A fun make to entertain you all while camping (and make you look like Bear Grylls, too)
We loved these sweet candles made from beer cans from our August camping feature so much we had to share them here, too.
You will need:
Empty beer cans
Corrugated cardboard
Saved candle stubs and/or bunch of old candles
A barbecue or firepit
Old saucepan
Stirring stick
Chopping board
Knife
Scissors
How to make:
1 Using scissors, carefully cut beer cans to a height of 5cm. Keep the base of the can; recycle the top bit.
2 Cut 5cm strips of corrugated cardboard. Roll up the cardboard strips until they are roughly the same diameter as a can. Wedge the roll as tightly as possible inside the can base. Using scissors, prise a small hole in the centre of the cardboard roll. Poke a small piece of cardboard into the hole to create a ‘wick’.
3 Set a small fire in your firepit or barbecue. Chop your candles into small pieces and add them to an old saucepan. Melt the candles over a small fire until they are liquid wax, stirring regularly with a twig or stick.
4 Very carefully, pour the hot liquid wax over the cardboard rolls. Keep pouring slowly until the wax reaches the top of the beer can. Wait for a few minutes for the cardboard to soak up the hot wax and then top-up each beer can until it’s full to overflowing.
5 Allow the wax to cool completely and go solid before use. When it’s dark, light the ‘wick’ with a match. Beer can-dles burn for up to two hours and should only be used outdoors and attended.
Pick up the August issue for all the other ideas from our Under Canvas feature, from blueberry pancakes to shell garlands.
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