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20 May 2024

Gift for wedding guests - how to make a DIY tealight candle and candle holder set?

Gift for wedding guests - how to make a DIY tealight candle and candle holder set?

We are entering the wedding and reception season, and one of the customs that many brides and grooms practice is to give small gifts as presents to their wedding guests. Such a modest gift is meant to be both a thank you for coming to the ceremony and wedding reception and a symbolic memento of the event. Many couples opt for a DIY gift - after all, a partly or completely self-prepared trinket, in which the heart has been put into, pleases us the most. A sample of flavoured tea in a small jar, a homemade liqueur from the couple's own harvest or a bit of honey from a local apiary are some of the suggestions. Candles, which of course you can also make yourself, are also popular. We recommend combining two interesting ideas - candles and DIY candle holders. Preferably small, in the form of tealights, the candles will burn out and the candle holder will stay in your loved ones' home for years to come. How do you make them yourself?

How to make a tealight candle holder from polymer plaster?

You know what's the coolest thing about plaster casts? The fact that, thanks to the decorations, each cast can be different. And although we use the same mould to make them, so that their shape will be the same, the colours or other forms of decoration of such casts mean that we can make different variations of them.

The same is true for polymer plaster tealight candle holders. Depending on our tastes, perhaps the style of the wedding, but also the number of guests, we can prepare polymer plaster candle holders in several versions:

  • terrazzo style
  • marbled
  • single-colour
  • bicolour and bullet
  • with additional decorations - e.g. with dipped coffee beans or jewellery ornaments (choose those that can be easily sanded down with sandpaper)

To make a tealight candle holder from polymer plaster, we can use the two-component A-STONE polymer gypsum or poly gypsummered SnowCast (Lastryko). In the first case, the high-strength gypsum is enriched with acrylic resin, which in combination results in a very resistant mixture and, consequently, in casts. It should be borne in mind that the lifespan of the product is a maximum of 15 minutes, so when making a larger number of casts, either prepare the casting compound in several batches or use a retarder for polymer gypsum. We can also make tealight candle holders from polymer plaster using SnowCast polymer plaster to the terrazzo technique. In this case, we may be tempted to use moulds with unique shapes, for example with gouges, grooves or other decorations. This type of gypsum is excellent at deforming fine details.

To prepare the mass, we need gypsum, water, a scale, a container and a spatula for mixing - in addition, it is advisable to make the casts with gloves on an even surface protected with painter's foil or cardboard. When making decorations, we use dedicated dyes. We can also reach for the additives mentioned earlier - such as coffee. It is important that the product is dry.

Polymer plaster tealight candle holder - an original gift for wedding guests

About it, how to calculate the amount of polymer gypsum needed for casting, we have mentioned in detail - but let us remind you that we first grate the mould on a scale and then fill it with water. The weight of the water will be the necessary indicator that we enter into the calculator. Choosing the gypsum we will use will give us the exact proportions to use when preparing the casting compound.

By measuring out the required amount of water, adding the powder (always in that order!) and mixing thoroughly, you will obtain a paste to which you can add colouring or other decorative elements. Remember to use a spatula to mix the mixture thoroughly and slowly, avoiding aeration - at the end, tap the container with the mixture on all sides to get rid of any air bubbles. The mixture can also be prepared by using stirrers for polymer gypsumwhich, with a drill or screwdriver, will be set in such a way as to minimise the risk of air bubbles. We can add to the mix plaster stain A-STONE, one of dry pigments for HandiCast and SnowCast plasters or universal neon pigment for polymer plaster.

Pour the finished mixture into the moulds, wait 90 or 40 minutes (using a two-component or one-component product, respectively) for it to dry, remove it from the moulds and set it aside for 24 hours. After this time, use 120, 240 and 600 grit sandpaper to finish smoothing the surface of the candle holders. After a few days, the candlesticks should be treated with an impregnating agent. Glosstone waterproofingApply the product with a brush, wiping off excess with a dry cloth and repeat after 15-30 minutes. In this way, tealight candle holders made of polymer plaster will be protected against the effects of water, soy wax.

How to make tealight candles for wedding guest gifts?

These polymer plaster tea light holders will make a wonderful gift for your wedding guests and can be accompanied by candles you can buy or also make your own. You will need tealight moulds, a water bath bowl, a pot with a thick bottom, wax, wick, scissors, spatula and optionally a hair dryer. It is also a good idea to protect your table or countertop with painter's foil or cardboard.

Wax bought or recovered from unburnt candles should be put into a bowl, which is placed over a pot - the warming water in the pot will begin to evaporate, melting the wax. To the already liquid wax you can add aromatic oil, colouring or spices (e.g. cinnamon). Place a string or bought wick in the centre of the mold and slowly pour the wax into the tealight mold. Do this carefully so you don't burn yourself. Use a spatula to even out the wax and allow the tealight candle to cool - this will take about 12 hours, so you can speed up the process a little by using a cold air dryer.

Such a gift for wedding guests will not only be practical, but also sentimental - the polymer plaster tealight candle holder will stay once the candle has burned out and will certainly be an original decoration for the home of our loved ones. For more inspiration, visit our blog and for quality products visit our online shop.

Author: Ecupstone
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