Every time I go to the thrift shop, I see them. Sitting there, all alone… sometimes with matching siblings, and sometimes not. I look at them. Touch them. Admire them. And then walk away. After all, just how many can I possibly use? They already occupy so many spots in my little house and even in my garden as well.
I also see the other lost souls as well. The little wayward saucers, with no matching cup to nestle warmly on top. The patterns and colors are lovely, but without their other half, they are mostly left behind.
But really, do the cup and saucer need to match perfectly? Is there any set rule written in the Cup and Saucer Law Book?
I think not.
I love anything mismatched anyway.
So I began combining teacups and saucers that were not originally meant to go together and found that they made some pretty combinations.
But now, what to do with them?
I have seen, in the past, many tutorials sprinkled around the net on how to make vintage teacup candles, and thought that was the way to go.
So I’d like to share with you my version of the Vintage Teacup Lights with Mismatched Saucer.
First, I decided that I’d like to use soy wax. I love how cleanly and slowly it burns. I found a type that can be melted in the microwave, and since this is my very first time EVER making candles, I thought easy was the way to go.
So here goes…
GATHER ALL OF YOUR SUPPLIES…
- Wax of your choosing (I used microwavable soy wax);
- Candy or candle thermometer;
- Candle Wicking (I used large size with zinc core wire);
- Wick clips;
- Tea cup;
- Wood skewers or chop sticks;
Measure your candlewick to the cup’s height plus 2 extra inches. Attach the wick clip.
Attach the wick to the bottom of the teacup. I used Tacky Wax for this, or you can use a bit of your melted wax. Just dip the bottom of the wick clip in the melted wax and attach to the bottom of the cup.
Next, center your wick and place it between the 2 skewers so it will stay straight. You can tie the skewers together with a twist tie to keep them together. I used chop sticks that were still attached together at the bottom, so it created a nice little “vice” for holding the wick in place.
Next, melt your wax according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once the wax is melted, add your fragrance if you desire. I used Eden’s Garden Pure Essential Oil, and added just a few drops, since I prefer a soft scent.
Mix the fragrance in and pour the wax into your cup, leaving about ½ inch space from the cup’s rim.
Now, I have read that very often a well will form around the wick. To avoid that, you must poke a circle of holes with a toothpick around the wick after the wax has hardened approx. 1 hour, then pour additional melted wax into the cup until the wax is ¼ of an inch from the rim. For some reason, my wax hardened without a well, so I don’t know what I did or didn’t do to make that happen!
After approx. 1 hour (or whatever time frame the wax manufacturer recommends) you can trim your wick to 1/4 inch.
You're done!
I was pleased as punch with the results.
So the lonely teacup and wayward saucer find a home and a new career together as a light! These make such lovely gifts, and after the candle is burned, you are left with a sweet mismatched cup and saucer to use.
I hope this little "how-to" was helpful, and that you'll be inspired to use those vintage, mismatched cups and saucers that you might otherwise leave behind.
XOXOXO
