Candle-making

Making candles is so much fun. A real opportunity to do something nice for someone and have a fun learning experience too. Try this metod of making candles. It's easy, makes nice candles and can be adapted to other "recipes" for candles you may find later. Remember that wax can get very hot and burn. Also, a candy thermometer is not necessary, but will help you to have better, longer lasting candles. You will need:

• Paraffin
• Beeswax for a nice fragrance and less drip, if desired, but not necessary.
• Stearin/Stearic Acid- facilitates removal of candle from the mold, if you use a hard mold. Gives a harder finish to the candle, but again is not necessary.
• Wicks-you can use common white string. Braid in two or more strands, soak in a solution of 2 Tablespoons salt, 8 ozs. water and 2 Tablespoons borax. Allow to dry completely. OR buy commercial candle wicks. A Word about Wicks the size of your candle determines the thickness of your wick. If your wick is too small in diameter, it will fall over into the wax while burning. A little bit of trial and error is called for here if you are making your own wicks. Just start out making them at least three widths of string in diamter. Commercially purchased wicks are labeled as to the size of candle they are to be used with.
• Dye- Use crayons!
• Scents- Use perfumes made for candles
• Two old saucepans, one larger than the other
• Candy Thermometer
• Scissors-To cut and trim wicks
• Glue
• Small Sharp knife

Candle Molds-Use almost anything in the house for a mold! I use empty paper milk cartons. Clean them and dry them. Cut them to the height you want our candle plus 2-3 inches. Use any metal or glass container. You may have some failures with some containers. Don't let that deter you! re-melt the failed candle. Try another one! Make sure the top of the container is at least as big as the bottom if you want to remove the candle from the container. Paper containers can be peeled away from the completed candle.

Procedure

• Fill the larger of the two sauce pans about 1/4 full of water, place on a lighted stove burner. Bring the water tothe boiling point.
• Put the required amount of paraffin (guess-timate) in the smaller pan and set in the large one.
• Reduce the heat so that the water barely simmers, melt the paraffin.
• Cut the wicking to desired length, knot one end of each. Dip them in the paraffin and hang til dry.
• Make sure molds are absolutely clean and dry.
• Lower the knotted end of the wick into the mold, glue it in place. Allow to dry. (Remember that these are instructions for molds that have no openings in the bottom)
• Tie or tape the free end of the wick to a pencil, lay the pencil across the opening of the mold.
• Make sure the wick is taut and precisely centered.
• When the paraffin is melted you can add a small amount of beeswax, the exact amount is up to you. Allow it to melt. If using stearin, melt it in a separate pan with the coloring agent. Use stearin in the amount of 10% of the total amount of paraffin and beeswax. Add the stearin and color to the wax. Adding the color to the stearic acid and melting them together will result in a brighter, stronger color.
• Insert the thermometer into the melting wax. When it reaches 180* F, take the container from the stove. If you are not using a thermometer, you will melt the wax completely and leave it on the heat for about 5 minutes after melting. Watch and do not let it get so hot that it burns!
• Spoon, ladle, or pour the wax into the mold.
• Avoid drips on the inside of the mold if you are going to remove the candle from the mold. Tap the outside of the mold as you go to release air bubbles.
• Allow to set-up. This may take as long as 24 hours depending on the size of your candle. As the wax cools, there will form an indentation around the top of the wick. Gently pour more wax in the indentation and allow to cool. This is called "topping off" the candle. You may have to perform this step several times. If you are using a solid mold from which you wil remove the candle, allow the candle to dry completely. Then, covering the opening of the mold with your hand, tap the edge of the mold opening on a solid surface such as a cabinet top. If the candle still does not release from the mold, immerse the mold in boiling water for 5 seconds, wrap a dish towel around the mold for protection, and tap again. If you are using paper cartons, wait til the candle dries and peel off the paper. Another creative way to make milk carton candles is to fill the carton with cracked ice right before pouring the hot wax in. Allow to cool in the sink. The resulting candle will have a "swiss cheese" look that is lovely when lit.
• Another idea. . . . . Adults, whip the hot, non-colored paraffin with an egg beater until white and fluffy. It can be left white or tinted with melted crayon. Spread this "icing" over the outside of your candles with a spatula! So pretty!
• For more decoration, while the "icing" is hot, press in small glass balls, pine cones, sea shells, small rocks or other plastic or glass ornaments.
• Be careful, Have fun!

Courtesy of http://www.bagelhole.org//article.php/Miscellaneous/5/