When Cameron and I go grocery shopping together he loves meandering through the coffee aisle so he can take a big whiff...I hurry past as fast as I can so I don't catch a whiff. It seems like coffee is one of those scents you either love or you don't. If you do love l'odeur du café (because translating anything into French and putting it in italics makes it fancy)...you'll love this idea.
The Original Pin
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| http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v499/jengrantmorris/Inspiration%20pics/?action=view¤t=Hurricanelamp001.jpg |
A vanilla candle in a vase of coffee beans. While I think pinto beans smell better than coffee beans...I can see how this would smell heavenly to some. I do have to be fair, the vanilla combined with the coffee wouldn't be as bad to me as straight coffee beans...in fact it might be tolerable. Cameron would love the coffee part...but he's not a vanilla fan. So this pin would be doomed in our house.
Candice saw the pin and decided it was perfect for her and set it all up. Aromatic heaven. All seemed well, until...
The Pinstrosity
"The wax made a mess of the coffee beans and then cracked the glass. Fail. It smelled good for a minute."
The aftermath is rarely shown in these pretty magazine photos. But then, who would buy a magazine of aftermath photos? Well...I guess in a way you would as your are here at an aftermath blog. But...if all we saw were the aftermath photos I'm sure DIY wouldn't be as big of a phenomenon.
When you put pretty candles in bowls/jars/plates/vases of beans or other items you rarely think about what happens when you light the candle and it starts melting. I learned this last year the hard way.
I set up my pretty little autumn decorations, with the candles in the dish of candy (which very quickly disappeared, so we poured in kernels of corn).
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| http://madebymarquette.blogspot.com/2011/09/autumn-candles.html |
All went well until we burned the candles and ended up with a dish of waxed kernels, much like Candice's jar of waxed coffee beans...only my dish didn't break.
So...the aftermath may not be so pretty, but while the candle is lit and relatively un-melted, it's rather nice.
The jar breaking is a little unusual, but I assume it is from the candle shifting as it melted and overheating the glass. There was probably already some small air bubble or fracture that couldn't handle the extra heat.
We did these for our wedding, pre-pinterest. However, we used smaller candles, and we used a separate candleholder inside, so that the wax wouldn't melt into the beans. They worked well and looked really pretty for a 4 hour event, but I still don't think it's practical for anything else.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know. I have this pinned also and have been wanting to try it.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered what happened once the candle melted into the coffee beans.... now I know! Thanks for the heads up! Pretty but not practical!
ReplyDeleteYou can buy clean burning candles... they are just much more expensive.
ReplyDeleteI use tea lights so that the wax won't run into the coffee. My only complaint is that it doesn't have enough scent for me. Diana
ReplyDeleteSeems like I have seen candles that are advertised as "no drip." The wax supposedly burns off before it runs down the side.
ReplyDeleteCandles melt when lit. Seems pretty obvious that the wax will pool at the bottom of the container, filled with pretty things or not.
ReplyDeleteIf you use "church candles" they burn to the inside of the candle (as long as its in there straight). These are the big ones they use at weddings and stuff. Just take it out before it melts all the way down. Also the shape of the jar and size relative to the candle is important. Candles are fun. One time I set my dining room table on fire! Ha! You just have to make sure you blow them out before disaster! :)
ReplyDeleteyah, I found that out the hard way and ended up getting smaller candle holder to put inside much better!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you aren't supposed to light the candles.
ReplyDeleteOh thank goodness! I sometimes thought I was the only person in the whole world who hates the smell of coffee! :)
ReplyDeleteJust a note, the one container is meant for candles,the container that broke was not. The type of candle used might also be a problem. The bigger round candles do not burn down to liquid the center burns down. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteYou must use good candles. I get my candles at Hobby Lobby and they burn cleanly and do not melt all over. Must also use a container made for candles. I have two of these in my foyer and they work perfectly. Just changed the coffee beans after 2 months.
ReplyDeleteYou can also use the flameless candles. I went to a party last weekend and my Aunt had a flameless flickering candle with a vanilla smell that she got at Costco in a large jar with lentils. It was beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI tried this after seeing in on Pinterest. It worked well until I had it lit for a party - I wanted to impress the people coming over with my new fancy smelling DIY candle setup. The candle was close to being completely finished since it I used it for a few days already.... and once it completely melted, the flame actually caught the beans on fire and the entire thing went up in flames! I won't be lighting anymore candles in coffee beans, but the glass bowl is still on my bookshelf with the coffee beans since it still smells good :)
ReplyDeleteYour jar is wrong for burning a candle of that size and shape. Any big candle needs an open air space otherwise the heat will conduct on to the jar and crack.
ReplyDeleteAlso, any bigger candle if leveled should have the wax pool inside and not drip.
I've done this several times and never had problems with it. But both glass jars/vases I used had large openings, and you need a 3" or wider pillar candle. 4" inch pillar candle works best.
ReplyDeleteMarylou
Ikea sells candles that burn from the inside and don't drip wax. The outside of the candle stays lovely and smooth.
ReplyDeleteI use a small jar candle. No fire no mess same amazing smell!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe beans with vanilla scent in potpourri warmer worked well. also big glass container with glass jar candle inside worked pretty well. you will need to change beans around when they get bitter smelling. it's just a natural chemical change with the beans
ReplyDeleteDollar store candle in jar inside bigger jar surrounded with beans works good. thin glass of cheap candle heats beans well. also beans with vanilla scented oil for warmers works good too
ReplyDelete