light up your life
(Page 4 of 5)
If you don’t have enough leftover wax to dip the entire candle,
try putting a smaller amount of wax into a container of hot water;
the wax will float to the surface. Dip the candle into the
wax-covered water. The candle will pick up the surface wax as you
pull it out slowly. Watch for water bubbles, and smooth them out or
redip if necessary.
RELATED CONTENT
Decorate and scent any room with a handmade trivet for your table....
Step outside your door and enter a tranquil sanctuary filled with healing herbs....
Check out our five-year plan to create your own kitchen garden....
This herb garden is modeled after the healing gardens common in Middle Ages monasteries....
Bay Laurel may be the best known, but it is not the only type of bay....
Adding crushed dried herbs to the wax just before you pour will
give the finished candle an interesting mottled look. Use loose
dried leaves of an herb such as rosemary, matching the herb to an
essential oil added to the wax for scent. The crushed herbs or
leaves will tend to drift toward the bottom of the candle, creating
a lovely effect, particularly with homemade molds such as milk
cartons in which the mold and finished candle have the same
orientation.
how to make a candle
Materials
Candle wax
Stearic acid (optional)
Molds
Cloth
Nonstick cooking spray
Crayons or wax color buds
Essential oils or candle scent (optional)
Wicking of a size appropriate to your molds
Candy thermometer
Electric deep fryer or slow cooker or a double boiler (coffee can
for wax, set into a larger pan of water)
Ice pick or knitting needle
About the materials: Candle waxes are available with different
melting points and optimum pouring temperatures; follow the
directions that come with the wax you buy. The pouring temperature
for most paraffin is between 170° and 190°F. Stearic acid acts as a
hardening agent, which is important for dipped tapers but less so
for molded candles; adding up to 2 tablespoons per pound of wax
will produce a candle that drips less.
Metal and plastic candle molds are relatively inexpensive, but
you may also use containers that you find around the house, such as
milk cartons and bowls. Secondhand candle molds can often be found
at garage sales and flea markets, but avoid metal molds that have
dents that would make removing the candle impossible. Crayons are a
good, intense source of color for candles, as are the color buds
available at craft stores. To judge what your final color will be,
drop a teaspoon of the melted wax into a saucepan of cold water. It
will set immediately. The color of the sample will be slightly
lighter and less opaque than that of the finished candle.
Page:
<< Previous 1 |
2 |
3 | 4 |
5 |
Next >>