I finally caved and joined Pinterest.  It was a big decision because all I needed was one more distraction to keep me from what really matters most.  But after some convincing arguments from a few friends I was convinced.  There are a lot of sweet ideas on Pinterest.  There is one I found that I thought was fantastically awesome.  Clementines and Candles – yes please!

Clementines are a wonderful fruit and I do enjoy candles!  So when I saw this I had to try it.  It wasn’t until this week when I was visiting my parents that I actually tried this natural way to make and burn candles.  No wax or wicks required.  You do need to watch them A LOT more carefully then a regular candle since when the oil burns down it will burn the clementine if you aren’t watching – hello FIRE!

How to make a Clementine Candle:

  1. Cut the clementine in half and peel both sides so that the peel is in one piece (you can do it how the video below suggests, but I did it this way – actually the first time I just peeled the middle and then the two sides out – not recommended unless you are looking for a rough edge).
  2. Eat the clementine – but right away because your niece might snag it and eat it while you are making the candle and say “I ate your Orange Aunty Erin” and laugh ridiculously as she knows she did it without you noticing!
  3. The bottom of the candle is the part where the little piece sticks to the peel – this will be your wick – so be sure that you do not pull this off when you peel the clementine.
  4. You can cut a circle out of the to piece so you can place on the candle.  I did the little star in the video, but my wick must have been longer because it burnt a little bit of the peel.
  5. Pour olive oil into the bottom piece of the peel – get the wick part wet with oil.
  6. Light the wick – we had to use a lighter because it took a little bit longer for it to catch than a regular candle.
  7. You can put the top of the peel on as a cover (be sure there is a hole cut in the top.)  Watch it burn… it’s pretty!
  8. To keep the candle going, add a spoonful of oil at a time.  The original oil that we put in lasted 45 min – 1 hr before we added more oil.
  9. To avoid the orange peel from burning blow out the candle when the oil is low or the wick has burned to the end.
  10. Enjoy!

Remember: You need to watch the candle more carefully than a regular candle, but it is a great alternative to store bought candles.

It probably would work with a regular orange, but I haven’t tried it.  Let me know if you do and it works!

I love burning candles while I do homework and when I take baths.

What kind of candles do you use and when do you use them the most often? I would love to hear what you have to say!  Leave a comment below.