Painted Candles

• 1). Start with plain white tapers. Squeeze the acrylic paints from the tube onto a palette (paper plates or foam trays work well).
  
  
• 2). Choose shades of red, orange and yellow. Dip the brush into paint.
  
  
• 3). Start at the bottom of the candle, and paint a curved line up toward the top of the candle. Mix the three colors to look like tongues of fire rising up around the candle. Practice on paper first, until you have the design you like.
  
  

Candles Decorated with Wild Grasses

• 1). Pick wild grasses. Choose well-formed grasses that appeal to you. Place the grasses among sheets of old newspaper, and place the newspapers into a heavy book. Leave the grasses to dry for a week or two.
  
  
• 2). Arrange the grasses around plain white pillar candles until you are happy with the design. Heat the handles of old spoons against an iron. Wearing you oven mitt, pick up a hot spoon and press the wild grasses gently onto the candle. The wax will melt a little and hold the grasses in place.
  
  
• 3). Melt paraffin wax in a double boiler that is taller than your candles. Stir the wax gently with a wooden spoon, and bring the temperature up to 180 degrees F.
  
  
• 4). Blast the candle very briefly with a heat gun (optional). Dip the decorated candle in the hot wax for 3 seconds. Remove the candle from the wax, and press down any wild grasses that are sticking out. Dip one more time for three seconds. Allow the candle to cool.