Candle placecards/favors DIY

[Sarah]

I mentioned yesterday that I was working on a candle project, well, here's the first attempt. I think this has real potential- just not sure exactly what to do with it! A friend of mine is planning her daughter's wedding for this summer and shared this idea with me this past weekend. She an avid rubber stamper, and is planning to use this idea with a stamp she's also using for the invitations. Well, I thought that if you could do it with a stamp, maybe you could also print something and get the same effect. The candle on the left with our picture was my first attempt, the candle on the right is the size I'm going to use for my favors/placecards, I'm just still not sure what design to use. I was going to use one of my monograms, but I want it individualized for each guest.

 

 

This is done using tissue paper! Can you believe it? You print (or stamp) on the tissue paper, then using wax paper and an embossing heat gun apply the tissue paper to the candle. The wax makes the tissue paper seem to disappear. It's hard to tell in the pictures, but it looks like the design is just printed right on the candle. The one on the right I have turned to partially conceal the name, but it has a background in a sepia color with the name in red.

 

If anyone is actually interested in doing this, let me know and i'll post more detailed instructions.

 

Edited 4/16/08: I've gotten lots of requests for directions, so here you go...

 

You'll need...

 

White tissue paper & Ink Jet Printer (Laser is probably fine too, but I used an ink jet)

Heat gun (like the kind used for stamping and embossing)

Wax paper

Candles

Plain white paper & scotch tape

Scissors

 

 

OK, first plan your design, monogram, picture, whatever. You'll be printing this directly onto tissue paper.

 

Try printing on tissue paper. I know some printers can handle it some cannot. Assuming yours can't (mine couldn't), you'll need to figure out where on a piece of white paper your design will print, and tape a small square of tissue paper over that area. Make sure the tissue paper is taped COMPLETELY flat or the design will get messed up. I was able to print on up to a 6x6 inch square successfully. Print your design on the tissue paper that's taped to a regular piece of white paper just so it can get through the printer. Cut your design out and discard the white paper so all you have left is your tissue paper.

 

Now, to get it on the candle! Cut out a strip of wax paper so that you can place the tissue paper on the candle, lay the wax paper over it, and wrap the wax paper all the way around to the back so you can hold it taut. Using your heat gun, carefully, slowly apply heat to the wax paper over the candle, sweeping side to side, until you notice the wax paper turn "slick" and you see the image darken underneath. This is the tricky part...you want the wax from the wax paper to coat the tissue, and you want the candle to melt just enough to absorb the tissue- it takes some practice. Use a couple scrap candles first until you get the hang of it. The smaller the piece of tissue, the easier it is. If you mess up, or if the wax runs, you can hit it with the heat gun again at the end to smooth it out.

 

That's it- PM me if you have any questions

[TammyB]

Sarah I think those are super cute.. But just a thought, how well will they burn? meaning will the paper on the side catch on fire? That would be my only worry with them.

[Sarah]

My guess is that yes, the paper on the side could potentially catch fire...which is why I decided to do the small candle with the really small monogram on it! I think it's more of a decoration though than anything else...Maybe it needs a disclaimer logo. hehe

[TammyB]

Yeah that might be a good idea. I would hate to give someone a favor that could burn their house down.. Maybe a disclaimer on the bottom that says remove decal before you light the candle.

[Sarah]

You can't remove the paper because when you use the heat gun it kinda sets the tissue into the candle. I actually just tried scraping the one I already made- it's stuck in there pretty good.

 

OK, maybe this was a bad idea. I guess I didn't think that people might actually light them and burn them down far enough to where it would matter. I never burn anything but scented candles like Yankee and Gold Canyon, so I wasn't thinking about the need to deal with the paper...

[*JillD*]

sarah, I think those are really cute! I think if I got one, I would just keep it as a decoration, I wouldn't actually burn it, but you never know what people will do!

[Sarah]

I decided to try to burn the paper on the side with a lighter. It won't ignite with a lighter. It kinda charrs and disintegrates away with direct flame. Now I have the large candle with the picture on it lit and I'll see what it does when it burns down that far. Stay tuned...lol

[TammyB]

Trust me Sarah I have "decortive" candles that I don't burn and I have ones that I do. However with that said Cain harps on me saying "Why can't we light that candle again? So it's more the men I'm worried about. That's all us women need to deal with.. Picture this.

 

The guy does something wrong, decides he needs to make it up to you,, well his only thought is s*x (cause they think its the cure all) so he lights a ton of candle (even your favor) and next thing you know the women comes home to her bedroom that caught of fire... Come on,, you know it can happen.. lol

[Sarah]

Somehow I knew this was going to come back to sex...lol

 

Well, mine is lit and is going to stay lit until we know the answer...hehe

 

I'm thinking that it won't catch on fire because the tissue paper is so thin. We'll see!

[TammyB]

Hopefully it's not one of those candles that has a 40 hour burn time.. lol