Diya Candle

This is a reusable candle made with the repour method.First make the wax container/diya and then fill it with contrasting colored wax.
METHOD
1 Take a cupcake mold or a small bowl
2 Fill it with melted wax
3 Let it set till a layer forms
5 Pour out the wax , a hollow wax container will be formed
6 Fill the hollow wax diya with contrasting colored wax and fix the wick
7 Let it set for a few hours.
Cut the wick when the candle is ready. Decorate it with 3 D colors and enjoy !
This candle can be reused by refilling as only the inner part will melt and burn ,the outer wax container will not melt.

Stacked Candles

Stacked candles can be made with the help of cookie cutters.
1 Pour melted wax (check out procedure in the blog) in a deep tray or vessel.
2 Cut out various shapes when the wax is semi-hard, make a hole in the centre with a nail .
3 Leave the wax to harden , the shapes will come out easily.
4 Thread the wick through each shape , the wick can be knotted at one end .
5 Leave 1/2" wick at the top.
One can use bottle caps as cutters to make round shapes or use a knife to cut out shapes .

Dipped Candles

Any candle can be given a fresh look by using the dipping method.
Here a white candle was dipped in pink wax halfway and we got a beautiful pink and white candle !
METHOD
1 Heat desired colored wax in a container with additives.
2 Select the candle to be dipped .
3 Use tongs to hold the candle if the wick is small.
4 Dip the candle in the liquid wax , fully to give a new coat of color .
5 One can give as many coatings of wax as desired, there should be intervals between coating or the previous one would melt.

TIP- Keep the temperature of the wax coating low so that the candle does not melt in the process.
The container should be filled half-way so that the wax does not spill out when the candle is dipped.

Easy Wax Diyas

Diwali is the festival of lights and earthen diyas are still very popular and readily available. Its quite exciting to see beautiful diyas in various shapes and sizes being sold in the market.Traditionally diyas are filled with oil but we can fill them with wax and have a spill-free Diwali !
PROCEDURE
Select diyas , wash and dry them . This will get rid of the dust and dirt. Now paint them in colors of your choice.One can use poster or acrylic colors.
1 If you are unable to get candlemaking material ,break a store bought candle carefully keeping the wick intact.
2 Heat the wax pieces in an old aluminium pot till wax turns liquid.
3 Pour it in the painted diyas.
4 Cut pieces of wick according to the number of the diyas.
Push in the wick when the wax is slightly set.
5 Let the wax harden.
6 Sprinkle some sparkle on it to give a festive look.
7 Enjoy !
PS - All additives are already in the store bought candle so no need to add anything ! Isnt it fun !!!!

Easy Candle making

Many people are interested in making candles but find it difficult to get the materials required.
But one can make floating candles with the things found at home-
1 Store bought candles
2 Wax crayons
3 Tart, idli moulds or small katoris
Never ever leave wax unattended while heating it. Switch off the gas, stove if you have to attend to any other work. Heated wax is highly inflammable.
METHOD
1 Cover your work area with newspaper
2 Break a store bought candle carefully , we need the wick intact !
3 Prepare the molds by wiping clean , and lightly grease with veg oil.
4 Warm the wax pieces in an old aluminium pan , you can keep the pan on a bigger pan or tava .
5 Put in a piece of wax crayon of your choice if you want colored candles.
6 Do not overheat the wax as it may catch fire.
7 Pour it in the ready molds carefully.
8 Let it set for sometime.
9 Cut small pieces of the wick and insert into the semi-hard wax.
10 Wait for the floating candles to harden , pop out and enjoy !
TIPS
We do not need any additives as everything is already in the readymade candle.
Be creative and dress up your beauties with sparkle, 3D colors.

Chunky Candles-Tutorial

Chunky Candles are a good way of utilising leftover wax colored bits and pieces ! These candles look awesome and beautiful too.
Please see the instuctions about making a plain candle . I will be writing here about how to put in the chunks.

MATERIALS REQUIRED
Wax, mold, sealant , thermometer, colored pieces of wax and wick.

METHOD
1 Prepare the mold and prime the wick as dicussed in the other post.
2 Select the color scheme of your candle,chunks of one color or multiple colors ?
The background color must also be decided. White background is safe as it gives good contrast to most of the other colors.
3 Break the chunks into pieces, try out the color combination beforehand.
4 Fill the prepared mold with the chunks loosely , there should be space in between . The chunks should not be packed tightly or the ready candle will be a big surprise !
5 Melt wax at 70 degrees C in a vessel, mix in steric acid. The pouring in temperature should be low or the chunks in the mould will melt and turn into a messy color.
6 Pour in the wax slowly .Tap the sides of the mold so that wax reaches all corners.
7 Do not move the candle , let it set.
8 Unmold and enjoy !

Stacked Candles-Tutorial

Stacked candles are fun to make , look beautiful and can be made without molds !
Materials Required-
Left over wax can be utilised for making this candle.
Wax, steric acid a pinch, wick, wax colors ,aromas , cookie cutters or bottle lids.
METHOD
1 Choose a cookie cutter or a bottle cap of your choice.
2 Melt wax in an old pan.
3 Grease a metal plate and pour the melted wax on it. It can be 1/4 " to 1/2 " thick.
4 Let it set and when its still soft use the cookie cutter or lid to cut out shapes.You can even use a knife to cut out squares.
5 Let the wax sheet harden and the wax shapes will easily come out.
6 Now take each piece and lightly melt it or use a hot knife to stick two pieces together.
7 Stick each piece to the other in the form of stack.
8 Take the prepared wick (dip in melted wax and dry ) and keep a long length of it ready.
9 Make a hole in the centre of the stack with a heated big nail or a knitting needle neatly.Or make holes in the centre of the shapes while wax is still rubbery.
10 Pour a little bit of the remaining wax into the hole after pushing in the wick thru the stack.
Cut off the excess wick , keep 1/2 " at the top of the candle.
TIPS
The stacked candle can have two or more colored shapes.
All thhe pieces need not be in a straight line , offset a little bit like a spiral.
Three or more sizes of the same shape can be stacked with the smallest at the top like a tree.
The shapes can be prepared and kept ready for use whenever required.ov

Applique Candles-Tutorial

Plain store bought candles can be transformed into works of art by the easy method of applique that is pasting something which in non-inflammable on a ready candle.Use melted wax to paste wax appliques.
1 Kundan or Rhinestones- These are available at craft stores in a variety of colors and can be stuck with melted wax on a candle.
2 Wax appliques like heart shapes ,flowers can be made by using cookie cutters and cutting desired shapes with wax sheets.
3 Dried flowers, look good no doubt but are a fire hazard and should be used carefully on candles. They are used for show candles which are are not burnt but used as decoration.
4 Tattooes or water transfers are used to stick designs on candles by wetting with water.
WAX SHEETS-
Wax sheets can be used for cutting out required shapes with cookie cutters.Pour melted wax on a shallow metal plate, let it set ,cut out shapes with cookie cutters.Stick on the candle with melted wax or a hot knife carefully.
Appliques can be made keeping in mind seasons, occasions and festivals.

Ice Candles-Tutorial

Ice candles are really made of ice and wax, they are also called Lace candles or Cheese candles because of their appearance.Its a strange combination which gives interesting results , most of the time people cannot believe that Ice candles exist.They look very delicate and beautiful as they are both !
One can vary the mold, shape ,design,color combination ,make a tall or a short candle. Glitter can be added to give a sparkling effect to the creation.
Empty milk,juice cartons can be used as molds as after the candle has set the paper can be torn off to reveal the beauty.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
1 Ice cubes , broken into small chunks
2 Wax , stearic acid, wax color if desired, sealant
4 Core candle (a candle which will be inside the mold) ,previously made ,optional
5 Mold (wider than the core candle) silicon spray or little oil
METHOD
1 Prepare the mold , select the one which is wide . Lightly oil it with a brush or use silicon spray.
2 The core candle can be of the same height as the mold , the mold has to be wider as it has to be filled with ice cubes.
3 Keep the ready core candle in the centre of the mold .
4 Fill the mold with ice chunks and pour in melted wax slowly around the core candle. Keep it centred.
5 The hole in the mold can be sealed for some time , enough to let the wax set.
6 Remove the sealant when the wax sets ,it sets quickly with ice ,the water will run out of the mold.
7 Let the mold stand for a few hours and then gently unmold the candle.
8 It has to air-dried for a few days to let any remaining water evaporate .

A pretty Ice candle is ready !

Icecream Candle-Tutorial

This is a very popular candle and quite easy to make !
Method-
1 Select a glass of your choice , also select a color scheme .
2 Melt wax as given in candle making tutorial - Melt wax in a  double boiler add stearic acid , color of your choice.
3 Prepare a cherry by making a small ball of red wax when it turns rubbery.
4 Set the wick in a wick tab and position it in the glass.
5 Pour in the colored melted wax of your choice , keeping the wick centered .
6 Wait for the wax to set , the bigger the container, the more time it takes.
Foam-
Melt white wax and wait till a layer forms on the surface, spoon it in the glass for foam effect.
(After the wax has nearly set pour in wax foam with a spoon keeping the wick centred at all times.)
Top up with prepared wax cherry.
Let the candle set for a day.

Double Color Candle

Single color candles are beautiful but double colored ones are breathtaking ! The various color combinations have to be thought out in advance and the candle made accordingly. Most of the colors go well with white and also bring out the contrast. But one can make any color combination or even a multi-colored candle as ones desire.
There is an extra item which makes life easier for candle-makers and that is the Candle making Thermometer , a candy thermometer works fine for candle making too. This is an important tool as it takes care of keeping the layers of colors well defined.It is a must if one wants to do serious candle-making.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Mold
Wax, wax color, wick, stearic acid
Candle / candy Thermometer
Pans, whisk or fork
METHOD
It is important to note that the temperature difference is the secret behind the layered candle. After adding stearic acid , wax color while melting wax ,the temperature should be checked by dipping the thermometer in it.
The first layer of wax should be 80 degree C and allowed to set. Relief holes should be made and wax repoured to avoid hollow candles.When the first layer is nearly set , pour the second layer at a slightly lower temperature i.e. 75 degrees C.There is no chance of the both the layers merging into a messy color with this method.
Grease the mold lightly with veg oil or use silicon spray
Thread the wick thru the hole and tie a knot , pull the wick up which should be 1 1/2 times the size of the mold. Seal the hole with sealant or dough.
Wrap the wick round a pencil and balance on the mold, keep it tight .
Pour in the melted wax as described earlier.
Let the candle set for at least 6-8 hours, depending on the size of the mold.
Untie the knot and unmold the candle , cut the excess wick.

Crystal Candles

Crystal candles are very easy to make and look very beautiful. Wax crystals are available in different colors and fragrances in craft stores . The glassware adds beauty to the candle.

Things required-
Wax crystals
Wick, wick tab
Glassware

Method
Take a glass container ,wipe it clean.

Thread the prepared wick through the wick tab and keep it in the centre of the glassware.

Pour in the wax crystals in small amounts as they have to be pressed with the forefingers to avoid spaces.Keep adding the crystals till the glass is 3/4 full. Several layers of different colored crystals can be poured in carefully.

Keep the wick centred.

Trim the wick to the level of the rim of the glass.

The candle is ready !

TIP-
To set the wax crystals ,pour in a tiny amount of plain hot Gel. It will keep the wax crystals adhered, since its clear it does not show.

If layers are required then the color combination should be decided before making the candle and the crystals poured in accordingly.

Watermelon Candle

This is a very delicious looking candle and looks mouth watering !Its quite easy to make. For this we need a pyramid shaped mold ,so that the candle looks like a slice of water melon.
MATERIALS REQUIRED-
Wax, stearic acid, red, green ,black wax colors, wick and a little veg oil/ silicone spray ,seaaling dough and a pyramid mold.
METHOD-
Heat wax in a double boiler , mix staeric acid , prepare wick and add red wax color . Prepare the mold by smearing it with veg oil or spray it ,thread the wick and seal the hole with sealing dough.
Since this candle will be made upsidedown we have to imagine an inverted water melon slice ! So the red wax goes in first , fill only 3/4 of the mold.Let it set for a few hours, repour after making relief holes as the cooling wax will shrink.
After the red wax is rubbery or nearly set ,heat a small amount of wax with additives , and pour it carefully. We need a thin white line so the be careful !
After the white wax has set , heat a small amount of wax ,add stearic acid and green wax color. Pour it over the white layer. This makes the rind of the fruit.
This takes care of the water melon slice, now we have to make the seeds to make the candle look natural !
Mix in a black wax color in a small amount of wax and heat it. Make tear shaped seeds with a sharp knife or mold them with your hands.
We can stick them on the ready candle with wax glue or hot wax. Sticking them inside the mold before pouring the red wax can be done but its dicey as generally the seeds settle at the tip of the candle ! Sticking them on the candle is foolproof and easy.
Another way is to paint the seeds with black acrylic paint on the candle.
Let the candle set for a couple of hours and unmold by removing the sealing dough opening the knot.
Enjoy and be ready for the compliments !!

Floating Candles

My candle making hobby is thanks to these colored wax floating beauties , they were being given as a freebie along with some item , I bought the item just for the free candle and admired it for hours. Since then floating candles have always been a source of wonder for me, how could a candle float in water , look gorgeous and burn at the same time ? When I joined Candle making classes I was in for a pleasant surprise as these were the first candles taught to us and turned out to be the simplest.The easy method simply floored me and till now I must have made hundreds of floating candles , each and every one a beauty !!
These are amongst the most popular candles of all . They sell like hot cakes and are always in demand round the year for events, functions and table decorations. There are several kinds of floating candles available in the market and make a great gift item which is sure to be used !These are the safest candles to burn as they float in water.
For candle makers these floating candles are the easiest to make and can be made with left over melted wax at any time . But people who do not know find it amazing to see candles floating in water and burning bright ! The secret lies in the shape ,if a candle is wide like a boat ,it will float !!
There are several types of floating candles ,all float whether they are shaped like a coin, heart, tarts ,roses or other exotic flowers. I bought several kinds of tart molds and churned out lots of floating candles. Of course candle craft shops also sell molds for the same , but this gave me more variety.
Apart from these simple floating candles ,there are wax floating flowers made in dies or shapes cast in thick metal. These are available in a large variety like roses, sunflowers, dahlias,hibiscus etc. One can make several roses in one go depending on the capacity of the die. These metal dies are pretty expensive but long lasting and do give value for money in the long run.
Method-
Grease the mold lightly with silicone spray or veg oil, heat wax, add stearic acid ,prepare wick. Add wax color as desired.Leftover wax from other candlemaking projects can be used and no additives are required. Pour the wax into the mold.One can use wick tabs to hold the wick or insert the wick when the wax has formed a layer.Let the candle set for a few hours,it comes out easily from the mold.Set out a bowl of water and enjoy the floating wax beauties !

Frosted and X-mas Candles

Christmas is a beautiful festival and has very special childhood memories for me. I love making Christmas candles !!
Everybody loves snow and here is how to make snowy, frosted candles !!
FROSTED CANDLES
For making frosted candles we need -
A core candle to layer with wax froth
Wax
Whisk or an egg-beater , a fork will also do!
A plate, a bottle cap, a sharp knife
Red and green wax color (optional)

Berries and Leaves
Melt a small quantity of wax in a pan and mix red wax color in it. Pour it on a greased plate, let it set lightly, and cut out small dots with a bottle cap for the red berries.
Similarly pour melted green wax on a plate and cut out leaves with a knife.
Wax Froth
Melt wax in a pan , let it stand for a few minutes till a layer forms on it. Take a whisk and churn it till it froths . Quickly layer the core candle with it , the uneveness gives it a snowy effect. We have to work fast and complete the layering before the wax hardens.
Now stick in the prepared berries, leaves as desired.
Let the candle set.
It can be decorated with glitter if desired.

Pillar Candle
Take a white pillar candle , stick the prepared red berries and leaves on it with wax glue or melted wax.Use glitter to make it glow!
Ribbon Candle
Wrap a ribbon round a candle and stick it with cellophane. Care should be taken to take-off the ribbon and other flammable decorations before burning the candle!

Wax Rose Floaters

Wax rose floaters can be made in molds/ dies available in the market and also by hand . Metal dies are pretty expensive but one can make several roses at a go. People who sell candles and wax roses on a mass scale invest in dies and they can churn out hundreds of roses !
Today I will write about making handmade wax roses. These are individual pieces and can be made with the things available at home, without any extra expense. The size of the rose depends on our whim, each rose is carefully crafted and highly valued as its handmade.

Wax, stearic acid, wick,wax color, aroma (optional), a steel plate, a round bottle cap , a few drops of vegetable oil are needed .Old newspaper is required to cover the work area.

Melt wax carefully in a double boiler ,add stearic acid and color. Prepare wick by dipping it in wax and hang to dry. Grease the plate with oil lightly.Pour the melted wax on the plate in a thin layer evenly and let it set for a few minutes.
When the wax is rubbery , take the bottle cap and cut shapes. Cut a two inch piece of wick and keep ready as we have to work fast !
Carefully pick up a round piece of wax made by the bottle cap and roll it around the wick. This is the centre of the rose. Now pick up other pieces and fashion them into petals and attach quickly. Melted wax can be used to stick the petals.
Making wax roses is easy, but one has to work fast as the wax sets quickly and complete the rose before the wax hardens. If it does, then the procedure has to be repeated!
Wax Leaves- the procedure is the same , mix green wax color and cut leaf shapes with a sharp knife. Pick and stick to the wax rose.

Warning- Wax is highly inflammable and should NEVER be left unattended on stove while melting.