MAKING A WAX & PAPER CONTAINER

By Jan Holt - Editor Floral Focus Magazine

[Click the photos for a closeup view]

REQUIREMENTS:

• A box of candles
• Rubber gloves
• Handmade paper and/or tissue paper
• Heat proof shallow dish
• An upturned bowl, for a mould, preferably without a pronounced foot
• Glad Wrap/Cling Film

STEP 1:

Gently heat candles in the heatproof dish until melted, remove wicks.

Protect work surface with a few layers of newspaper.

Cover base and sides of upturned bowl with Glad Wrap/Cling Film

STEP 2:

Dip torn pieces of tissue paper into the molten wax (wear rubber gloves, to protect fingers).

Place waxed paper over Glad Wrap/Cling Film, smoothing the waxed paper down carefully. The wax will cool and set quite quickly.

STEP 3:

When sufficient layers have been built up to provide strength, the wax bowl may be removed from the mould and further layers added to the inside if necessary.

STEP 4:

Carefully remove the wax bowl from the mould, pulling on the plastic film to ease it free.

The container will be waterproof, but will not withstand heat or strong sunlight. Each container will be an individual piece, which can adapt to a variety of uses.

The design illustrated uses a simple grid of cornus sticks and silver thread, with Helleborus and Heliotropium flowers within a wax and paper container.