Hot glue gun
Microwave/double broiler
Paint brush
Wicks
Alcohol tabs

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Paint the inside of the glass with pearl paint – Make sure your glass is clean by either washing it or wiping it out with alcohol.  Once dry, grab your paint brush and lightly coat the inside of your glass.  Make sure to leave a very light coat because you want the flame of the candle to shine through when you are done.  After it has been painted you can either let it dry for 21 days, or follow the instructions on the bottle for placing it in the oven.

2. Paint the inside/bottom of the cup with colored spray paint – After the pearl paint is completely dry according the instructions on the pearl paint can, you can begin to spray paint the inside with your choice of color paint.  In order to spray the inside of the cup, we made a shield out of a piece of paper and placed it around the outside of the cup.  Begin to lightly coat the inside of the cup (make sure you are spraying in a highly ventilated space).  Once that has dried, flip the cup over, cover the remaining portion of the outside of the cup with paper, and spray the bottom of the cup.  This coat can be a little thicker, as you want the color to completely shine through.  Let it dry completely before moving forward.  Make sure to read all instructions on the spray paint because it can be very flammable.

3. Melt the wax flakes- You can melt the wax in the microwave in a microwaveable safe dish with spout, or by using a double broiler.  If you choose to use a microwave, make sure to heat using one or two minute increments and watch carefully.

4. Prepare the cup for wax – As the wax is melting, plug in your hot glue gun.  Once the glue gun is hot, grab your wick and glue it to the bottom of the inside of the glass in the center.  Once the wick is glued, create a sturdy system to make sure that the wick stays in the center of the cup while the wax dries.  I used two wooden skewers with tape to keep it in the center.  It ended up looking like a bridge over the top of the cup.

5. Pour the wax into the glass –  Once your wax has melted in the microwave or on stovetop, grab your hot pads or a towel because it will be hot!  This is where you would add a drop or so of your fragrance.  One drop goes a long way in completely melted wax!  Pour the wax slowly into the cup avoiding the skewers. Fill glass until about 1/4 inch of the cup is showing.  Let the wax sit for several hours or overnight.  By morning you will have an amazingly beautiful and unique candle!  You will know it is ready to go when the wax looks cloudy and solid, like a regular candle.

*TIP* If you wake up and the middle of your wax has sunken in, melt some more wax and pour it into the whole.  Let it dry completely and you should be all set to go!