DAY 1 – 12 Days of Christmas 2023 – Trash to Treasure

Hey there, lovely readers! It’s Wanda from A Wandaful Thing, and I’m absolutely thrilled to start this year’s 12 Days of Trash to Treasure Christmas Decor with this:

DIY Wax Dipped Primitive Window Candle

Supplies

Battery operated candle: Walmart and Dollarama carry these- I got mine for $0.25 at a yard sale this past summer.
1 cup beeswax pastilles
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp nutmeg
Old paintbrush
Metal container for melting wax

It was definitely a trial and error process. There may be a better way to do this but in the end I really like how it turned out.

• Take the candle apart.
• Spray paint the base of the candle holder in whatever color that you choose, if you don’t like the gold  (I did mine in black to match other items).Allow it to dry.
• In a metal container, slowly melt the beeswax pastilles and coconut oil. Beeswax can be difficult to clean up so I have a single metal container that I designate solely for the purpose of using to melt my wax when making candles.

• Stir the beeswax and coconut oil frequently until they have melted.
• Remove from heat and add the nutmeg. The nutmeg is what adds a bit of the brown color and provides a little bit of grungy textured look. It is best to work with the wax when it is warm. I removed mine from the heat and allowed it to cool just slightly before I began using it. If you use the wax when it is really hot, it will melt the previous layers of wax that you put on the candle.
• Place the batteries in the candlestick and replace the gold piece that goes into the top. Then, dip the paintbrush into the wax and begin to add a bit of wax to cover the top gold piece of the candle holder. The wax will dry very quickly but this is where it may take a bit of trial and error to achieve the look you want. The best part about working with beeswax is that you can scrape it off using toothpicks if you need to so that you can rework an area that may not look right to you.
• Then, once you have the gold tip covered, put the bulb back in and screw it to where you can hold onto the bulb as you finish the candlestick. Again, use the paintbrush to add layers of wax to the candle. You can add as many layers as you want to achieve the look that you desire.
• Wax will drip onto the part of the candle that sits in the base. You can simply use a knife to scrape that part off. Don’t discard the wax, you can put it back in the metal container to re-melt and re-use it.

Tips For Wax-Dipped Primitive Window Candles

• Don’t use extremely hot wax because it will melt the previous layers of wax that you have put on the candle. Use warm wax but if it starts to cool too much, you can simply reheat the wax just a bit.
• You may have a bit of wax build-up on your brush. The wax will melt off once you stick it back in the metal container. Don’t throw away any wax that you scrape off the candle or that falls onto your work area. It can be reheated and reused.
• Beeswax can be very messy! Only use utensils that you don’t care to use for future projects
• Don’t give up! It took me a bit to get the hang of putting the wax on and creating the look that I wanted. I had to scrape several areas off and start again.
• When I need to replace the battery, I will use a knife to cut through the wax to unscrew the top. If I feel the need to add more wax back to the top after I replace the batteries, then I will do so again using the paintbrush and melted wax.
• Keep the candles away from high heat areas. The wax will melt if the candles get too warm.

I hope you enjoyed DAY 1 – 12 Days of Christmas Trash to Treasure Decor

Be sure to come back tomorrow as I will be sharing one of my past favorite 12 Days of Christmas Posts.