I was super excited to receive my new HomeRight Digital Temperature Heat Gun. Oh…Yawn..you say? Like, what can you do with a heat gun? I’m so glad you asked because this new tool does lots of things from crafts to home improvement projects! Today, I’m going to share with you how to add images to candles. Using this technique, I turned plain white inexpensive candles into beautiful ones that look like they came from an upscale boutique.
These make great gifts!
I started with my new heat gun. This isn’t just any old heat gun, it’s adjustable up to 1200° and has 3 fan speeds, several useful attachments and a sturdy storage case. All those features make it a super useful tool and eliminates the need to buy other tools that will do similar jobs! Chemical free paint removing, stubborn sticker removal, defrosting frozen pipes and crafty things like embossing, aging wood and…making upscale candles with images are just a few of the many jobs this heat gun can tackle!
Let’s get started and I’ll show you how to add images to candles in a few easy steps.
This is what you’ll need to transfer an image onto a wax candle.
- Plain tissue paper , the type used for gift wrapping
- Tape, I used painters tape
- Piece of card stock or heavy paper 8 1/2 x 11 inches
- Wax paper
- Image, your own or my free downloadable ones below 🙂
Tools needed for this project.
- HomeRight Digital Temperature Heat Gun
- Scissors
- Printer
Start by cutting your tissue paper the size of your paper. Notice that the tissue paper has a shiny and a matte side. You’ll want to print on the matte side. Tape the top of your tissue paper to your card stock shiny side down. The card stock gives your tissue paper enough structure to be printed on, otherwise you’d have a wadded up mess in your printer 🙁
Print your image onto your paper and trim around the image edges. If you’re not sure which side of the paper your printer will print on (top or bottom), print a test sheet first.
Cut a piece of waxed paper large enough to go around your candle with enough extra to hold onto. Place your image with the matte side facing out onto your candle and wrap your wax paper around it. Next, with the waxy side of the wax paper facing the candle, heat the image at about 190° using the wide directional attachment on the heat gun. I kept mine at about 1 1/2 – 2 inches away from the candle.
As soon as you see your image brighten, it’s been fused to the candle. Continue to quickly move on to the next area of the image. On a small candle, this process takes less than a minute. As soon as you’ve fused all of your image, carefully pull back your waxed paper.
That’s it! You’ve just learned how to add images to candles:)
They look awesome, don’t they? You can’t see the tissue paper at all, it’s completely transparent.
Almost any graphic will work with this technique. Photos and vintage images can make a plain candle upscale. Just for fun try something with color. I created these images for the holidays with garland, pinecones and a few of my favorite holiday words. You can download each image I used below. Just click on the graphic below you want to download and it will take you to a pdf to save. Please note they are intended for personal use only.
Are you loving this project? I sure am! Be sure to check back here next Monday. I have another crazy fun project to share using my new HomeRight Digital Temperature Heat Gun!
Seriously…you’ll WANT to see this!
…and NO, I’m not giving any hints away!
Now that I’ve shared how easy it is to add images to candles with my new HomeRight Digital Heat Gun are you ready to try this yourself?
I love the HomeRight brand for the quality, features they include and the durability they build into their products. Why do I say this? Because aside from having fun with holiday crafts, we use our tools on our home. Living in a project house that we are renovating gives us plenty of opportunity to try lots of products. We only recommend the ones we’d purchase ourselves!
Want more information on HomeRight’s Digital Temperature Heat Gun or any other HomeRight products?
As you might have guessed this is a sponsored post, I was provided product and /or compensated for sharing this information. All opinions, craftiness and projects are 100% my own and I’ll only share items I think have value for my readers!
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This project was featured on
Thank you so much for this awesome tutorial Wendi. I have several white pillar candles on my family room mantle and this would really add some punch to them. I’m so doing this TODAY! Thanks for the printables too. Love them!
You’re welcome Marie! I know you’ll snazzy up your candles in some fun & creative way! Send me pics when you do!
Wow, I would have never thought about using a heat gun to transfer to a candle. They turned out beautiful! Jeanette
Thank you Jeanette! It’s and easy and fun project 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!
Can I use a hair dryer on high as I have no heat gun?
Using a hair dryer has been a popular question! I don’t know the answer. My heat gun was set to almost 200 degrees for this project, I’m not sure how hot a hair dryer gets. If it doesn’t work, HomeRight has several heat guns that are pretty inexpensive. You cand find their links in my post. Thanks for your visit and comment!
Absolutely brilliant! What a great use for a heat gun. So creative.
Thank you Susan! I love my new heat gun and have a few more ideas for other uses I can’t wait to try out! Thank you so much for your visit & comment.
Can you actually burn the candle? That would be very important to me.
Would a hairdryer do it?
Thanks for sharing! Eager to hear the answer.
Yes, you can still burn your candle ad long as it’s a pillar candle where the outer edges don’t burn or melt. I don’t about using a hairdryer I suppose if the heat setting was high enough it might work. Try it and see!
We love this project and are going to feature it on our Seasons’ Saturday Selections this Saturday. Feel free to share the info with your readers.
Janette and Jordan
Thank you so very much! I’ll be happy to share this weekend! Happy Holidays!
This is great. I love how easy this project is.
Thanks so much Vanessa! It is one of the easiest projects but the finished project looks so good! Try it ,I’m sure you’ll create something spectacular!
Those are stunning!!!!!!!!
Thank you Debbie..You can make these easily too! Happy Holidays!
These are just beautiful! I’m not craft at all, but I want to try these. Here is my question, hopefully I’m not being a total dummy. but HOW do you get the image to print on the tissue paper without jamming your printing. I’m assuming you used a standard PC printer?
Doesn’t the tape get “stuck” or am I being reaaally dense here 🙂
Thank you!!
Hi Barb! Not a silly question at all. Take a look at the photos in my post again and you’ll see that I used painters tape to hold it onto a heavy weight paper. I cut the tape it in half and ran a strip along the top and bottom of my card stock. It ran through the printer just fine. Have fun with the project & thanks for stopping by!
I am wondering if the type of printer, ink jet or laser, makes a difference for this project?
Hi Kelsey, That’s a really good question and I don’t have an exact answer since I made this project on my laser printer. I think if the tissue paper was firmly taped to the bottom page either would work. I’d say try it and see. Good luck!
If you use colored tissue paper – will the color transfer also or just the print?
Hi Becky, The paper fuses into the wax of the candle so if you use colored paper it will show up. Have fun with the project!
I love this idea. Thank you so much for the printables I used them and they came out beautiful. I did mine using a hairdryer on high setting since I didn’t want to purchase a heat gun. I also tried a color picture it came out great. This is going to come in handy for many gifts. Thank you again you’re a genius!
Peggy…You’re welcome and so glad you liked my tutorial! There are so many different type of pictures and graphics that would work on the candles.
Stopping in to pin!
Thanks so much for sharing my project!
These are just so awesome Wendi!!!
Nancy
Thank you Nancy:) Every so often we share a project that is easy and looks amazing..this one is it! Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing idea!
Is the printer inkjet or laser??
Hi Michelle, You’re welcome 🙂 My printer is an inkjet, but I think if you secure the tissue paper well onto a cardstock or other firm “backing” either will work fine. Thanks so much for stopping by & leaving a note!
Awesome! Thanks Wendi 🙂
So glad you liked my project. I absolutely love how easy these are to make:) Enjoy & thanks so much for your visit & comment!
Beautiful do you use acid free tissue paper thank you
Hi Jacquie… and thank you. To answer your question, I don’t use acid free tissue paper. This was regular old white tissue paper from the dollar store:)
Hola me encanta la idea pero ahí algunas cosas que no entiendo podrías ayudarme
Gracias
Muchas gracias Angela!
Thank you, this is a lovely way to dress up a candle.
Hi Sandra and yes, it is a super way to jazz up a plain candle! This year I’m making several as gifts. Thanks so much for your visit!
Hi Wendi. I adore black and white and this gorgeous graphic is perfect for my holiday décor, so thankyou! I’d love you to come and share this at my Five Star Frou-Frou linkup. We’d love to host you. Love, Mimi xxx
Hi Mimi, Thank you. It is a beautiful graphic. I love all three of them! I’ll do my best to make it to your link up:) Thanks so much for your visit!
What a unique idea. Very crafty! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Erin:) This is one of those projects that is so easy and turns out spectacular. Thanks so much for your visit!
Okay, now I want a heat gun…
Hi Nana… I KNOW, how fun is this project! I’m making more this year too. I had no idea the heat gun was as usefula as this one has been. The things we learn in DIY… LOL Maybe you could ut it on your Christmas wish list;) Thank you so much for your visit!
This is such a cool project! I make my own candles with old jars a lot of the time. This could be a really interesting new direction to take that tired out craft. Thanks for sharing. I’ll have to look into heat guns.
Hi Gina… They turn out so beautiful, you’d never know they were a craft!
The candles I tried turned out beautiful! this was such a grate idea!
Erica… I’m so glad you took the time to let me know! I loved this project and how well the candles turned out! Have fun with them!
Great idea! Thanks for linking up to Home Matters Party. #HomeMattersParty
Thank you Sharleen:) This is such a fun project to do, I loved sharing it!
Hey, Wendi! Just wanted to let you know that we loved your How To Add Images To Candles so much when you shared it at the #HomeMattersParty last week, we’ve FEATURED it THIS WEEK! Hope you can check it out when you get a sec! Happy Friday!!!
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai / Home Matters Linky Party
Hi Loreli, what an awesome surprise. Thanks so much for the feature!
I have heat gun envy! Congratulations on your #HomeMattersParty feature.
Thanks so much Audrey! I love my heat gun. you’d never think something like a heat gun would be so useful but it is!
Congratulations on the feature and thanks for linking up to Home Matters Party. #HomeMattersParty cu-rio.net/home-matters-linky-party-65/
Thanks so much Sharleen, that’s great news! This is such an easy project to make, hope your readers love it as much as I do:)
I have used this idea in the past and it is still a favorite of mine, wanted to ask i love your graphic but would like to use it with different words but the same font as you used. Any chance you could share the file without the words? Also any chance you could let us know what font you used? thank you in advance, love your candles.
Hi Denise. Like you, I love this project. I don’t have the graphic without the words though:( I made it using PicMonkey I think it was with the free version at the time. You can find it at pickmonkey.com if you’re not familiar with it. I believe the components were the wreath, font and a few other small items like pinecones from the graphic library. I don’t remember the font, but you’ll see it. Good luck and have fun!
I have one of the Embossing hot guns.. The older models. Will it work just as well doing the projects? Thanks.
Hi Debra, It can’t hurt to try! If it gets hot enough it probably will. Some of my readers have been using hairdryers with good success. Have fun with your project!
Thank u so much,really great idea for simple candle make a beautiful candle… wonderful experiance.
You’re welcome!
Wendy
I would love to do these candles but can’t find out how to get the transfers to put on the candles. Noel Peace etc.
I love these candles and would love to make them for my mantle.
Pauline
Hi Pauline, I have links to download the graphics in the post. All you need to do is save them and then follow the tutorial and print them on tissue paper. I’m sure your candle project will turn out beautifully! Good luck and hope this info helps!
Wendi, I cannot figure out where to go to download the graphics for this project.
Please help with the links. Sometimes I think I need directions for dummies.
Pauline
No worries Pauline. See where it says to click on the graphic (picture) to download that printable graphic? Under that sentence there is a small version of each of the graphics I used. Just click on the picture and save the pdf file to your computer. I hope that helps. I can email the files to you if you’re having trouble saving them, just let me know!
Wendi,
Got it, just didn’t go down far enough to see them. I have a mac so just put them on my desktop to put in my photos for future use.
Thanks so much
These candles will look lovely on my mantle.
Pauline
Helping a friend, with a completely unrelated use of heat, I had to figure out the highest temperature output for a couple hair dryers. To measure, I used a meat thermometer, about 4-6 inches from the business end of the hair dryers we were checking. And even with basic models of inexpensive hair dryers that we checked, on high, we were breaking 200 degrees easily. I don’t see why a hair dryer would not work for this project but you may want to check your distance from the candle because 4 to 6 in away from the blower was over 200 degrees and you don’t want to melt a flat spot in your pretty candle.
Hi Christina and thanks for the info. Yes, a blow dryer may work just fine depending on the unit. Candles do melt quickly which is what you want when doing this project. It only take seconds which I think I mention exactly how many for the image to melt into the candle. It’s a quick process overall 🙂 Thanks so much for your visit and sharing your info!
This is so pretty and something to do for any occassion.
Hi Debra and thank you! I totally agree and would love to see this project with a pretty spring print or other holiday. I feel in love with how easy it was to make this candle project. Thanks so much for your visit and Happy Holidays!
What a fabulous idea!! These would make perfect gifts!
Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous project with us over at Waste Not Wednesday!
Hi Sam and thank you so much! I love this project too, it turned out so beautifully and makes the best gifts! Thanks so much for your note & visit!
can you do this on a color candle? or would it show the tissue paper?
Hi Annette, That’s a very good question. I think if you used white tissue paper on a colored candle it probably would show up. But, if you incorporated having a white background into your graphic that could be a cool effect. I’d suggest having fun and trying out a few different papers and candle colors to see what you like. Thanks so much for stopping by and have fun with your project!