A Date with Candle Making Crafts
Okay so this is a little off my usual topic, but I think it’s noteworthy. Many of us often try to think of something fun to do on a date, or after a date. My thinking is why not make it a fun craft date—with the added bonus that it’s likely they haven’t ever done it before, so it will be memorable.
So it this sounds like something you might like to do on a date keep reading, below I will outline a very simple candle making project you can do with things you have laying around for the most part, and the best part is he/she will have something THEY created with you to take home and remind them of the fun date they had.
It really is a win-win for you and them, they get to try something new and fun, and you get to help make a memorable and fun date they will remember for quite some time. So to start off; take a look at the list below and make sure to have the supplies on hand.
1) An empty can—from say canned fruit or something, make sure to wash it out of course
2) Wick—this is the one you will probably have to drop by a crafts store and pick up, you can use other things such as strings, etc but they often don’t work well at all. Best to grab the real thing.
3) Wax, now you can either pick some of this up at the crafts store or use Crayons—a decent sized box should do nicely.
4) Crayons—If using only crayons you are already covered. These are to mix with the other wax for color.
5) A sauce pan half full of water.
Now heat the sauce pan half full of water up—not boiling, and place the empty can inside the middle. Put the wax in the can—or break up the Crayons and drop them in. Heat until the wax melts.
Take a nice length of wick—about 4 inches, and slowly dip it into the melted wax; then slowly pull the wick back out and hold it until it cools. Repeat this process until the candle is as thick as you want.
Now at this step if you haven’t been using Crayons for wax, melt some into the wax can now. Dip the candle a few times and twist the wick—so the candle spins a little as it comes out of the wax, this should make a swirl effect with the Crayon colors.
There you have it a wonderful candle made on a date with someone that is hopefully having a lot of fun doing these wonderful little candle making crafts.
Some ideas for uses for the candles of course are dependent on the people making them. Some people like to keep them in the bedroom, some people like to make candles as gifts, and some people even start their own businesses making candles and selling them.
Online, and offline it’s only a matter of finding a market, candles will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Candle Making
Making a candle isn’t cheap, nor is it easy, but the result is so captivating that often times it should be done just for that. There are hundreds of options on what kind of wax to use, what color, fragrance, even the way it is presented, but overall it comes down to what knowledge you have about candle making and your ability to be quick and follow instructions.
It all starts at the craft store. There are several types of wax available to purchase, each having their own personal downfalls. Premium wax is one option, it’s normal, no scent, and perfect for the beginner who just wants to add in their own scent.
The downfall of course, is that it burns very quickly and you will absolutely have to buy a fragrance if you want this to smell at all. An alternative is making beeswax candles. They are all natural and take a considerably longer time to burn than natural wax and you do not need to add a color as it has one as well. The pros though, are also the cons in this situation. If you buy beeswax then you may have to deal with some interjecting scents when you try to add them. Either option you choose, the candle will turn out great.
The color of your candle can be chosen based on what you prefer, or what packaging it comes in. There are blocked and liquid dyes for making candles, each having their advantages and disadvantages. Liquid is much easier because there is no chopping involved, but it often comes with it’s own scent as well. Block however is natural and has no smell what so ever. Either way, it all depends on what your craft store accommodates.
The fragrance of the candle is available in liquid and block, but overall liquid is quicker and easier to use. Block is often unable to be used in certain types of waxes. For example crystallizing has trouble keeping in the block scent. Often times, the liquid form has a much greater value.
Presenting a candle is probably the most fun. At this point you can use molds, jars, anything you can get your hands on. Molds can be a simple candle shape, small to large, tall to short; or they can be in the shape of a famous character, or even in the shape of food. The possibilities are endless. The money I’m guessing is not. A jar is about $3 whereas molds can run you up to $50 and acceding.
A main thing to remember about melting candle wax into molds is that it will always sink in, and at that point if it is in a jar you would put some more on the top to make up for it. The sinking in can cause itself a big problem if you buy a mold and are going by a certain color. Either way making a candle can be hard and ruling, but it comes out handmade and better than a store bought candle with a smell and color you are only putting up with for the light.
Candle Making Molds
When making candles, there are unlimited types of molds you can use to create a candle that is uniquely your own. Molds for candles are available in a variety of different shapes and sizes and are made from different materials. Having an idea of how you want your candles to look will be of assistance is choosing the candle making molds that are right for your candle making project.
If you want a particular shape for your candle there a variety of molds in different shapes and sizes. You can opt for a conventional pillar style candle that can be used with just about any candle holder. There are also votive candle molds that will allow you to make a number of small candles to use in your own votive holders. Some manufacturers have created candle making molds in geometric shapes and in the shape of animals and other figures. There are even candle molds that resemble plaques.
These types of molds allow you create a very intricately designed candle that could look like a picture or symbol. Some of these molds are so intricate they look as if the candles are hand carved! Look around in different craft stores or visit a candle wholesaler and you should be able to find any type of mold to your liking.
Just as candle making molds come in different shapes and sizes they are also made with different materials. Molds come in plastic, cardboard and metal. The plastic molds are liked because they are pliable, easy to handle, easy to clean, affordable and available in a variety of different styles. Cardboard molds are preferable when working with children as the mold can be torn away from the candle.
Many people use milk containers as candle molds as they are inexpensive and provide a good cube shape for a candle. There are also metal candle molds most of which are made from aluminum. Many professional candle makers use metal molds to make the more common pillar candles that are seen commercially. Metal molds also affect the cosmetic look of a candle providing it with a smooth appearance.
There are some variations in the different types of candle molds that should be considered. Although plastic molds are pliable and easy to clean, they can break apart faster than a mold made of a more rigid material. Cardboard molds can also break apart easily as they are only made of paper and these types of molds may become damp or incapable of holding a large amount of wax without falling apart.
Metal candle molds are sturdy but they are not pliable which means that you probably won’t be able to find the variety in appearance and style that you would find with a plastic mold. Likewise, candle wax is more likely to stick to a metal surface so when working with a metal mold you should have a lubricant such as spray oil available to assist in removing your candle from the mold.
There are a variety of candle making molds that you can use to make the candles that you desire.
Making Beeswax Candles
If you are a candle lover making your own candles can be very exciting. If you are looking to make a quality long burning candle then you should definitely use beeswax. Beeswax can be brought from a craft store, ordered online or even purchased from a beekeeper. Beeswax comes from honey combs and is a natural product that you can make your candles with.
There are a variety of methods for making beeswax candles. It depends on the type of candle you would like to make and the mold you will use. Most people purchase beeswax in a rolled form as this is the easiest to obtain and the easiest to work with. You will need wax, a wick which is the part that you will light and any molds that you would like to use. There are a variety of ways to make candles.
If you would like your candle to take on a particular shape you may want to use a certain shape mold. When using a mold you will have to melt your wax preferably on a stove and pour the wax into a container to enable distribution. You should coat the inside of your mold with a light lubricant such as spray oil or even talcum powder to make the removal of the candle from the mold easier.
Pour a small amount of wax into the mold to form the base of your candle. Then place a wick into the beeswax and hold the wick steady while pouring the remaining wax around the mold covering the wick but making sure to leave enough of the wick to adequately light.
You should leave your candle to cool and harden in the mold for at least a day as beeswax candles need time to cool properly to prevent cracking. Once the candle is set you can easily remove the mold by prying the mold away from the candle or if you have used a mold that is metal placing the candle in the freezer then turning it upside down and tapping the bottom to release the candle.
There are other methods for making beeswax candles.
If you purchased your beeswax in sheets you can make rolled candles. Place a wick on one end of the sheet of beeswax and roll the wick along with the wax until all ends meet. Once the candle is fully rolled allow the candle to air dry before using. You can also create dipped candles and this usually requires the purchase of special candle dipping kit from a craft store.
You can make several beeswax candles this way at one time. Basically the kit will provide suspended wicks that you can dip in wax repeatedly until you achieve the width and length of the candle that you desire.
There are many interesting ways to make beeswax candles.
The types of Candle Making Wax
There are many types of wax available for candle making today though it didn’t used to be this way. Back in Egyptian times they used beeswax to make most of their candles; nowadays the most popular type of wax in use for candle making is paraffin wax which is based off petroleum products so in a way you’re kind of recycling extra garbage from gas production to build candles.
At one time candles used to be made out of whale and many other animal products though as I just mentioned paraffin wax is the most popular these days– and much less stinky.
So you might be wondering where exactly you’re going to find the materials necessary to build your own candles–after all it’s not like you have a bunch of whale fat laying around or maybe you have petroleum products laying in your garage that might work–but there is no need to worry most necessary components can be found easily online or at a local craft store.
My personal favorite is Amazon.com below I’ve assembled a few links to some products you might find useful in your candle making adventures– though there are too many to list here, these should get you started nicely.
A rather silly thing I picked up when I was younger that is still my favorite method of making a candle is to melt down old crayons or even a box of new crayons for candle making wax as they make very pretty candles. So if you have extra crayons around it might be a good choice to start out without spending any money or at the very least very little money. Crayons make great candle making wax and they’re very colorful, plus an added bonus it often fun to do this with the kids.
If you’ve read my other article on the site–titled “Get started with Crayons – Candle Making Crafts“– you can get a quick walk-through on how to make crayons into candles or of course you could join my wonderful mini-course– thanks for everybody that has been participating, it’s been wonderful, and please don’t forget to leave me some comments at our contact us page I love hearing back from you guys.
So without further ado the list of products on Amazon:
Now I’m not saying that you have to buy a product from Amazon, but they seem to have a good price and Amazon is fairly reliable. If you are one of the lucky few to have a great craft store locally you can of course go down and buy this stuff from the people you already know.
We used to have a great craft store in my hometown, but they closed down and I am now buying everything from Amazon. So for those of us without a locally owned craft store Amazons a really good choice.
Here’s a list of the some of the wax products that are available. You should be able to find them easily on Amazon or at your local craft store:
Types of Candle Making Wax
- Paraffin wax
- Beeswax
- Soy wax
- Gel wax
- Palm wax
I hope you had a good time reading this article and possibly learned something about the different types of wax that are available for candle makers today. Please enjoy the rest of the site and learn as much as he can from the articles.
Those of you that love the art of candle making so much that you bought my book as well, please remember to keep up on the mini-course and watch for new newsletters with more valuable and interesting information on the wonderful art of candle making.
Eli
Get started with Crayons – Candle Making Crafts
Hey, do you ever think about the things you did when you were younger? The fun things you mom or dad showed you have to do as a child. Well I do, and one of the wonderful things I did learn from my mother was how to make candles.
Yes it might sound a little odd really, but making candles is both fun—and it gave me something to do with all the crayons I broke—and didn’t eat. *grin* By the way it seems to be the popular opinion that the blues one are by far the best to munch.
Anyway, I learned to make candles by dipping a wick into hot wax—which it is important to remember is best heated in a pot floating in a pan full of water, or you risk the chance of setting it on fire…
So what can you do about candle making crafts you might ask? Well they are great fun to do with your kids, or if you simply like to have a lot of fun little hobbies. Homemade candles also make great gifts.
For over a thousand years candles have been an important part of human life. Back when the United States of America was first founded some families would burn some 200 to 400 candles a year for lighting. But I suppose enough of the history lesson already.
I am going to describe a simple candle making example to get you started—really this article only scratches the surface of the art of candle making.
First off you are going to need wax..and a good amount of it as well. (Crayons are a great example, or you should be able to pick up candle wax at a crafts store locally)
You will also need some lengths of wick—the part of the candle that will actually burn when you are done, like a fuse but with no explosion at the end *grins*. I would suggest you stop by a local crafts store and pick some up, substituting other things for wick rarely works out well in the end.
First off fill a large pan about half full of water and heat it up. Place another pan—or my personal favorite a empty can from say olives or something—in the water filled pan, but make sure it doesn’t tip over.
Now places you wax—or crayons into the can—or pan that you don’t mind if you never get the wax out of again… It should melt without any trouble as long as you have the heat up, and since the water is in the first pan and the second pan is floating, it will not burn.
Once the wax is melted, you should take a length of wick and dip it into the wax slowly. Then slowly lift it straight back out of the wax. Wait a few seconds for the wax to cool, and then repeat the steps until you candle is as thick as you want.
You will want to hold the candle by the wick for a few moments and let it cool before you lay it down anywhere and trim the wick to about 1/3 of an inch at the top.
Booo-ya! You have made your first candle—told you it was easy. Now if you did as I like to you have a can that you can keep with that color of wax for any time you want to make a candle. Try keeping 3 or 4 colors hot and twisting the candles as you dip them into the different colors. You can make some wonderful candles this way.
I hope you found this article a fun introduction to the art of candle making. Please check back often for more great information!
