How to unlock the power of the not so humble tea light.
Summary: Often overlooked, tea lights can be an inexpensive way
to achieve truly dramatic effects.
There are two keys to using tea lights successfully.
First, when you think tea lights, think quantity. A single tea
light is a poor, lonely thing, pining for its fellows.
Second, think containers. Glass or metal in particular
completely transform the self-effacing tea light.
Put them inside cut-glass wineglasses. Even inexpensive embossed
glasses are transformed with a tea light inside. Enhance the
effect by grouping glowing glasses on a polished tray- silver
for preference, but other colors work equally well.
And remember that although they are comparatively tiny, they can
burn for four (or even more) hours.
Put them in transparent holders. Arranged around a table
centerpiece, they will provide lots of light at the table level
- but remember to add taller candles to light your guests' faces
as well.
Or look for colored glass containers. There are plenty designed
especially for tea lights; equally, you might spot something you
can adapt to achieve a totally unusual effect.
What about arranging tea lights in a long shallow container
(glass, metal, wood or pottery work equally well) surrounded by
decorative objects - stones, shells, balls, even unshelled nuts.
You can put votives in shallow glass containers and float them
in water-filled bowls.
If you're dining al fresco, create a centerpiece using florist's
foam (either a ring or a block) as a base. Soak the foam in
water to soften, drain, and then press the tea lights into the
foam, spacing them carefully. Then build up the centerpiece
using herbs, berries and flowers.
If you're going to use them near food, remember to choose the
unscented variety.
And there's that wonderful trick of using candles in a brown
paper bag that nowadays seems relegated to lighting the way to
youthful parties, but is far too good to be wasted on teenagers.
Put a little sand in a bag, fold over the top a few times to
make a more rigid top, cut some holes (or not, as you please) in
the sides, and you have a wonderful way to light a drive,
highlight a staircase or line the perimeter of a deck.
Tea lights liquefy quickly because they are made of a less
refined wax, so make sure you spend a few cents more on getting
the right quality, but do throw away any that show signs of
smoking.