Homemade Candle Making Made Easy!

From pillars to beeswax, soy to tea lights, you can make your own homemade candles with signature fragrances, color, and decorative accents. Making homemade candles is easy with minimal preparation and materials required. Spend an afternoon getting used to the process, and you will quickly learn how simple it is! You can choose your favorite colors and scents that revitalize a room, give homemade candles away as a sentimental gift, and enjoy a natural accent to any area.

Homemade candles are easy to create, and supply costs are minimal. Choose a basic paraffin or beeswax to start with, and you can get started into the exciting world of candle making. Most arts and craft stores sell medium to large blocks of candle wax. Stock candle wax is usually unscented, and can be enhanced with your choices of scented oil and fragrance. You can also melt down old candles to make your own ‘block’ for future use. This is an easy way to recycle old candles too!

To make a basic paraffin pillar candle, you will need:

� Block of unscented paraffin wax
� Double boiler
� Candle mold (you can buy one made for professional use, or make your own out of a disposable food or beverage container)
� 1/8 cup vegetable oil
� Standard wick
� Shoe polish spray
� A clean towel

1. Begin by melting the wax in a double boiler until it reaches a pourable state. This should be fluid enough to pour and set.
2. Oil the inside of the mold with vegetable oil, and set aside.
3. Tilt the mold slightly and fill up to one inch. Insert the wick, and hold while you fill up the rest.
4. Stop approximately 2-3 inches from the top.
5. Tap the mold and let it set briefly; hold the wick as the candle sets.
6. Top off the wax if needed, but continue to hold up the wick (so it doesn’t ‘set’ into the top of the candle!)
7. The candle will set fairly quickly; loop the wick over the side of the mold, and let it ‘hang.’ Place candle in refrigerator for approximately 10 minutes.
8. Turn the mold out on a clean towel and turn out the candle; it should slide out easily with minimal tapping needed.
9. Spray the candle with clear shoe polish spray to set the outside smoothly and evenly.
10. Even out the bottom by melting it slightly on a hot plate or other heat source
11. Enjoy your new creation!

Once you have some experience with the basic process of homemade candles, the possibilities are endless. You can add color by using wax dyes; melting color crayons along with the wax is another simple and easy idea. Adorn the candles with glitter, embellishments, or even carve unique designs into the wax for some extra enhancements. To add your favorite fragrance to your candle, you can purchase your favorite scented oil for wax candles at most arts and crafts stores. Alternatively, use potpourri and dried flowers mixed into the wax for a creative exterior design; for this, you will need a special mold that will let you create an ‘internal’ and external version so that the potpourri does not burn while the candle melts down. Check your local craft store for these homemade candle supplies.

Always be sure to set aside a bucket or bowl for unused melted wax, as you should never pour hot wax down the sink; it will clog up the pipes immediately. Wear gloves when pouring to avoid uncomfortable burns, and do take steps to make sure children and pets are nowhere near the hot wax and candle making supplies!