Making Teacup Candles

The OH has gone to visit a friend. It's been months since my first attempt at candle making and I've now burned the last of them. What better to do on a lazy Sunday than try some more?

 

I still had some of the wax (paraffin and beeswax) left from the last time, and also found some purple wax beads from a gift set I'd had quite some time ago. Since then, I've purchased some fragrance oils and decided to use one of these in batch two. (Getting adventurous this time around!)

 

You can always make use of left over candle wax - if your doing this though, be mindful of any scented candles you throw into the mix - the end result could prove unpleasant!

 

Rather than make this a wordy post, I'll just throw out some pics of the process....

 

Firstly, you'll need to chop up larger wax blocks into smaller chunks. This will make the melting process much much easier and faster.

 

You don't need to be too fussy about getting them all the same size - just get chopping!

 

 

The beeswax really does make a difference to the burn time of your candles. My first lot burned for hours and hours with just a small amount added to the mix.

 

Dye - believe it or not, this shade is 'antique ivory'. (Again worth thinking about, especially when mixing old candles together).

 

I picked these up in sets from local charity shops. You can always look around and tailor the mug to your own tastes, use up mis-matched crockery you've already got - or, if as a gift, search around for a special one.

 

Wicks - some from Ebay, some from a set I was gifted years ago. If you are purchasing wicks to use, it's better to sort the votives first as size matters - you can always trim the wick down if too long - but you can't make it grow!

 

I picked up a trio of fragrances on a weekly offer from www.bathbomb.biz. A great little site for anyone looking to make products from home. Each friday they are running a deal where a higher priced product is on offer for just £5. (I opted for the Blackberry fragrance for my candles).

 

You'll need to make sure you use a 'bain marie' style (double boiler) to heat the wax. You can always consider using an old tin can if your worried about cleaning utensils/saucepans afterwards.

 

Important: Wax is flamable - don't leave it unattended and don't let it boil. To make sure this doesn't happen, you'll need a thermometer.

 

 

I'm not really sure about when best to add the fragrance (a little extra research on the internet would give you plenty of advice on technique - note to self for future reference!) It's at this point I added to scent.

 

Once all of the wax has melted, it's ready to pour.

 

I've misplaced my wick pins so improvised with an old fork. Keeping the wick centred and straight will help keep the candle burning cleaner and longer.

 

Keep a little of the melted wax at the end. As the candle cools, a well will form around the wick. You can then top this up to get a nice even finish.

 

 

 

And here they are, taking pride of place on our dresser.

 

So, there you have it. A fairly easy and straightforward process. Why not give it a go? It'll cost a fraction of the price of shop-bought candles and you get the satisfaction of knowing it's handmade too.