Tea light made from an orange

It’s still Winter, even though the weather in Utah has been ten kinds of insane.  She’s a fickle little diva, that Winter.  Anyhow, since citrus is so widely available in the depths of despair December/January it’s a fun time to get your craft on and whip up a tea light made from an orange.  Or three.

Serious.

Martha, procurer of all things beautiful, taught me how to do this little bit of magic with oranges and I’ll tell you what: it’s a super easy and totally gorgeous craft. 

Promise.

I just don’t have time and/or energy for any drawn out nonsense, and my guess is neither do you.  But this would be a little bit cool and romantic to try for a cozy Valentine’s day dinner.  Maybe I’ll whip out some magic and impress Viktor.  Then again, maybe I’ll eat a protein bar and have a Downton Abbey marathon instead, boys optional.

I’m betting on the latter.

So here’s how it all breaks down, the nitty gritty details you need to know to make your own tea light.

How to: tea light made from an orange:

• oranges
• tea lights
• tea light holders or small ramekins
• paring knife
• spoon
• steel cookie cutter {optional}
• bowl for orange guts

Step 1: Slice an orange in half right down the middle, not top down from the stem.

Step 2: Use a spoon to scoop out the guts of the orange, the same way you’d carve a pumpkin.

Step 3: If you have a metal cookie cutter that will cut through the orange peel, use it to cut a shape out of the top.  This will be the top, the fire escape so it needs to be at least a couple inches across.  I ended up cutting a shape out with the paring knife because my cookie cutter was a pansy.

Step 4: Place the other orange half the bottom half, in the tea light holder or ramekin, put the tea light in the middle, and you’re done.

Boom!

You are a ninja made of crafty awesomeness.

Light the candle, put the lid on, and prepare to blow minds.

This is a seriously gorgeous tea light.  If you make a handful of these bad boys, invite people over to experience the magic that is you.  You’ll have people swooning at your skills, whispering to one another in hushed reverential tones about your brilliance.

I’m pretty sure that’s how this whole thing will play out.

Look at you, you just made a tea light out of an orange!

There’s really nothing you can’t do.