Candle Making Ideas
One appealing consideration for candle makers is the amount of creativity this craft provides. There are so many differing candle making ideas, many that have not even been discovered yet.
First, there are different candle making choices based solely on the wax. Choices include beeswax, paraffin wax, gel wax, soy wax, wax blends, bayberry wax, jelly wax, and palm wax.
Next, there are choices as to the shape, size, and style of the candle. There are pillar candles, votive candles, gel candles, container candles, tapers, and the list goes on. The materials you need for your candle making will depend largely on the types of candles you plan to make.
More creativity is allowed by choosing from an endless variety of colorants and fragrances. It would be very hard to run out of candle making ideas.
Many candle makers like to create “outside of the mold,” if you will, choosing unique candle containers and molds from items around the house. Many items that are commonly thrown away can be converted into, or used to make, pleasingly fragrant candles, such as wax milk or juice cartons.
Candles can be poured in sessions, allowing you to have “layered” candles, using different colors for the layers. Some candle makers enjoy embellishing their finished pillars with paint.
Floating candles are still another possibility, and gel candles can really be a lot of fun. Gel candles allow you to add trinkets and charms inside the gel. These trinkets are known as embeds. Be cautious when selecting embeds. There are many styles and varieties available for purchase, or you can create your own. These embeds need to be candle safe as they will become heated as the candle burns.
Container candles are very easy to make, and you can make some unique candles based on the containers you find. One of the very popular container jars used are the old-fashioned canning jars such as Ball or Mason. Any container selected for candle making needs to be able to withstand high heat, making canning jars a wise choice.
Candle molds also come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and designs. You can use poured molds, or cut shapes from hardened wax using a “cookie cutter” method. These “cookie” shapes can then be combined into more complicated designs, or used to make floating candles or embeds.
It is just about impossible to exhaust the list of candle making ideas. You can make your candles as simple or as complex as you wish.
Candle Making Fundraisers
Selling products is a large part of the candle business. Candle making fundraisers are a way to get some income when other means of commerce are not going that well. When stock sits on shelves, you are losing money.
The school system constantly solicits funds from parents and school supporters to keep the system going and provide better facilities or equipment. Most organizations that are partially funded by the public use programs that provide services or materials at a price that gives them revenue from something supplied by others.
You should view this vehicle as a way to market your candles. You can do the same as others have done before by providing a product that has worth for a reasonable amount of money, and giving back a set percentage of the income to the organization making the sale.
There is really no way for the organization to lose money if they do not have to invest in the product that you supply. By providing their time to market the product, they can receive commissions on each sale. You have to make them see how you are supplying the solution to their monetary needs.
Before you promise to deliver goods, make sure there are plenty in storage, or that materials to make more are easily accessible should you sell more than you anticipate. Be sure that you can give reasonable estimates on delivery times for any of your products.
Limit the number of items you are willing to provide for fundraisers. If you offer every product you make, there is a good possibility you will lose a lot of time trying to make a few candles of many kinds. If children are doing the selling, there will be less confusion with simpler and fewer choices.
It is necessary to provide a color sales brochure for the fundraiser. People want to see what they are getting even if they are being charitable when they buy. Be very sure all information on your brochure is accurate before copies are printed.
Your first candle making fundraiser should be with a small organization. You want to develop a name and reputation by using a church, the boy scouts, or other community-minded groups. You should make available samples of each product you are supplying.
If you are monetarily successful with your first attempt, you should move up incrementally in size as you continue with other groups. If you haven’t already done so, you should get an online store where you can offer fundraising opportunities to more organizations.
Candle making fundraisers can become another way to move inventory in hard times if you provide a good product and present it well.
Candle Starter Kits
You can easily be confused and unsure what to buy if you are just beginning to test the waters of candle making. Most people opt for candle making starter kits for their early attempts in the craft.
Various suppliers set up their kits differently, but most of them furnish limited materials and some necessary equipment to produce at least a single candle. Items you would look for in a kit include fragrance, wax, wicks, and colorants to go with the wax or gel for the actual candle. Equipment necessary for the pour, including molds or containers, is a part of some kits.
Deciding on a wick size can be an endeavor for the beginner. There is no such thing as “one size fits all” with candle wicks. The candle will not burn properly with the wrong size wick, and large candles must have more than one.
If you know the right questions to ask, a material supplier can sometimes answer your questions about wick type and size. However, it is much easier and simpler to buy a kit that contains the wick you will need for the candle you are making.
Of course, you will want to learn all that is necessary for selecting your own wicks, if you continue in candle making on a regular basis, but for a one-time attempt at the trade, the sensible choice is to let the experts choose the wick for you.
Use a little common sense when you purchase a kit. They can cost well over $100 in some cases, and may be much larger than you want. If you shop wisely, there are kits that contain the melting pot, food thermometer, 10 pounds or so of wax, fragrance, wicks, colors, and even containers to pour the candles in for under $100.
More than likely, a smaller kit will serve you best for the first time. The smaller kits will allow you to make fewer candles and won’t be as inclusive as the larger one.
A $25 kit probably won’t have a pot to melt the wax nor a food thermometer, so you will need to obtain those separately. It should have 5 lbs. or more of wax and all the ingredients you need for producing acceptable candles.
Because you are reading this material, you probably are strongly considering making your first candles. A good way to begin is with candle making starter kits that will take away all the worry of assembling the right stuff to do the job.
Candle Making Classes
With the growing popularity of how to videos, we are no longer content to learn new things simply by reading books. We want to see it done rather than read about it. Modern technology has brought about many new options for obtaining information, so we rarely take the time to read something as boring as a product support manual or reference material.
This is why the majority of us would rather attend candle making classes in order to learn this fascinating hobby. Instructional books and guides are valuable sources to have on hand when we need to look up something, but we are more apt to grasp candle making basics in a classroom environment.
Some community outreach programs offer enrichment and craft classes on a regular basis, such as those at local colleges and universities. If you cannot locate a class convenient to you, seek out some of the opportunities for candle instructional courses online.
If online courses don’t interest you, try asking your local craft supply store if they offer candle making classes. Check also in craft related publications and in candle making forums online.
Local craft guilds and organizations are a great place to check. They often sponsor craft educational classes for their club members. There is always the ever-reliable internet for finding craft class information pertaining to your specific area.
Once you’ve decided on a class that works for you, determine everything you will need for the sessions. You may have to order items online that you cannot obtain locally, so be certain to allow ample time for delivery. Your class provider most often provides a list of everything you’ll need for the class. Sometimes the instructor provides the materials and the cost is included in the course fee.
Keep pen and paper handy during each class session. You can refer back to this valuable information later. Your class may be one long class or several intermittent sessions. Notes will be handy to review between class sessions. Try to attend every class so you don’t miss important information you’ll need for your candle crafting.
Candle making classes are a great way to visualize exactly what is involved in this interesting hobby. You’ll surely pick up a lot of useful information you can use to make your own candles. Seeing candles made first hand gives you a mental picture of what is required, which will come in very useful in your initial candle making attempts.
Aromatherapy Candle Making
Making candles is a craft many people enjoy. Aromatherapy candle making has become more popular in recent years because of the soothing effect these candles have on our mental health. We live in a rushed and hurried society, and we need to slow down and smell the candles sometimes.
Relaxation is very important in our fast-paced lifestyles. We work, raise families, take care of a home, and while we try to take care of ourselves, sometimes we end up last on our own list.
We need to take a little time for ourselves occasionally. In doing so, we are better able to perform our daily duties and responsibilities. We need to relax and then re-energize. Even if you only have a few minutes, a warm bath, low lighting, and a fragrant candle can work wonders to rejuvenate you.
Aromatherapy candle making is not much different from other candle making, except that you use fragrance and essential oils when creating them. Soy wax is a good choice for aromatherapy candles. In researching the properties of essential oils and candle fragrances, you’ll find that different scents offer different effects.
Lavender is known to promote relaxation and help relieve tension. Sandalwood is known to reduce stress. Ginger is a memory aid. Chamomile, like lavender, helps you relax and relieves tension. Bergamot promotes a sense of happiness and well-being. Jasmine lifts your spirit and enhances your mood. Frankincense is often used during times of quiet meditation.
Just as there are fragrances that are recommended for aromatherapy, there are others that are not recommended and actually considered hazardous. So do your homework before randomly selecting scents for your candles. Some of the oils on the hazard list can be used, please note I said “some,” but only by a qualified practitioner in aromatherapy.
Some of the fragrances on the hazard list include pennyroyal, horseradish, onion, garlic, sassafras, mugwort, bitter almond, camphor, Spanish broom, and wintergreen. This is by no means a complete list, so again, do your research before using any oil or fragrance in an aromatherapy candle.
Remember that not all fragrances and essential oils are recommended for candle making. The same is true of the soap making craft; some of the oils used in soap are not recommended for candles and vice versa.
Aromatherapy candle making is a great addition to your craft if you already make candles. You can expand your product line, and use some of your own products to relax and relieve stress at the end of a long day.
Making Wedding Candles
It’s hard to imagine any kind of amorous experience without sometimes thinking about candles. Any time is a good time to have candles, but they fit in so well at those special times when two people want to have memorable moments in their lives.
Of all the romantic gatherings, what is more in tune with those feelings than a wedding. Making wedding candles for those special occasions gives a great sense of appreciation, especially when they can be viewed in the early hours of twilight.
Floating candles in display at the center of each table is an excellent way to provide low light that enhances the evening. This can be accomplished by utilizing a large glass saucer in clear glass that can hold three or more small candles in tins. If the container can be raised by a pedestal so the candles are over the tabletop, the effect is magical.
If the candles are raised five or six inches above the table, it presents a great deal more reflection and distortion to enhance the flickering flame. Party shops have containers to rent that can provide the holders; some are shaped like martini glasses. Each setting makes for an entertaining light show without distracting from the event at hand.
If the container is flat on the bottom with only a slight profile on the sides, there should be only minimal water to support the votive candles. If someone hits the table, the water shouldn’t splash out. Rose petals that float in the water can be red or yellow, and the water might be tinted to compliment the petal color.
Imitation petals may be the choice because they are reusable, but if you can place them shortly before the start of the reception, the use of real roses is more to be desired. For the times when you must prepare the setup early, fake petals will suffice.
Candles located in other places for your lowlight gathering might be gel instead of the standard wax. Use real martini glasses for the holders and color the gel different hues if you like. The light should dance similar to the centerpiece candle show.
You may want to use the same color in all the glasses that you have tinted the water in the larger arrangements. Before pouring the gel into the glass, attach an object that is heavy enough to hold the bottom of the wick in place.
Don’t forget to put the swizzle stick in each glass before you pour, and add a rose fragrance to the contents.
If you enjoy making wedding candles or other candle displays for similar events, these are sure to please and they will make the occasion very special.
