These lanterns can make a unique
flameless tealight candle or indoor/outdoor decoration. You can decorate the exterior with leaves, herbs like star anise or they can be painted with mica or other pigments to create holiday-specific designs.
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| Beeswax Lantern |
You Will Need:
Additional tools:
Double boiler
Balloons
Safety Goggles
Thermometer
Pie tin or Cookie Sheet
Parchment paper
Latex glove
1. Your melting pot/double boiler needs to be larger than the balloons you are using, so plan accordingly. Melt beeswax in a double boiler until liquid. The melting point of beeswax is between 144-147F. Beeswax heated above 185F will discolor, so use your thermometer to determine a temperature as close to or below the melting point as possible. Remove wax from heat and add optional fragrance (we used
Cinnamon Clove Fragrance Oil) at a rate of one ounce fragrance per pound of wax and stir thoroughly to incorporate. Larger pots of wax may require more beeswax to get the depth you are looking for in your lantern.
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| Melted, scented beeswax |
2. Fill enough balloons with water to make the number of lanterns you want. Fill them so they have a nice, round shape or your lantern will be lopsided. Do not overfill, you need enough slack at the top of the balloon to comfortably grip it as you dip it in the wax. The water in your balloons should be as cold as possible from the tap.
BEFORE DIPPING YOUR BALLOON IN HOT WAX: Test the wax by filling a finger of a latex glove with about an inch of water and dipping the finger into the wax. If the glove pops, your wax is too hot. If your test is a success, proceed with dipping your water balloon. If it is a failure, draw off the excess water with a
pipette and allow the wax to cool slightly before proceeding.
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| Water balloon dipped in beeswax |
3. Hold a balloon at the knot and dip into the wax about 3/4 up the balloon. Pull out of the wax and hold for a few seconds while the wax hardens. Repeat 25-30 times and then sit the waxed balloon on your parchment paper-lined pie tin or cookie sheet. Press down slightly to flatten out the bottom of the lantern to create a stable base. Do not hold the balloon in the wax for more than a second or two or you will melt the previous layer.
4. To decorate your lantern, dip tree leaves, botanicals or spices into the melted wax and quickly smooth or affix onto the outside of the lantern.
5. Once the beeswax shell has cooled and hardened and you are finished dipping and/or affixing decorative items, place lantern in the sink and using a pin or scissors, pop the water balloon. Pour out the water and gently peel the balloon off the inside of the lantern. Turn the shell upside down on a paper towel to drain.
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Finished Beeswax Lantern
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6. Give your lantern some finishing touches. Using a razor or a heated utensil, smooth the top edge and /or flatten out the lantern bottom to create a really even, stable surface. Rub mica into the wax or add mica to some of the melted wax (into a disposable container) and use as "paint" to create a design on the shell.
To Use: Place a
flameless tealight or an unscented wax tealight inside your lantern to create a softly diffused candle. Fill your lantern with scented, botanical potpourri. Use as centerpieces for weddings or gatherings. Line walkways with beeswax lanters on special occasions and let each guest
take one home.
Allison B. Kontur
www.BathBodySupply.com
