Did You Know? Nonstick Votives

Votives are fun little candles. Despite their small size they can fill a room with a wonderful aroma. Because they are burned in cups and wicks needn't be trimmed throughout burning time, they require less attention than their oversized sibling the pillar.

Votive cups can be anything from a standard cylindrical cup to a roly-poly cup, an ivy bowl, a tea cup. Anything cup-like will serve a votive quite well. However, cleaning out the waxy remains of a burned votive from these small cups can be bothersome, if not precarious.

Lots of people swear by the freezing method. After the candle has burned out and the wax is stuck to the bottom of the cup, you put the cup into the freezer for a few minutes whereby the wax hardens/shrinks and is easily removed.

I prefer the preventative method, avoiding wax removal all together. This can be achieved by adding water to the container, only enough to cover the bottom, before adding and lighting the candle. The wax that drips down into the cup will never stick to the bottom, thanks to that small layer of water.

And speaking of votives, I'm having a great deal on them at my shop. Buy six assorted votives for $7, and shipping is free! The fun part is, the votives you receive will be a mystery until you receive them. Spring colors and fragrances are guaranteed. Stop by the shop for more details.