Quarantine Activities: Mussel Candle Centerpiece

In this quarantine series, I have a ton of fun at-home self-isolated DIY activities that will hopefully make social distancing a little more productive/rewarding/aesthetic. All craft materials can be found online so no need to scour the store for these items (though I highly doubt they’ll be the top of most people’s quarantine grocery list). If you have one, grab your isolation buddy/roommate and let’s get crafty (:

When I first saw these gorgeous giant mussel shells on the beach in Maine, the first thought that ran through my head was these would make a cute candle. My next thought after that was I should make a giant mussel candle centerpiece. So whether your thoughts align with my former or latter idea, this tutorial will teach you how to make both.

You’ll need:

• soy wax melts

• candlewicks

• a small pot

• a spoon

• a hot glue gun

• essential oil of choice (or go scentless)

• shells

First, you’re going to want to make sure none of your shells have cracks or holes in them because you’ll later learn that the hot wax runs right through them (I learned this the hard way). Arrange your mussel shells in whatever formation you desire. My first thought was a big circle but I liked the idea of making a more oval/rectangular shape. Heat your hot glue gun and glue your shells together. It helps if you try to maximize the amount of side shell that touches each other. Then, add one candle wick to each shell using a hot glue gun and snip the wick so that it is slightly taller than the shells.

All that’s missing now is the wax component! Pour the melts into a small pot and stir. Keep in mind that the wax will melt to a smaller amount than the amount of wax you put in. If you have a thermometer, you can measure the wax until it hits 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The reason for this is that wax needs to hit a certain temperature to bind with the oils. Otherwise, the fragrance can separate and pool at the bottom. I used a spoon to carefully ladle the melted wax into each shell and allowed it to set. For a smooth surface, grab a hairdryer and lightly melt the top layer for a flawless finish!