Candle Making at Home Is Easier Than You Think, More Fun That Buying Candles, and Saves Money

Candle making at home is not only simple and easy to do, it is also going to save you a ton of money in the long run. Think about it for a moment, you no longer have the need to buy gifts for people you care about and you also no longer need to spend a ton of money on candles anymore. Now let me point something out, some people think that giving a person a candle as a gift is sort of an easy way to give a gift without having to think to much about the person that you are giving it to. Now although this can be true, it all depends on the person, if you make the candle yourself then it is very personal and you can also personalize it in various ways such as the colors and the scents that are used.

What I am going to do right now is teach you some candle making at home tips and give you some examples of how you can make it personal to the person that you are going to give it to, of course, you can also make it personal to you if you want. Now, think of the person that you are going to give this to, what colors do they like? Do they have a favorite fragrance? Do they like sea shells, charms, fairies, or butterfly's? Think hard about this person and make a list of all the things that you know they like. Alright, ready to get started? Here we go!

Here is a list of some of the things that you are going to need for this project:

A double boiler (some people use a candle pour pot instead which is a pretty nice tool to have but if you are just beginning to learn candle making at home then do not invest in a candle pour pot just yet, you are going to make sure that you enjoy the hobby first before you spend too much money. Just a suggestion of course.)

A thermometer (now some people feel that they do not need this but let me tell you, this is very important to have as you are going to want to make sure that the wax is at the right temperature at all times.)

Paraffin Wax (I think you already know why we are going to need wax in order to make a candle.)

Wicks and wick tabs (wick tabs are great in terms of safety, they help to extinguish the flame as the candle nears completion and also help to keep the wick stable and prevent the flame from going out due to the pool that forms from the melted wax.)

A mold (Now this can be anything you want or that you think is going to work but I have a few suggestions for you, large glass jars, soft drink cans, and baby food containers all work great. Make sure that you play it safe when you cut the soft drink cans though, aluminum can be sharp, also, avoid using anything like a milk carton or any thing else that can break as the hot wax is poured in to it. Something metallic or made of strong glass is ideal.)

Carving knife (This is to cut the wax.)

Colors and scents (Now remember to think about the person you are giving this candle to, if you are candle making at home you can make an otherwise bland gift in to something great so think hard.)

Trinkets (Now this is optional but like I mentioned earlier, if your friend likes the beach then maybe sea shells are ideal, if they like charms then find some to match the personality of your friend. Take the time to look through different craft stores and such and look for whatever works. Just remember to use something that is not going to be damaged by the melting wax, something metallic or hard should do.

Oil (olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, you name it, I prefer spray can oils for this but anything will do the trick)

Wooden spoon (it does not have to be wooden but I find that this works the best)

Chop stick (these are also great for stirring)

Alright! You got what you need now it is time to to learn candle making at home! Are you ready? Here we go!

Step # 1. Cover your work area, which should be a flat surface, with newspapers, wax paper, cardboard or whatever else that you want to use just as long as you cover it up to keep it protected.

Step # 2. Fill the bottom pan of the double boiler up about half way with water and place it on the stove top with low heat.

Step # 3. As you are waiting for this to boil, cut the wax in to small pieces and put them in to the top pan.

Step # 4. Now you are going to want to prepare your mold by either taking a towel and wiping the inside of it with oil or by spraying the oil in to it, this is going to prevent the candle from sticking to it when it dries.

Step # 5. Now make sure that you are stirring the wax often and checking the temperature with the thermometer. The wax should melt at around 150 degrees. The wooden spoon is great for this.

Step # 6. Now add the scent and the color to the mix and stir it all in, add only a little at a time in order to make sure that you do not add to much.

Step # 7. Now you are going to attach the wick to the wick tab if needed, and place it at the bottom of the mold, now this can move around a bit so you might want to add some of the melted wax in to the bottom of the mold first, at this time if you want you can also put some of the trinkets at the bottom of the mold and then pour the wax in, it is up to you. Also do not cut the wick yet.

Step # 8. Alright, now be careful when you do this next step as you do not want to get hurt, it is a very tricky part when it comes to candle making at home. Very slowly pour the wax in to the mold, now as you are doing this take the time to make sure that the top of the wick does not get covered in wax. Also, now is the time to add the trinkets in to the mix. Do this by adding some trinkets and then adding the wax, gently stir with a chop stick as not to disturb the wick, continue this process as you fill up the mold.

Step # 9. Put the candle to the side and leave it somewhere safe for 24 hours, then when that time has passed, turn the mold over, shake the candle out, trim the wick and you are done!

There you are, you just learned candle making at home, it is a fun hobby and great for any occasion!

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