Terracotta candles

Upcycle some old terracotta containers into rustic chic candles – perfect for outdoor lighting!

These cute pre-loved garden pots would make perfect outdoor table decorations for summer weddings. Old pots have a beautiful patina about them, but check they don’t have any hairline cracks. Also make sure you coat the whole of the inside with a sealer, like PVA glue, to prevent the wax seeping into the clay – otherwise the clay can become flammable!

How to make the candles

1 Seal the inside of the pot with either PVA mixed with a little water, or ModPodge. Make sure you cover the bottom as well as the sides and the rim of the pot. Once dry, superglue a 2p piece over the hole to prevent wax escaping. You can also gun a small amount of bathroom sealant round the edge of the coin as an extra precaution.

2 Fill the pot with water to the level you want the wax to sit and pour into a measuring jug. Check your pot is watertight and add extra sealant if needed. Subtract 10% from the amount of water in the jug – the remainder is how much wax you need.

3 Put the wax into your double boiler and place over a saucepan of water on a low heat. Never place the wax directly into a saucepan as it may catch fire! Once the wax has melted, add the dye. A 10p-size piece of dye is enough for 100g of wax. Stir this into the wax and add scent if using.

4 Wick thicknesses differ for the size of your container so check a candlemaking website for the correct gauge. Dangle the wick into the pot to measure the length you need (you’ll need about

6cm (2 in) higher than the rim of the pot), then cut. Push the wick length into the wick tab leaving a small tail sticking out at the bottom. Close the smaller metal hole around the wick with pliers. Trim the wick on the bottom of the tab for a neat finish.

5 Once the wax has melted, pour a small amount into the bottom of the pot and pop the wick tab into it, making sure it’s central and upright. This ‘fixes’ the tab in place. Once this is dry (about 15 mins), gently pull the wick upright. Balance a pencil across the rim of the pot and hold the wick in place with Blu-Tack. This is to hold the wick while you pour the rest of your wax. Pour the wax, stopping approx 1.5cm ( in) from the rim of the finished candle level.

6 Once your candle is set (approx 2-3 hours) re-melt the remaining wax and make your second pour to get a nice smooth finish. Once set, remove the pencil and trim the wick to about 1cm ( in). Leave to set for a day before lighting.