I’m afraid it is starting to seem like we are book haters in this house. What with the book page rosettes which turned into a wreath and now these book page candles. We actually are book lovers in this house. Also, we are recycling lovers. Anytime I can make a craft out of things I already have around the house, I am a fan. I saw a few ideas like this when planning our wedding and decided I wanted to go with all different sizes and shapes of candles. The square ones you see pictured here are actually small flower vases so I made very basic and cheater style candles by melting down plain wax and making wicks. It was super messy and I lost a pair of tongs and a spatula to the battle against the wax. Candle-makers, I am in awe of your skill and patience! You certainly do not need to make your entire candles from scratch. Most of my candles were purchased from the craft store as already existing candles. Keep on scrolling for more photos and how to make these book page candles!
photo by Elyse Anne Maria.
What books to use? I knew that if I were a guest at a wedding I would read the candles to figure out what books the pages came from. So as the hostess of the wedding, I wanted to use book pages that were meaningful to me. We chose poems from Edgar Allan Poe because he is my favorite author (I even named a cat after him), selections from C.S. Lewis as well as an old-fashioned cook book with some classic recipes, a mystery book that contains logic/mystery puzzles, and a book called The Food of Italy since Italy holds such a special place in my heart. Each guest had the option of taking home as many candles as they wanted, after I sequestered my favorites of course, so these book page candles doubled as wedding decor and favors.
photo by Elyse Anne Maria.
Supplies:
Candles – any size, shape, and color. I used white for our wedding and unscented since they would be lit at the dinner tables.
Books or torn-out book pages, you could also use newspaper
Decoupage or ModPodge (I used Martha Stewart brand because that is what my local craft store had in stock at the time.)
Ribbon, thread, or twine, if desired
Directions:
Measure the height and circumference of your candles.
Cut strips of book pages or newspaper about 1/2 inch shorter than the height of your candles.
Depending on the circumference of the candles and the width of your book pages, you may use 1 or 2 strips per candle.
Brush or paint the decoupage onto the outside of your candle, carefully place the book page strip on top of the decoupage and use your fingers to smooth out any creases, wrinkles, or bubbles.
Brush or paint another layer of decoupage on top of the book page. Allow to dry completely.
Wrap ribbon, thread, or twine around the candles for extra decoration, if desired.
Use as wedding/party decor or favors, home decor, or gifts.
photo by Megan Nicole Designs.
photo by Elyse Anne Maria.