Introduction
Making DIY lanterns out of plastics candle tubes is a great and inexpensive way to bring a bit of atmosphere into your home or garden. It is also a fun craft project for anyone, regardless of experience or ability, to participate in. With just a few simple steps, you can create beautiful and unique homemade lanterns that will light up any occasion with an air of rustic charm.
Gather Supplies: To make your DIY plastic tube lanterns, you will need several plastic candle tubes (also known as battery votives), scissors, acrylic paint, tissue paper, clear-drying craft glue, flameless tea lights (or regular votive candles if desired),and a strong thread such as twine or fishing line.
Prepare the Plastic Tubes: Before getting started on crafting the lanterns themselves, it is important to prep the plastic tubes properly by cutting off any excess base or top parts that might be too long or bulky. You may also want to remove any labels or stickers still attached to the tubes.
Apply Paint & Tissue Paper: Once the plastic tubes are prepped, give them an added touch of flare by painting them using acrylic paints in whatever colors inspire you! Once the paint has dried completely you can then apply strips of tissue paper over part or all of each tube in whatever design you like ” from classic stripes to abstract patterns! Glue down the tissue paper with craft glue so it stays put.
Attach Thread & Add Lights: Now your lanterns are almost complete ” all that’s left to do is attach thread between two holes cut into each end of each tube and thread through a section of thinner twine for hanging purposes. Finish off your DIY project by placing flameless tea lights inside the tubes for an enchanting homemade light effect.
Materials Needed
Making craft lanterns out of plastic candle tubes is easier and more enjoyable than one might think! Start by acquiring your supplies: several long, cylindrical candle tubes, a package of wicks, a bag or two of wax, colored paper, scissors, hot glue or craft adhesive, and any other embellishments. Cut the colored paper into strips that are long enough to wrap around each tube and be able to overlap by an inch or so when glued. Secure the ends with either hot glue or craft adhesive. Insert the wick in the center of the tube so that it hangs below about 0.5 inches. Place the wrappers in a pan with water and melt them on low-medium heat until they become melted and liquid but not boiling. Carefully pour wax mixture into each tube and wait two minutes before adding more layers. Add decorations such as glitter or colorful beads which can settle in between layers of wax like puzzle pieces as they are poured over them. Let cool for eight to twelve hours or until all layers have hardened before lighting up your lovely craft lanterns and displaying them as home decor accents for colorful light.
Preparation
Before you start crafting your plastic candle tubes into decorative lanterns, there are some cleaning and preparation tasks that must be done in order to ensure successful and beautiful results. Start by gathering all the supplies necessary for the project, such as detergent, a sponge or cloth for scrubbing, scissors and a sharp knife, sandpaper, and spray paint (in any color you desire).
First, use the detergent and a dampened sponge to remove any dirt or other contaminants from the surface of the tubes. Once they’re clean, use scissors to cut off any excess length of tube you don’t need. After that is done, grab one of the remaining tubes and begin making small snips with your scissors around the circumference of its top. This will create slits in which you can then wedge open using a sharp knife. Score these slits lightly so that jagged edges don’t form later when cutting more deeply into them.
Once all of your lantern shapes have been snipped out and roughly carved open (be careful not to make them too wide!), take a piece of fine-grit sandpaper and round off any corners on their edges ” this will make sure no sharp or jagged edges remain on your work that could potentially injure someone. Last but not least, apply an even layer of spray paint over every side of your crafted lanterns before setting aside to dry overnight; doing this twice on each side might be better for an optimal finish!
The Meltdown
1. Place your old candle tubes in a metal pan. Make sure that the tubes are spaced at least an inch apart from each other to avoid them fusing together, and ensure the pan is substantially large enough to accommodate all of the tubes.
2. Put the pan filled with candle tubes into your preheated oven, set to about 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit (176-204 degrees Celsius).
3. Leave the tubes in for around 10 minutes ” or until completely melted ” checking occasionally to make sure they’re not burning or dripping on any nearby surfaces.
4. Once fully melted, carefully remove the pan using oven gloves and take it somewhere safe to cool and harden without being touched or disturbed.
5. Wait around 15 minutes for the wax inside each tube to solidify before carefully turning each one over in order to remove any excess wax stuck inside the tube.
6. Don’t forget to turn off your oven after you’ve finished melting your candles!
7. Your craft lanterns are now ready – you can use coloured paints, glitter, ribbons or feathers as decorations if desired! Have fun being creative!
Wick It Up
When making craft lanterns using plastic candle tubes, adding wicks to the tubes is an important step. Wicks are essential because they provide the source of fuel for your lanterns ” without them, your candles won’t burn. To properly add the wick to your candle tube you need to consider a few factors:
1. Length of Wick: You want to make sure that the length of your wick is not too long or too short “it needs to be right in between so it’s neither too close nor too far away from the wax.
2. Wick Core: When looking for a wick core, you should look for something that won’t quickly break down when heated and doesn’t generate a lot of smoke when it burns – usually, cotton is recommended as it can handle high heat better than other materials.
3. Securing The Wick: once you cut and add the wick inside your candle tube, make sure it is secured in place – you can use glue to hold it or tie it up with wire if needed – just remember that whichever method you use mustn’t prevent oxygen from seeping into the wax; otherwise, your candles might not burn easily!
Filling the Vessels
Before you begin the process of pouring wax into each plastic candle tube, make sure that have the necessary supplies. You will need access to a double boiler or a large pot filled with water on the stovetop, wax beads, wicks, clips for holding the wicks in place, and dye blocks for coloring if desired.
Make sure that your double boiler is approximately two-thirds full of water and set it up on medium heat. Place several wax beads into the top part of your double boiler and let them start to melt using an appropriate tool like a rubber spatula to stir. Use a thermometer to ensure that your wax is between 170° Fahrenheit (76° Celsius) and 185°Fahrenheit (85°Celsius). If you desire to add a scent or color to your craft lanterns, stir in the appropriate additives at this point.
Now take one plastic candle tube and carefully dip it into the top part of your double boiler as far as necessary so that it can be filled with melted wax up to about 3/4 inch from its lip when tilted onto its side. While still tilted sideways, slide in a wick clip with attached wick near the center before placing it back upright again. Ensure that the bottom of the tube is facing down before proceeding; then pour out any excess wax from inside it by tapping against the sides until only about 1/2 inch remains below the lip. Let these sit for several hours or until cool for best results.
Color Me Beautiful
When making craft lanterns out of plastic candle tubes, it’s easy to customize each individual piece with a virtually endless range of color combinations. To do this, cut circles or squares of colorful decorative paper slightly larger than the circumference of the candle tube. Use double-sided tape to attach the paper around the tube, then secure by taping corners if necessary. The creative possibilities are endless! From clever patterns to standing seam designs, gently wrapping pieces of paper in an even layer around the plastic tubes will transform them into beautifully detailed candle holders for any occasion or season! A final accent can be achieved by packing seeds or small beads around the edges for an extra customizeable touch.
Ornamental Elements
One way to add decorative elements to your craft lanterns is by adding string lights or fairy lights. These can be wound around the plastic candle tubes, illuminating them and creating a beautiful effect. You could also wrap some colored tissue paper around the tubes, resulting in a delicate, candy-like look. You could also paint intricate designs on the outside of the tubes using metallic paints, giving them a vintage vibe or unique pattern. Finally, you could decorate each of your plastic candle tubes with faux jewels, beads, glitter and more ” whatever bits you have lying around! You could even use glue or tape to attach items like shells or small pieces of fabric onto the exterior of the lanterns for a personalized touch.
All the Details
Materials needed: Candle tubes, glue, string or thin wires, ribbon, paint brush and markers
Instructions for Crafting the Lanterns:
1. Firstly, ensure that the plastic candle tubes are completely emptied out of their original contents. Check to make sure that all traces of wax are gone from inside. Use a combination of a sponge and warm soapy water if necessary. Then allow the tubes to thoroughly dry before continuing.
2. Glue thin strips or spirals of string or thin wires around each tube using either craft glue or hot glue gun. The strings will act as support structures for the lanterns when creating separate patterns on them. Allow the strings/wires to dry completely before putting any painting markers on them.
3. Next take your paintbrush and generously apply your desired color(s) of paint on one side of the tube in an outward spirally pattern (e.g. dark blue at bottom gradually turning into light blue at top). This can be done using either acrylic paints or different design markers depending on what type of effect you’re looking for with your lanterns aesthetic wise.
4 .For further detailing, add ribbons in complementary colors around the entire circumference of each tube by wrapping it around several times until satisfied and then tying it in a tight knot; you may even need to employ additional gluing if needed -depending on what type of ribbon is being used- especially if creating more complex decorative patterns with your craft pieces.
5 . Finally embellish your lanterns as creatively as imaginable since there are no rules when it comes to expressing yourself; combine different shades/colours, create elaborate textures/shapes, whatever inspires you beyond what has been suggested here! Display each project proudly once its finished ” happy crafting!
Concluding Notes
Craftsmanship is an integral part of any culture and has been around since prehistory. Crafts like making lanterns out of plastic candle tubes can bring a special atmosphere to our homes. People tend to value crafted items more because of the extra effort it took to make them. Additionally, the act of crafting something can bring people closer together – many hands can make light work, and working beside each other on a creative project often enhances feelings of joy and unity throughout a group.
Crafts also beautify our world by adding unique, personal touches wherever they appear. A hand-crafted lantern made from plastic candle tubes brings an interesting focal point to any room; its handmade nature adds a charm that it wouldn’t be able to get if it was mass-produced in a factory. The copper paint used will also sparkle in the light, providing yet another source of visual delight. Furthermore, crafts generally become family keepsakes or heirlooms when created with love; they are tangible reminders of shared experiences that often evoke pleasant memories at first glance.
Celebrating craftsmanship is something we can all do in our everyday lives – it serves as an excellent lesson for us to appreciate handmade objects and value the creativity and hard work that often goes into producing them. Additionally, enjoying the beauty of DIY lanterns such as those made out of plastic candle tubes will open our eyes to all sorts of new possibilities; where once there was nothing but darkness, with just a bit of effort there is now color, character and life – things which bring joy and unity wherever they may exist!
Welcome to my candle making blog! In this blog, I will be sharing my tips and tricks for making candles. I will also be sharing some of my favorite recipes.
