Candlemania

[Opsa]

I'm completely fascinated by the combination fire and water (ice) When I hag a larger home I used to have a crystal bowl with water some flower and a candle in it on the table.
   
However, I'm not fond of floating candles they do make a mess in the container.
I use very thin cuplike candle holders made of glass and a tea candle.


Like these.



As for stabilizing candles in the holder. Use a thin strip of tinfoil around the base of the candle, it won't melt and it is reusable.

That is so pretty, Darlica! ...and foil! So simple and efficient. Thank you!

I love fire and water, too- the reflections are wonderful.

I have a set of little Partylite goblet-style candle holders that are supposed to hold Partylite candles which melt completely into liquid wax and look oh so pretty- like wine with flames, but are freakin' expensive! So I took some tea candles and floated them in water in the goblets, and it worked great. The only thing is that the metal tea candle holders will rust, so you have to empty them after use.

I love Darlica's little floating holders, though. Gotta look for them.

[Griffin NoName]

Chanuka candles are notorious for not fitting the Menorah. The traditional cure is to pad with tinfoil (as Darlica said). Since Menorah candles are always the same size whereever one buys them I cannot work out why they never make Menorahs to that size - or change the standard size of the candles. Maybe there is something about it in the Bible and it would be a sin. Anyway, next time you see a Menorah with candles, I bet it has tinfoil.

[pieces o nine]

Darlica:  what a pretty set-up!  Am I remembering correctly that you made the ice luminarias last winter?

I picked up a dozen discontinued votives in square glass containers from an outlet shop several years ago, for almost nothing. Probably discontinued because the container was slightly too large for a votive and slightly too small for the next size up, and molded to look like heavy, mouth-blown objects. I put white sand in the bottoms under votives, or floated tea light candles (local hobby store carried a brand in clear plastic cups that never melted or burned, I don't know how) in water. Easy to clean up either way, and made a nice elemental mix for rituals. I also felt completely safe putting one on each step in my apartment for gatherings -- no worries about fire from out-of-sight candles, as the surrounding sand or water would stop any tea light that tried to flare up.

Opsa:  you might try glass votive holders in a shallow bowl of water for the look, without the mess. Pedestal or ornamental holders that accept either small tapers or votives could be very pretty, and you could incorporate Bob's suggestion for essential oils in the larger bowl without worry about unexpected flammability.

Bob:  I had one of those votive oil burners also. I think everyone has to "boil" it dry once to learn about sudden Essence of Acrid. 

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Anyone have experience with classic paper-bag "luminaries"?  

Piece's mention of candles up the steps, reminded me of a camp I did, oh, in the early 80's?  It's been a bit.  

But anyhow, someone wanted to do a sunrise service on top of a fairly high/steep hill (we called it a mountain, but it was about 5-6 stories up--seemed worse, as the path was quite steep, if paved.  Not stepped, though....)

Anyway, someone then wanted these paper-bag luminaries lighting the path up to the top, for that sunrise event-- early in the morning, it'd be quite dark (camp-- outdoor lights few and far, none on that path).  

And, I still do not know how, I got roped into lighting these damn things before anyone else was up.... and I did.  Get up by 4am, trudge up the path, lighting a paper-bag with sand in the bottom, and a squat metal-encased votive nestled in the sand -- I quickly learned to pick up the candle, light it, and then quickly put it back--holding it sideways so as to not burn my hand-- quick so the paper didn't scorch, but not so quick as to blow it out....

... and these things were about 1 every foot to foot-and-a-half or so.   Up a very steep slope.  For about a longish block.  Both sides.  

Lucky me-- the various groups who made the things (earlier the previous day) were also tasked to setting them in place ahead of time.  Fortunately, it did not rain that night, or else it'd have been a mess.

But I got it done, before anyone started up the trail...

... and I had the last laugh:  it turned into a cloudy day, and the sun never really did come "up" in the traditional sense.  



But the luminaries were a huge success.  

The following summer?  I made certain to have other responsibilities, so I was unable to help a second time...

[Opsa]

I love to see luminaries, but I have never dared to do them myself.

I have gotten the clear plastic cup tealights, and they are amazing. I try to nab them at Wallyworld when they go on clearance after a holiday.

Great idea- to get some chunky glass holders to put in water (and sand sounds nice, too). Another excuse to buy candle holders! Yeee!

Griffin- I might check the menorahs for foil when no-one's looking!

I still don't know what to do with these floating candles, though- put them in little aluminum pie pans with glass rocks at the bottom?

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

I love to see luminaries, but I have never dared to do them myself.

Nowadays, people "cheat" and use electric or LED things-- not nearly as warm as an actual flickering flame.  But a **lot** less of a fire hazard too.   Paper bags can burn quite quickly... However, if you put a couple of inches of damp sand in the bottom?  And place it on something solid (inflammable) like dirt, gravel, or pavement?  The burning bag simply burns down to the sand, and goes out.   If you have left the bags out overnight (unlit) they typically absorb quite a bit of moisture (if it's fall/winter) anyway, and are not all that flammable anyway. 

Still.   Stuff happens... and if it's windy?  Flammable debris could easily blow up and against the bag or even knock it over, letting the flame get to the paper/debris... and then to the yard.. and then... well....

So I'd definitely avoid these if there was any sort of wind and/or you did not have suitable non-flammable surface to put them out on.   I'd say, wood of any kind would be worrisome (like a porch or deck or wooden steps). 

On the gripping hand?   You could opt for a lovely flower-pot's base-- you know, those shallow unglazed dishes you place under flowerpots?   That ought to work as a fireproof base.

In fact?

Unglazed flowerpots, with a bit of cardboard blocking the bottom hole, and some nice damp sand in, and then a little votive nestled into the sand?   Ought to work nearly as nice as a paper-bag would.

Yes, you'd lose the nice through-the-bag effect, but you'd still get that ambient open-flame effect by reflection.   

Or go with glass containers, as Darlicia has shown us previously-- or was that ice?  I forget.  I think hers were tinted ice blocks with candles-in.  Lovely.

I still don't know what to do with these floating candles, though- put them in little aluminum pie pans with glass rocks at the bottom?

A pretty (faceted) crystal punch bowl works quite well.  Keep the water level below the rim, and you'll get lovely candle-flame highlights through the cut crystal facets.

You can add pretty rocks or marbles in the bottom, if you like,  or even plastic flowers (sunk with weights/stones).  

No need for special containers, so long as the floaty-candles don't burn right next to the glass sides.   That is much less likely in a large bowl, not all that full, as the sides are nicely sloped away from the flame(s).   Or you could anchor the floaty candles with a little string and a small weight, like a nut or washer or fish weight.  If you use steel, watch out for long-term immersion, it can rust and stain your glass bowl-- not permanently, but annoying if unnoticed.   I suppose you could drill a hole in a penny?     I just used fishing line and a classic lead fishing weight (one with a hole in the top).  I anchored the line to the bottom of the candle, by heating a needle and melting a little hole, then forcing the line (with a knot) into it, then pressing it closed with my fingers.  Worked well enough.   When the floaty candle burns low enough, the water will run in and quench it anyway, long before it gets to the anchor knot-- or that was how it worked for me anyway.

[pieces o nine]

Back in the 80s I received a lovely Toscany crystal faceted bowl, which doesn't "go" with anything, so it's held my collection of amusing cocktail napkins in the depths of the cupboard...

Now I'm inspired to bring it out, fill it with water, toss in gently add some tinted glass marbles, and float some seasonal tealights.   Oh! this brings to mind a photo of crystal bowls heaped with clear, transparent blue, and silver round glass Christmas balls, arranged on a mantel with glass candlesticks and lit white tapers and votives -- very attractive, especially at night! Perhaps you could combine all these ideas for a knock-out centerpiece at Thanksgiving or Christmas?


hmmmmm... checks the googles to see if that pic is on-line... no, but this is a safe & interesting luminaria variation and here are a buncha ideas -- bet the bay leaf or citrus slice ideas would smell wonderful!

Since Menorah candles are always the same size whereever one buys them I cannot work out why they never make Menorahs to that size - or change the standard size of the candles. Maybe there is something about it in the Bible and it would be a sin.

I can't believe that was overlooked in Levitivus, which covers all of life's other possible emergencies...   

Looking for an ice + menorah centerpiece for you, the googles inexplicably suggested this:

Even if there were 8 candles, I think this would also be a sin (with or without tinfoil)! 

[Opsa]

It is wicked wahsome!

Such inspiring ideas, sibs!

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

You took the words out of my mouth, Opas.

[Griffin NoName]

Looking for an ice + menorah centerpiece for you, the googles inexplicably suggested this:

One must assume google is not of a religious bent.

[pieces o nine]

Perhaps it is Reformed...       

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

 

[Darlica]

I must confess, that particular bowl with candles isn't mine.
However I have the same type of candle holders and I have used them in a similar way. No pics of that though. Sorry if I was unclear.

I've made luminaries by using small glass jars and wrap them with a string of unevenly spaces glass beads for summer use (I'll see if I can find any pictures). For the winter... well I do like to play with ice. I hope I get to do that this winter too.

Paper and open flame is a stupid combo, too many risks, but it can look really pretty. I made some for a friends party a couple of years ago but I used electric tea candles for them, it would have been embarrassing if my little contraptions had burned down her house!

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Out of doors, in damp weather, with sand in the bottom?  I really don't see a real risk with paper luminaries, given those conditions--especially if they are set up on pavement/dirt, and little or no wind.

But indoors?  Not a chance.

[Griffin NoName]

The Luminaries just won the Mann Booker prize!!!