DIY Teacup Candles

Now it’s Autumn I want nothing more than to curl up with a good book, some hot cocoa and a lightly scented candle flickering beside me – so here’s how you can make candles in teacups!

You will need:

• Pretty teacups
• Teacup saucers*
• Candle wax pellets
• Wooden lollipop sticks
• Stearic acid
• Super glue
• Cotton candle wicks
• Two saucepans – one smaller than the other
• Candle scent*
• Coffee Beans*

Any items with an * next to them are optional.

First take your teacups and wash them thoroughly so that they are completely clean. I actually got my teacups from a local charity shop so they hardly cost a thing. Once they have all been washed leave them to dry.

Next open your wax pellets and measure the amount you need by pouring them into your teacups, I found that you need to fill your teacups right to the top to get an accurate idea of the amount of wax needed as once melted there will be less.

Once you are happy that you have enough wax, measure it so you know exactly how much you are using. Then pour it into the smaller saucepan of the two. Because of the nature of this DIY you will not be able to use the smaller saucepan for food again, so make sure it is either an old one you don’t need or one you have purchased specially. Label it as Wax Saucepan so you know in the future.

It is important you know exactly how much wax you are using as you now need to work out how much stearic acid is required. The measurements I used were 450g of wax to 3 teaspoons of stearic acid. Add your stearic acid to the wax pellets.

Place your pan to the side and measure the lengths of your wicks by pulling them taught alongside your tea cups, cut them so that they are two centimetres above the top. Then take each one and glue it inside a teacup as centrally as possible.

Wrap the top of each wick around a lollipop stick or pen.

Now boil the kettle and pour the water into the larger saucepan. You may need to boil the kettle several times as you need your smaller pan to float just above the larger one.

Place the smaller saucepan inside the larger one and turn on the hob. Use one of your wooden lollipop sticks as a stirrer whilst the wax melts. 

Once your wax has melted carefully pour it into your teacups; if you want to add a scent now is the time. I added a few drops of strawberry candle scent to some and wax, then coffee beans, then wax, then coffee beans to a few which worked really well. Who doesn’t want a coffee scented candle? If you are struggling to pour the wax you can use a funnel.

Leave your candles to harden. Once they have you can fill in the well that will have formed around the wick with a little more wax and trim the wick itself down.

Now super glue your teacups to their saucers if applicable.

That’s it! Now all that’s left to do is enjoy your beautiful teacup candles on a cold night, whilst your tucked up in a nice cosy blanket.

You can also experiment with making your candles in other things, I made some in a set of tiny egg cups and lids I found as well. They turned out really well.

Sophie x