HOW TO: Repurposed Oyster Shell Candles

Looking for a way to repurpose your oyster shells? Oysters take years to grow and are consumed in mere seconds, it only seems right to give these beauts another life. This week we are sharing how to make candles out of your leftover shells. 

Materials: 

• Large Pot
• Recycled metal can
• Beeswax
• Essential Oil 
• Candlewick with metal clip
• Clean Oyster shell

Step 1: Make sure your oyster shells are both clean and dry, set aside 

Step 2: Fill your metal can with some beeswax. I used about ¼ lb of beeswax to fill 5 shells. 

Tip- if your beeswax is hard to cut, submerge the beeswax block in hot water for about a minute. This helps to soften it a bit before you cut yourself trying to slice through the damn thing. It’s quite dense! 

Step 3: Place your metal can into a pot and fill the pot with water, about ¾ of the way up the can. Place something heavy on top of the can to keep it from floating. I just put a glass cup on top. This may look a little wonky, but hey this is crafting at home for ya. Bring the water to a boil to melt the beeswax inside the metal can. 

Step 4: While the water comes to a boil, you can place your candle wicks into your oyster shells. Place them at the deepest part of the oyster shell. Arrange the oyster shells over a rag and if they don’t stand upright on their own, prop them up with something. I used my shucking knives! 

Step 5: Once the beeswax has completely melted, take the metal can out of the water carefully. Add around 30 drops of your preferred essential oil, I used lavender. 

Step 6: Immediately after adding your oil, fill your oyster shells with the wax. If your wax starts drying before you have filled your shells, just pop in back in the hot water. 

You do not want to overfill your shells. The shells are shallow so the wick only has about an hour burn time. These make great decorative pieces and make my room smell lovely without even burning them!

Step 7: Let your wax cool. This should take around an hour or so. After they have cooled, you are all set! 

If you end up giving this craft a go, tag us on Instagram @gliddenpoint. We’d love to see these shells getting another use out of em’.