Grungy Candles

I finished my wall sconces last night. And being the impatient person that I am, I had to have candles to put in them! Instead of paying the $10 or so it would have cost me for grungy candles, of course I had to make my own. I'd like to fib a little and say I used candles I already had on hand, but I must tell the truth. I had to go out and buy some candles. (Horrible, I know! Esp since I have tons of them packed away in a tote somewhere. I just didnt feel like digging them out) 

So I bought these for the outrageous price of 75cents apiece. I mean really, what happened to them being 25cents like I remember? 

They were a little longer than I wanted, so I hacked off about 2 inches from the top of them.

I started up my parrafin warmer. (This makes an AMAZING wax burner for all my wax projects. I bought if for my Mom as a gift, and she couldnt use it, so I took it for myself!) After only a day or two, my wax tarts I use in my burners lose their scent. So I add them into my wax bath.

I also look for any candles at garage sales, thrift store, etc. You can get bags of them for next to nothing. 

Or you can have wonderful people who give them to you, I just recently had a huge box of candles given to me! It was like Christmas. :)

Of course, I threw in the tops of the candles I had just cut.

 

 I then held my candle over the pot and used my spoon to pour wax over the candles. After I did this about 10 times, I used my syringe to squeeze wax onto the candles. This gives it a more chunky look. I did that about 3 times. 

Every now and then my syringe got clogged. I used a toothpick to unclog it and let it sit in the hot wax for just a moment, unclogged easily.

 I then painted over them with some maroon and brown paint. No neatness required, I just kinda slopped it on. I then sealed it with another coat of wax. I didnt even have to let the paint dry.

 Here they are finished. I think a little darker would have looked nicer, but I was in a hurry tonight.

 Here they are finished and hung up!