Seashell Candles

Transform real shells into candles with a coastal or seaside theme.  Fill the shells with wax then glue onto wooden bases to keep them stable.

Seashell Candles

Skill Level

Beginner

Time to Make

45 minutes + drying time for paint on base

How to Make

  1. Choose a shell to make a candle; it needs to be strong and deep enough to contain the wax and a wick.
  2. Knead 6 wax squares into a ball then press into an oval, or make a shape to roughly fit inside the shell. Press the wax inside the shell then push it firmly around the edges. Press the top to make it flat, leaving a few millimetres around the edge so the shell isn’t over-filled with wax. As a variation, try pressing small pieces of another wax colour onto the surface of the candle.
  3. Cut a 5cm piece of wick. Push a cocktail stick into the centre of the shell to make a hole then carefully push the wick inside. Trim the wick if it looks too long.
  4. If the shell tips to one side, use a glue gun to fix it onto a painted coaster so the candle sits in flatter position, or glue several shells together.
Seashell Candles Seashell Candles Seashell Candles

Top Tip

To make the wax easier to knead and shape, leave it in a warm place for 10-15 minutes to soften, or gently warm the wax on both sides for 15-20 seconds with a hairdryer. To apply more pressure when kneading, hold the wax between your thumb and forefinger with the other hand over the top so the thumbs and fingers are crossing each other. Squeeze the thumb and fingers on top so they press the fingers underneath holding the wax.