[caption id="attachment_557" align="alignleft" width="160" caption="Homemade Candle Making"]
[/caption]The candle maker was an essential part of village life for thousands of years, and the candle has played an important role in our society. In an age of electric lights, candles are no longer a fundamental need, but they still play a therapeutic role in our society. The candle provides light, fragrance, and a classic atmosphere to our homes, businesses, and places of worship.
Homemade Candle making is a fascinating hobby for those who choose to pursue it. The hobbyist can craft many types of candles right in the home. This article will cover some simple candle making tips and ideas for home candle making. There are simple candles which can be made in just a few minutes, suitable as a project for children. Modern materials have simplified the candle making process so that nice candles can be melted, wicked, and poured in under an hour. You will find many good books on the subject at your craft or hobby store.
The easiest candles for you to make are ‘wax crystal’ candles. Wax crystals are granulated wax which has color, hardener, luster, and mold release added to them. Because they have a consistency similar to sand, they can be poured easily. Use them as is to create ‘sand art’ type candles in clear glass containers. Use a center burning wick and the design is unaffected as the candle burns. Replace the wick and crystals periodically, and you can keep the candle burning indefinitely. These candles make great projects for kids because they involve no hot wax.
You can also make container or molded candles with the wax crystals. For container candles you can use any heat resistant container - candy tins, mugs, glasses, shells, or ceramic containers. You can scent theses candles with one of many fragrances.
If you use clear class containers for your candles, you can pour layers of different colors wax to create unique, color coordinated candles.
Free standing candles are made with molds, of which there are many different sizes and shapes. You will find pillar, globe, square, floater, and votive candle molds. Seasonal shapes are also available.
Molded candles may be decorated and scented in many different ways. They may be painted using stencils or free hand, using acrylic paint. Rub on decals or stickers can also be used to decorate the candle. Using the art of decoupage, candles may be decorated with cards, photos, beads, seeds, dried flowers, ribbon, or any other material which you can think of. This creates unlimited possibilities for candles as gifts, or to accent your home.
You can use a combination of methods to decorate the candle. You can use rub-on borders to edge the candle, decoupage a photo on the side, and use dried flowers, stickers, ribbon, or beads to accent the candle. The key is to have fun and do what you like.
These are just a few tips for making homemade candles. Hopefully there will be an idea or two here which you can use for making candles in your home.
Homemade Candle Making Ideas - Tips For The Home
A Brief History Of Candle Making
Instructions - Homemade Candle Making Craft
Candle Making Equipment
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