Category Archives: Candle Making

How to use Microwave to Create Scented Candles

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We are introducing an amazing new product which enables you to create beautiful candles using old (or new) cooking oil.   Called the Greatest Candle in the World It comes in a tin which contains scented candle powder, wick holders  and candle wicks and a scoop for measuring the powder.
The greatest candle in the world

Microwave candle old oil

You will also need:-
a. A glass to make the scented candle in.
b. A metal tin or baking tray (just to keep things tidy!)
c) Approximately 100ml Cooking Oil (used or new).
d.A jug or container in a microwaveable material (glass or ceramic). It will be hot when it comes out of the microwave so use a container with a handle.
Making the Candle:-
1) (only if you are using up old oil, if using fresh cooking oil skip this step).  Filter you oil oil through a coffee filter or small screened colander.  If possible let the oil rest for 24 hours before recycling it to make sure the old particles are separated from the oil.
2. Pour the oil into the jug and pour one heaped scoop of scented wax powder/
3. Microwave for 1-2 minutes on Medium power
4. Using your oven glove remove from microwave and add a further 2 heaped scoops and stir until dissolved.

Stirring the microwave candle5.Pour the oil/candle powder mix into your glass.
6. Place the candle wick using the cardboard wick holder into the oil/wax. Be care as the oil will be HOT. Use a pencil or other long object to make sure the wick is placed centrally at the bottom of the glass.
Microwave scented candle 7. Let the candle cool until solid (this does not take long, 5 to 10 minutes).
Now you have a lovely scented candle!  The kit contains enough ingredients to make at least six candles. Please watch our video on you tube

 

 

Wax tarts and how to make and melt them

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The easiest, quickest way to fill your room with wonderful fragrance.   Basically they work like scented candles without a wick!   They melt fast in oil burners and the scent is diffused quicker then when using candles.  You can vary the strength of the scent by the amount you choose to put in.  Prettilly packaged they make a  wonderful gift. This step by step guide will teach you how to make small white hearts.  Ideal packed in a small box for organza bag for wedding favours!
Heart wax melts

So you will need:-
1. A rubber heart ice mould ( bun tins work well also).
2. A cooking thermometer
3. A double saucepan or bowl over a saucepan to melt the wax in.
4. A metal jug to pour in the wax.
5. Wax and stearin mix (put in 10% extra stearin if you want them extra white).
6. Candle perfume.
   pouring wax melt   double saucepan for wax

Making the Wax Melts

1.Melt about 200 gms of  of wax and stearin mix in a double saucepan or in a metal bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Heat to 180F.
2. Add a few drops of camdle perfume.Stir gently.
2. Ladel the moten waxwax from into your jug.
3. Fill the wax hearts.
4. Wait for them to set, and then simply pop them of of their mould.

About Wax Melts
Candle manufactures invented was melts, also known as wax tarts.   Place them in oil burners  light a 4-5 hour Tea light and their perfume will quickly infuse your room.  They are very safe to use and safer than using oil and water in a wax burner.
Make wax melts from your left over scented candle ends.  I am shortly going to write a blog about how to easily remove old wax from scented candle glasses – such a shame to throw that wonderfully scented wax away!

 

 

 

How to Use Candle Sand

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Using our powdered wax or coloured powdered with our container wicks is the easiest way to create an instant candle.
You will need:-
i)   A suitable container.  It must be non combustable, either glass or metal.  Make sure if using a glass that it is at least 7cm in diameter.
It is very important that the candle flame does not touch the glass as the glass will shatter if the flame touches it, so do not use a container that curves in at the top.
ii)   Container wicks.       Container wicks are ready primed (that is that they have been dipped in wax so they are stiff) and fixed to a small metal disc, known as the sustainer.

container wicks with sustainer
iii) The wax.   The CANDLE SAND comes in three different types. Either our 2 kilos bags of wax and stearin mix, our five kilo bag of wax pellets of our jars of coloured or scented candle sand.
wax and stearin mix              pellated wax          GOLD AND SILVER CANDLE SAND

Ok so now you have everthing you need together!  Time to make your candle

1).  Place the wick and sustainer in the middle of the container.  Either support it with a toothpick or pencil, or  use a piece of cardboard with a hole in the center.
Container candle ready to be filled

3. Pour the wax granuals around the wick.
Pouring wax granuels into glass
4. When you have finished filling the glass cut the wick.   Shake it gently to even out the granuels.   Your candle is now ready.
glass with candle sand

5. Light your candle.  Burn it for at least 3-4 hours depending on the diameter of your container and the molten wax will seal the wax in.

Of course you do not have to use a glass.  You can adapt this idea for filling silver bowls as centerpieces for wedding tables.  Using several wicks is another great idea.   It is a really economical and pretty way to make your own candles!

Multi wick candle sand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to make solid beeswax candles

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Beeswax candle are much sought after and make wonderful presents.  I love their
smell and their smooth texture.  Pillar candles, unlike dinner candles, will really give off that wonderful honey smell as there will be a pool of wax to diffuse the scent.  Tapered candles give off much less scent.
beeswax handipped                 handipped beeswax        beeswax handipped

Firstly, Handipped beeswax candles:
The drawback of making these is that you have to have quiet a lot of beeswax, which is expensive.   The great thing about making them is that when you use beeswax you will get thicker layers than when you use paraffin wax.  You will need a tall dipping can and some 1″ wick.  (You can use an oil tin such as an oil tin; cut off the top and make sure it is thoroughly clean. Put tape round the top of the can to ensure that it is safe and you cannot cut yourself on its edge.  Then place in a water bath. NEVER heat wax directly over your heat source).  Each candle will need between 7 and 10 dips.   Dip them with a smooth arm action.  Leave time between dips for the wax to cool. When finished hang them up so they are separated.  They may bend if you do not make sure that they completely set before standing them upright.

How to Make Solid Beeswax Pillar Candles
                                               Solid beeswax pillar candle

Beeswax does not contract and can be impossible to get out of the mould.    However use cooking oil which is a natural release agent and works wonders in steel or plastic moulds. Rub a thin layer onto the inside of the mould with a soft, lint-free cloth   Stand the mould upside down on an old newspaper to let the excess oil drip away. Give it a final rub with a soft cloth.   Alternatively I have used cooking oil sprays quite effectively.   Set your mould up using a wick 1/2 larger than usual. Then set your mould up in the usual way.  Heat the beeswax in a double boiler and pour your candle at approximately 185 F.  When you top it up make sure that you are very careful not to top it up over the original level of the candle.
NB You can add stearin to the beeswax to make it harder if you wish.  

How to make beeswax candles in a rubber moulds.

Rubber mould are very well suited to beeswax and of course you can extract them easily.  You will find instructions for using rubber moulds here

How to make beeswax candles in glass dinner candle moulds
We suggest you dont try this, as the candle may be very difficult to remove. Handip instead!

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How to make your own wedding favour candles

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A1smallgoldringThis is really easy, and economical!  This shows a 60 x 40mm bulk buy candle, which work out at just 38p each, a gold applique wax ring which costs .65p and two sheets of water slide decal paper which will add £2,00 to the total, making a wonderful personalised wedding favour for only £1.23!!  So- lets begin….

The first thing to do is to print out your labels using an ink jet printer and our decal paper.
For those of your who are not that computer literate open up Word. Then go to file and start a new document.  Then click the mailing tab at the top, then the label icon.  Choose the size of the label you need, how many rows and columns.  Now type in your names and the wedding date in one label and centre it. Then all you have to do is copy and paste to fill out the entire sheet.

Laels for Wedding Favours   lanbels for candle wedding favours cutting the water slide transfer  spraying varnish deca                                 

soaking-the-decal   decal onto candle  smoothing-the-decal-on-candlewax-gold-ring

        

Once printed spray the sheet with any matt varnish.  We do not sell this but you can buy it in any craft shops.  I buy mine from Amazon and it costs around £4.00 a can.  Wait until the varnish is dry (the purpose of the varnish is to prevent the ink smudging). Then soak the label in a bowl of water for a few minutes. Take it out of the bowl and  gently slide it off its backing onto the candle.  Smooth out any bubbles or creases gently with a soft cloth or tissue.

Ok, that is  it apart from gently taking a gold ring wax applique  from its backing and pressing it  firmly onto the candle.  They will look really prettyon your weddking tables either on your own, or you can put them in a small organza bag.

One last point!  Of course you  do not have to use the smallest candle, any size will do.  Also the same technique looks great as a wedding table centerpiece!

Please Visit our Candle Wedding Favour Page

 

     

 

Some Examples of Hand Made Candles

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Using Up Old Candle Ends

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Make sure you have read both out safety instructions safety instructions and basic candle making instructions before you do any of our candle making projects and tutorials.

Candlemaking is a wonderful hobby and need not be expensive. In fact you can save £ss by using up old candle ends – why throw out good wax!

If you have alot of candle ends put them in a large double boiler or bowl over water and melt them. Leave the wax to cool until it has form a skin over the top. If you now ladle out the wax will find that the dirty wax and old pieces of wick are left in the bottom and can be thrown. If you are making indoor candles it may be a good idea to sieve the wax before you use it to make sure that there are no odd bit of wick remaining, before you pour your new candles.

Having prepared your re-cycled wax you can now dye and scent it in the usual way.

The following garden candle projects are especially useful for using up old wax as the wax really does not have to be very clean to make them.

Basic Method of Making Moulded Candles

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Make sure you have read our safety instructions safety instructions before you do any candle making.

Prepare Mould. Thread the wick through the hole at the top of the mould and seal it with mould seal. Press it down well. (This is not necessary if you are using rubber/latex moulds as they seal themselves.

Support Mould in a roll of cardboard, cup or jug or anything else you can find to do the job.

Heat Wax Gently heat the wax to a temperature of 80c and add dye and a few drops of perfume if you are making scented candles. Pour gently into your prepared mould. Always leave some wax over for the ‘top up’.

Top up While the wax cools it contracts and the wax sinks. Wait until a thick skin has formed on the top of the wax and then pierce it with a pencil or you wicking needle. Make sure you prod the surface properly or you may be left with holes in the finished candle. Then pour in some more wax, being very careful that the wax is not too hot (that could crack the candle) or too cold (it will not adhere to the candle) or that you do not fill it over the original level of the candle making it difficult to get out of the mould. Depending on the size of the candle you are making you may have to top up your candle more than once.

Remove the candle from the mould The candle should come out easily from the mould when you pull it. If is doesn’t it could be because:

  • You topped up over the original level of the candles.
  • The candle cooled too slowly (this can happen if your work area is too warm – try and put your candles in a cool area to set).
  • The candle was poured in when the wax wax too cold and the wax hasn’t contracted enough to come out of the mould Rubber/Latex moulds: Coat the outside of the mould with washing up liquid before you peel it back and take it out.

cmb_taking_out_of_mould cmb_putting_on_mould_seal cmb_a_set_up_mould