Make Water Balloon Candle Holders
by heather
Candletech has instructions for the coolest candle-making project I have EVER seen! Using balloons filled with lukewarm water, you can make these amazing candle luminaries by dipping balloons in wax. I love the organic shape of the luminaries, and this project looks so fun! They are so elegant, and nobody would ever guess you used dollar store materials for this project! These would be great table decorations for a wedding or other formal occasion, or just pretty to scatter around your home. [click here for full instructions from candletech]
The comments section of the tutorial also provides a lot of valuable insight for making this project. Commenters had better luck with 7" or 9" balloons (instead of the water balloons used in the tutorial). Use battery-operated tea lights to avoid melting through the luminaries (the metal-cupped tea lights can possibly get warm enough to melt through), or add sand in the bottom of the luminary to keep the tea light from melting through.
Other commenters suggested adhering something to the outside of the wax to add additional interest (although I just LOVE them as they are!), or using multiple colors of wax in several dips and then carving away to allow different colors to show through.
The project recommends high-melt paraffin wax to avoid the melting issue when used with tea lights. If you use battery-operated tea lights, you will avoid this issue and can use other kinds of wax to
make your luminaries. Melt down candles from the dollar store, perhaps? Get beeswax from your local beekeeper or farmer's market?
Project Estimate:
- Paraffin Wax*, $1 (find at the grocery store in the canning section)
- Balloons, $1
- Double boiler, on hand
- Cookie sheet, on hand
- Battery operated tea lights, 2 for $1
Total cost: $3
*one commenter said s/he made 15 luminaries out of about 8 lbs of paraffin, so figure about half a pound of wax per luminary. You will likely need multiple blocks of wax from the grocery store to get started.
Photo montage by I-Do-It-Yourself.
I did this once at summer camp, but instead of making them hollow (to hold another candle) we filled them with a low-heat wax (to make them a candle in themselves). The outside part was thicker than these appear to be, and we dyed the wax for the outside, but the basics are more or less the same.
Great find!
They look so neat – I’ve save the idea in my favorites :) For some day.
Fabulous idea.
AMAZING! I love the thought of layers of colors so that you could etch into those layers. That would be sooo much fun for my kids!
Thanks, as always, for the inspiration!
Rebecca of the R&W Gals
I did this as research for the summer camp I work for. This works best using a thicker latex balloon rather than the water balloons. I also did a cool water dunk inbetween wax dips. They turned out very well. In fact, the one I made is still alive after 2 years :D
What an awesome blast from the past — I’m nearly teary, for this post has totally awakened a childhood memory of making these when I was very little. I had completely forgotten about it, and am so, so excited to see this beautifully done tutorial! I can’t wait to share it with my own children!
Thanks a mil!
Jenn
[...] J’ai trouvé ce DIY sur ce site : http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2009/02/balloon-luminaries/ [...]
After you’ve got the first few layers of wax, add pressed flowers or sprigs of Fir Boughs (tiny) to wax, then layer a few more dips and you’ll have imbedded luminaries!!!
[...] Make candle holders out of water balloons [...]
I wonder if using the same principle only greasing the balloon and using plaster a paris would work, creating a more durable candle holder.
I am concerned here about the luminaries MELTING when placing a candle inside of them . . .
Hi Kristin, You have several options: Use battery-operated tea lights to avoid melting through the luminaries (the metal-cupped tea lights can possibly get warm enough to melt through), or add sand in the bottom of the luminary to keep the tea light from melting through. You can also insert a small glass votive holder to protect the luminaria.
ok so are there actual directions cause i am one of those people who need them or else i will find a way to mess this up. so if someone could tell me where they are or explain the process to me a little more in depth that would be great :)
How many layers are necessary?
@Holly, I haven’t personally tried the craft so I don’t know how many layers you need. Just experiment to see what works for you.
[...] I tried making chocolate bowls this way and ended up with chocolate all over my kitchen. But Dollar Store Crafts gives some good tips on how to master the candles, so maybe I will give it a try. Remember if you [...]
[...] delicate wax lanterns [...]
Haley I wondered the same thing and then realized that if you click on Candletech in the first sentence it will take you to the directions.
Oh… My…Word…
This is the answer to an issue!! I’ve been asked to dry the flowers from the arrangement that was on the casket of a good friend’s mother and make memorial things with them. There are memorial candles out there that are VERY expensive. So I’ll be taking some of the flowers and sticking them to the soft wax then giving them one or two more dunks!
Thank you!!
I’m hoping to take some of the purple flowers, crushing them, laying them flat then rolling the balloon in them.
Check back on my blog to see the results!
*~*Note to Self*~* Make sure Balloons are filled with water. I missed that part on the instructions and had 4 explode and cover me in hot wax.
I have an actual paraffin wax heater to dip hands, feet, elbows in etc. I’m wondering if this would still work fine? also, do you have to get colored wax or is there a way to dye the wax, i.e. food coloring?
hi i was wondering what double boiler is and if you could just use a pot on a stove i know its a stupid ? but i had to ask
@Rachel, it seems like a parrafin wax heater would work – try it and let us know how it turns out. You can use a crayon to dye the wax (just melt it in with the wax), or you can also buy wax dye chips at your local craft store – they will be in with the candle-making supplies.
@amelia, a double boiler is just one pan with an inch or two of water in it, with a smaller pan sitting in the top of it – it allows the wax to heat evenly without burning/scorching it. So basically, just use two pans you already have.
Here are some instructions for making a double boiler.
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