How To Make Your Own Candles – Worry Free Instructions
Veteran candle maker Rebecca Johnson Keating sheds light on the fascinating craft of candle making, sharing years of experience to help neophyte hobbyists become skilled craftsmen
The homemade candle making craft has been around since man, and woman, tried to provide illumination for their family. Once primarily a homemaker’s obligation to extend the daylight hours, it has become a popular hobby, a creative outlet for anyone who wants that personal touch by making candles at home as a pastime, to give as gifts, and even to build a business on. Sure we can shoo away the darkness with a flick of a switch, but nothing beats the warmth and mood transforming power of a candle.
And nothing could be more rewarding or easy to do than making your own candles. Candle making suppliers have everything you need – from the different kinds of wax, wicks, dyes and decorations as well as candle making molds and fragrances – to make any possible candle you can design. A double boiler (we’ll show you how you can devise your own), thermometer and a metal or plastic stirrer and you’re set to make your own candles. We supply the candle making instructions, YOU supply the imagination.
First, prepare your molds or candle making containers by placing them on old newspapers. You can spray non-stick cooking spray to ensure speedy removal of your finished candles if you wish. Position the wicks by tying each to a stick and centering them over the molds. Now, place the wax in the double boiler or a small pot set in a larger pot of boiling water. Wax can burn when melted over direct heat and using a double boiler prevents that. Once all the wax has melted, remove it from the stove and gently stir in your dye or fragrance if you’re using them. Pour into your molds and wait at least 6 hours for your candles to cool.
Once you have the basic candle making techniques down pat, you might even want to try making your own molds. Intrepid enthusiasts use liquid latex to make unique molds and create “one-of-a-kind” candles. Latex molds are so flexible, they make removal of the finished candle a snap. But this flexibility also means the mold needs some support to keep its shape while the candle making wax is poured into it. You can make a support using a sturdy piece of cardboard with a hole cut in it for the mold to slip through up to its lip. The rims of latex molds typically have a “lip” for catching the edge of the cardboard while the wax is poured into it.
The candle making craft can turn you into an entrepreneur. Everything you need from pouring to packaging can be found at your friendly neighborhood wholesale candle making supplies store where buying in bulk gets you discount prices. People are always looking for a new twist on this old craft. Candle making is like bottling sunshine; use your imagination to capture it in eye-catching designs. The sky’s the limit on this one.
