Water Balloon Luminaries
A fun and easy project with a beautiful payoff. Learn how to make these Balloon Luminaries.
| You Will Need: |
| High-Melt Paraffin Wax (IGI 1260) |
| Water Balloons |
| Double Boiler |
| Cookie Sheet |
1. Fill a water balloon with tepid water.
2. Melt your wax. Optimum working temperature for this project is 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Try to maintain this temperature for your wax while working by keeping it on a double boiler.
3. Slowly dip your balloon into the wax to just below the water level in the balloon. Warning: Do not dip the balloon into the wax past the water level. This could cause the balloon to pop.
4. Hold the balloon in the wax for a few seconds, and then slowly lift it out of the wax. Dip the balloon a few more times, allowing some time between dips to let the wax cool.
5. While it is still quite warm, carefully set the balloon down onto a piece of paper or a cookie sheet, making sure it is level. This will create a flat bottom for the luminary.
6. Dip your balloon a few more times until it is the desired thickness. A good target thickness is 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch.
7. Set the balloon on the paper or cookie sheet again and let it cool.
8. When the wax is completely cooled, hold the balloon over a sink or bucket, facing away from you. Carefully pop the balloon with a skewer or knife and let the water drain out. Throw away the balloon shards.
9. To level the top of the luminary, heat a cookie sheet on the stove and place the luminary top-down onto the hot sheet and carefully melt the edges until it is level.
10. Place a tea light or votive inside the luminary and burn on a candle holder in a dark area.
Here is an example of these luminaries when using dye.
This is a beautiful, beautiful idea. I'll definitely try this.
Crafty! thanks for posting.
surely the wax would melt once you burn a candle in it?
IGI 1260 was used for these (a high melt paraffin). The higher melting point paraffin makes it resistant to melting. Generally, tea-lights and votives will not produce enough heat to melt it, unless they are grossly over-wicked. If it does melt, you can always throw it back in the melter and reuse the wax.
I tried this and am very pleased with the results. I am actually making them right now and will use them for my sister's wedding.
A few modifications: The balloons must be larger than regular water balloons. I highly recommend large party balloons.
The container in which you melt the wax must be atleast 1 inch deeper than the height of the luminary. I also reccommend making the luminary atleast 1/2 an inch thick.
I recommend that after you remove the balloon add extra wax to the bottom. This is due to the weight of the water in the balloon, it tends to thin out the wax on the bottom. and if it is too thin the tealight will melt through.
I have tried store bought, home made, metal and plastic tealights. So far, the plastic container, store bought or homemade, tealights work best. They cause the least amount of softening due to the plastic not becoming as hot as metal.
I hope these tips have helped anyone else. This has been one of the best ideas and funnest I have come across. Good luck to all!
I have seen a bit of sand used in the bottom of the shell to avoid melting/thinning over time.
I have a blog where I sometime feature tutorials that I find on the web. I would like to mention your tutorial and provide them with a link , if OK with you.
Thanks
This is such a beautiful idea!
This is by far the best tutorial on candles I have read in a long time. Great information.
have you ever put scented oils in the wax for this project? what about adhering something to the outside like glitter or sand? We are thinking about this for Christmas presents.
I love these they are so fun to make! I would like to see more ideas like this one.