Make it Monday - Tea Cup Lights

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Try this creative trick for using up the leftover wax in your nearly-finished candles: melt them down into a new set of charming teacup lights. Plus, it's the perfect way to put your antique cup collection to use.

Teacup Lights

Antique teacups that have lost their saucers still make sweet gifts when fitted with candles.

What you need

Materials

• Nested pans

• Partially burned candles

• Candy or candle thermometer

• Tongs

• New wicking

• Teacups

• Wick sustainers

How to do it

Part 1

Step 1

In a small pan set over a larger pan of simmering water, melt down old candles; clip the thermometer to the upper pot, and keep temperature at about 185 degrees. Remove old wicks with tongs.

Step 2

Cut a piece of wicking to the cup's height plus 2 inches. Clamp one end to a wick sustainer; tie the other end around a skewer. Dip wicking and sustainer into melted wax to coat them. Remove and stick sustainer to cup's bottom.

Step 3

Pour in the wax, stopping 1/2 inch below the cup's rim. Allow wax to set, about 1 hour. The candle will harden with a well in the center. To even it out, use another skewer to prick a circle of holes about 1/16 inch deep around the wick. Pour in melted wax until surface is 1/4 inch below rim. Cut wick.