Anything made by our own hands is more special than something bought in a store, and candles are no exception. Making your own candles may sound daunting, and while there is certainly some trial and error involved, the stakes aren’t terribly high: if you mess up you can just re-melt the wax and try again. In any case, it’s certainly a worthwhile activity to try—and maybe even to master.
Now that candle-making has become so popular, as have other crafts, the supplies that you’ll need are easy to find online or at any store that sells materials for handicrafts. While dyes and fragrances are optional, the necessities for making candles at home are:
• wax (or gel)
• equipment for melting, including a thermometer
• wicking material
• molds or jars (the latter is definitely easier for beginners to work with)
Don’t be tempted to cut corners on quality to save a few coins on your supplies; good-quality stuff is easier to work with, and that’s especially important when you’re trying to get the hang of the techniques of melting, pouring, and the like. Just keep in mind the old adage, “Garbage in, garbage out.” If you want your handmade candles to look good, smell nice, and burn evenly, then you need to use the materials at a level that will allow that quality. Find out which companies have good reputations, and then shop around a little before buying. As with anything, you want to know that you’re getting something good for your money, and naturally you don’t want to spend more than you have to.
A Little Help From Virtual Friends
There are so many different directions that a novice candle maker can go in, so you might want to get a feel first by feeding off other candle hobbyists’ experiences. The best way to do this, especially if you don’t know anyone who currently makes candles at home, is to join a candle-making online forum. This way you can read the posts of people who are doing what you endeavor to do, and you can ask any questions you have and potentially get a diverse range of responses.
On the forums you’ll find everybody from candle-making wizzes to those like yourself who are just taking their first crack at it. The more you read and ask questions, the better a feel you’ll develop for the techniques you feel comfortable trying—and you’ll have more confidence going into your maiden attempt with the wax and wicks. Then, of course, you can turn around and share your own experiences, helping other beginners.
Candles and Creativity
Once you’re adept at turning those lumps of wax into beautiful creations, you can experiment more and more as your imagination dictates. Mix in essential oils for scent, or add beads, seashells, or other accents to the wax for another visual dimension. In that way you can personalize candles to give as gifts based on the recipient’s décor, fragrance preference, and interests in general. For example, if your Aunt Esther’s favorite vacation spot is Cape Cod, you can make her a cranberry-scented candle with a ring of small shells embedded in the wax. And, who knows? You might even get Aunt Esther interested in trying out candle-making for herself—the allure and reward of crafting your own candles really is contagious!
