Posts tagged: homemade candles

Making Beeswax Candles - A Great School Project

authoradmin | February 11, 2010

Making Beeswax Candle Tips - Candles with the Kids

The warm illuminating glow it emits. That deliciously fragrant smell as your candle fades. Sigh! Many are surprised at how enjoyable producing beeswax candles could be!

Making candles out of beeswax is a fun “hands on” activity for the little tykes. Don’t worry about kids having to get within one foot of a hot stove because this project doesn’t involve any burning wax. Beeswax candle making is a neat and tidy project with easy-to-find materials.

Making Beeswax Candles Tips - Items that You Do Need

  • 8 inch by 16 inch sheets of beeswax
  • Primed wick sliced for a one inch candle
  • A small paring knife from your kitchen
  • Flat open surface

Learn to Make Beeswax Candles

  1. Lay out your sheet of beeswax
  2. Slice wick approximately 3/4 inches longer than wax sheet (allowing excess on both sides of candle)

Leaving available wick at each ends allows you the choice to decide which side of the candle you prefer as the top and which side the bottom.

Lay wick on edge of sheet and begin to start rolling beeswax by folding over 1/8 inch of wax. The wick will be be securely enclosed by this seam.With the tips of your fingers, roll the wax around the wick in a straight and secure line while pushing both sides at the same time. This is probably the most difficult step thorughout the process of making candles.

Another method to consider is by flipping it over then folding the wax down with a seam—approximately an eighth of an inch—by utilizing a cutting board or perhaps the corner of a counter. Whichever way works as long as you end up with a flawless seam.

As you make your candle, at some point in time you must decide how thick of a candle you desire. The thicker you want, the more beeswax you will need to add. This is done by aligning the new wax sheet edge to edge with the original & using your thumb to meld the pieces together. When rolling the beeswax, make sure you do so in a straight line and continue until the very end.

When you get to the end, gently push the edges of the beeswax down with your thumbs.  Continue going along the whole length of the candle creating an invisible seam.

Select what could be the ideal part to serve as the candle’s top then shave the wick 1/2 inches from the wax. Do not forget to start from the bottom as you remove the rest of the wick.

Although the younger ones might not find these parts enjoyable, you and other parents certainly would. So go ahead, ceremoniously light your glorious achievement, inhale the exotic perfume and enjoy this splendid moment! And as for the kids? The end result — candles that your kids can proudly call their own!

Be aware that the next steps for candlemaking are not much different with what others in your place had done centuries ago. Originally, the goal was to have a source of light…an obvious necessity during those times. But at present, a lot of people simply take up candlemaking for recreational purposes. Other reasons may also apply of course. As stated previously, most of the time, it is for self gratification. Sometimes however, it is for giving as a gift on special occasions. A craft project like wax candle making is considered kid-friendly by most parents. Last but not the least is the profit you’ll get. Some people create candles to sell for their own individual business venture.

Continue to this link to find out more on Candle Making Ideas.

Candle Making - A Hobby Everyone Can Enjoy!

authoradmin | July 18, 2009

People everywhere are enjoying this fun hobby and learning how to make candles for themselves. All different kinds of candles can be made, including dipped tapers, votives, pillars and more, and there are all kinds of different colors, sizes and scents available. It’s easy to do, too, so just about anybody can make their own candles.

You can create small scented candles, practical candles for light, or decorative candles that work as a beautiful centerpiece. No matter what you do, remember that mistakes are never permanent. If you don’t like the finished result when you produce your candles, just melt them down and try again. That makes candle making one of the most forgiving hobbies out there.

You can choose to purchase a candle making kit for your first candles, try the craft store for some basic supplies purchased separately, or order from a specialty candle making store online. Each method has its benefits and downsides.

Kits come with all the components you need, but can be limiting since you don’t get to select them. Local stores allow you to purchase your own supplies, but may not have a great selection. Online shops offer the largest range of options, but you don’t get to see your purchases before you buy, so research is important.

It doesn’t matter how you decide to get your candles - the supplies are pretty minimal. Everyone who’s going to make a candle will require wax, some candle wicks and a way to melt it that’s not dangerous, as well as a way to protect their work surfaces and any surrounding areas from getting wax dripped onto them.

You’ll also need molds for candles like votives and pillars, and jars for soft waxes that never become quite solid. If you want to do things the old fashioned way and use a dipped candle, make sure you have something to dip into that’s deep enough, a place to hang finished candles for cooling, and something to suspend wicking from. All candle makers will also need a thermometer.

Avoid candle making around children and pets, and make sure that you wear clothing that will cover your body well and won’t catch on anything. This will cut down on the danger of spills and the resulting burns. Wax is pretty hot, after all, unless you’re using low temperature specialty waxes.

Many people also like to choose colorants and a candle fragrance.These are chemical components and most are non-toxic, but they should not be ingested. Candle dyes can also stain, so make sure you handle them carefully and add them slowly to the wax to prevent unusual color problems.

That’s all you need for the basics, and they’re very inexpensive. Practice candles can even be made with old candle stubs, some wicking and a jelly jar! Once you’ve gotten used to the process, you can try multiple colors, mixing your own hues, unusual shapes and lots more creative options!

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