Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Autumn Candles using Fruits & Vegetables

I must confess, I love using food to decorate with.
 Let's face it, food doesn't just taste great, it can be really beautiful.  This is one of my favorite ways to make candles and I've been doing it for a long time.  The technique is simple, cut a hole in your produce as wide as the candle that you'll be inserting into it.  You can use a small sharp knife, an apple corer, a melon baller,  even an electric drill.  The drill is great for hard gourds and squash, you just need to make sure that the drill bit matches the size of your candle.
You may need to cut along the bottom of your produce if your candle is not stable or flat. The last thing you want is a live flame rolling around your table. If your using fruit, just make sure you set a saucer, or plate underneath so you won't damage your table with the juice.
I'm giving you several pictures for inspiration, but don't be limited by my photos, try artichokes, persimmons or green apples.  A really pretty way to dress up your produce is to rub it with edible glitter.  You'll find this at your hobby store in the cake decorating section.  It adds a subtle sheen to fruit that really glistens in the candlelight.  It also adds a sweet flavor if you decide to eat your artwork after dinner.
I hope you enjoy making these, and again, let me know how it works out for you.
This is a fun project because by just carving, or piercing to outer skin of a white pumpkin, the orange flesh will show through.
Happy Shanonigins

3 comments:

  1. For approx. $2.00 I can do this! AWESOME!!!!

    WOW! I'm so glad I asked! The
    fruit with the votives are easy and cheap enough and I think I can do this! Without space to keep holiday decorations so this is PERFECT! And I don't have to store it and I can do it again next year!

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  2. Thanks Deb, I would say that 80% of the candle projects from this week are less than $3.00 and most under $5.00. Isn't it nice to know that beauty doesn't always need to be expensive :)

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