How to Make Tea Cup Candle Favors

Homemade gifts are a great choice for the holidays, because they communicate thoughtfulness and caring that’s difficult to achieve with a store-bought present. If you’re still looking for a handmade gift idea for a sister, teacher, or friend, why not consider tea cup candle favors? This project is easy to create and involves upcycling thrifted materials, making it affordable, practical, and eco-friendly.

Keep reading to learn more about how to turn beautiful vintage tea cups into lovely little candles.

Getting Started on Your Tea Cup Candle Favors

Supplies Needed:

For this project you’ll need to start at your local thrift store and seek out some vintage tea cups that inspire you. The rest of the supplies you need can be easily gathered online or at a nearby craft store.

●      Tea cups

●      Partially burned candles (or soy wax flakes)

●      Wicks

●      Wick holder (food sealing clips work great for this!)

●      Candle scents

●      Candle dye (optional)

Tools:

●      2 pans (for a double boiler)

●      Tongs

●      A candy thermometer

Step 1- Prep Materials

If using old candles, break up the wax and separate it from the old wicks. If you’re using new wax flakes, you can skip this step.

Step 2- Melt the Wax and Add Scent

Add water to the bottom pan of your double boiler. For the top pan in your double boiler, you may want to consider using an older pot or vessel, something you’re not too attached to, as it will soon be covered in wax.

Next, place your wax into the top pan and allow it to melt at a temperature of about 185 degrees. Add in your candle scent when your wax is approximately 180 °F. Fish out any leftover pieces of old wick using a tongs.

Step 3- Prepare your Teacups and Wicks

Now it’s time to lay out your tea cups and add in the candle wicks. Measure the depth of each tea cup and cut your wicks so they are 2 inches taller than the top of your tea cup. Use a wick holder to steady your wick in place so it doesn’t move around as your candle cools.

Step 4- Filling your tea cups

Once your tea cups are prepared and your wax is scented and melted, it’s time for the final step. Carefully pour the wax into each cup, stopping ½ inch before you reach the top so you don’t overflow the candle.

Step 5- Cool and Enjoy

You’ll want to allow your candles to cool for at least 6-8 hours before attempting to light them and enjoy.

There you have it – in just 5 simple steps you have a go-to gift idea using these tea cup candle favors!

Good Earth Candles

If you don't have time to DIY these tea cup candle favors this holiday season, you have a lot of great options for natural, giftable candles. Good Earth creates 100% natural, non-GMO, soy candles that burn slowly and evenly and won’t add toxins to your home’s air. Their fragrance options include lavender, sandalwood, sweet basil vanilla, eucalyptus, cranberry spice, and more!

Have you made tea cup candle favors? Share your favorite holiday DIY gifts with us in the comments section below.

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Photo by Soroush Zargar on Unsplash

6 Natural Ways to Recycle Your Christmas Tree

A fresh-cut Christmas tree can be wonderful for many reasons. Not only does it add a lovey evergreen fragrance to your home, but it also creates opportunities for memory-making around the holidays. Real Christmas trees are also the most eco-friendly choice for decorating, as they will never pollute a landfill with the synthetic materials found in artificial trees. We’re here to help you plan your post-holiday clean up early with 6 ideas on how you can recycle your fresh-cut Christmas tree.

How to Safely Get Rid of An Old Christmas Tree

Curbside Pickup

If your city offers curbside tree pickup, you may have your easy solution at hand. These trees can be processed into natural mulch, which can then be used in your area’s landscaping.

Goat Farms May Want Your Tree

Did you know goats and other livestock love to munch on an old evergreen tree? It’s true! See if your local goat farmer or animal rescue could use your Christmas tree as an animal snack.

Non-Profit Pickup

Some non-profit organizations, like the boy scouts or other groups may pick up your tree for a small fundraising fee. Typically these groups will take your donation and deliver your tree to a landscaper for mulching.

Herbal Pine Needle Steam

Looking for a way to clear out your body after weeks of holiday feasting? Pine promotes relaxation and can help with winter colds, so why not take a few of those branches and make yourself a steam treatment? Simply add a few small twigs of your evergreen tree to a medium pot of water and bring it to a boil. Bring the pot to the table, placing on a pot holder for protection, grab a towel and drape it over the pot, and breathe in the steam for roughly 10 minutes.

Pine Vinegar Hair Rinse

Care for your scalp and hair in the dry winter months by using your pine needles to make this pine-vinegar hair rinse. For starters you’ll need a glass bottle with a sealing, non-metal top that holds at least 16 oz. Add 2 cups of white or apple cider vinegar and 2 tbsp of pine needles to your glass bottle. Let the concoction steep in a dark area for 1-2 weeks before use. When it’s ready to go, add 1 tbsp of the mixture to a cup of warm water and use in place of conditioner. Allow it to sit on your hair for a few minutes before rinsing.

DIY Coasters

Need a natural looking way to protect your end-tables from those inevitable condensation rings? Use the trunk of your tree to make natural coasters or other home decor items. Use a hacksaw to remove the branches and cut the trunk of your tree into thin “slices.” Be sure to sand your wooden discs and apply several coats of poly before use to protect the wood and provide a smooth finish.

A Few Tips for Dealing with that Tree

One downside is that natural evergreen Christmas trees do need to be recycled or disposed off quickly after the holidays are over, as a dry tree can be a fire hazard. If you notice dry branches, or showers of falling needles, it’s time for that tree to go. Speaking of which, even if it still looks lovely, a post-Christmas evergreen typically has dry needles. If you just haul it out without protection, you will be vacuuming up needles for months on end. Save yourself the hassle and use an old sheet or tarp to drag your tree out of the house.

How do you recycle your fresh-cut tree? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

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Photo by Irina Kostenich on Unsplash