I love making candles! Thank goodness it doesn’t take up too much energy. 
With about 20 lbs of soy candle wax at my disposal, I can make candles pretty much any time I want. Soy candles are a natural wax, made from the soy bean. They’re great because they’re clean burning, do not contain parafin, and won’t burn you if you touch the melted wax! You can also use the melted wax as a natural, thick lotion. Soy wax (and other natural waxes) is also the best choice of candle for people who own parrots (like us!) as parrots have very, very sensitive respiratory systems. Some parrots have been known to die from inhaling burning parrafin wax, incense, and even glade plugins.
The candle I made tonight has a cute lamp top that covers it – it’s so great to be able to reuse candle jars when I’m done! I also made some little smelty tarts with left over wax for my tart burner (that’s them in the muffin tins). They’re very, very simple to make. The wax starts off as white flakes. Using a homemade double boiler system, I melt the wax, add some candle coloring, and then the scent. After my wick is put in place, I slowly pour the melted wax into the jar until it’s filled appropriately. Pouring slowly is the key to getting a good candle. The “type” of wax you use is also important – some waxes are made for containers (and are more pliable / soft when solid), while other waxes are made to become standalone pillar candles (and are therefore very hard when solid). You also need to pay attention to wick thickness as that determins the pool size when burning. If your candle top is wide (3 or more inches in diameter) you want a wick thick enough to melt a bigger circle (and therefore use all the candle as it burns down). Too thin wicks cause a candle that burns strait down the center, leaving wasted wax on the sides. Natural wicks (those without metal cores) are also best to use.
I can’t wait until this candle finishes setting! I used a yummy cherry & cola scent combination and the smell is already wafting through the house just from the process of making it.
Ahhh…
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Tags: Fun Crafts
Good simple explanation of soy candle making.
Hey, I love those candles, did you make them yourself or did you buy them? If you made them, I would love to know more.