Candles were a necessity of life for the past several thousand years in order to see at night. They can still be used that way but now it would be more so out of fun and enjoyment only. Candle use and candle making today is done as a hobby (which can very easily be converted into a home business). You can buy a few inexpensive supplies and make your own candles in less then one day with the learning curve and everything else included.
All that is needed in the way of candle ingredients are 4 things: wax, wicks, fragrance and dye. And you can get wax that already has its own color and natural fragrance so all you would need is the wax and the wick. Beeswax is one such wax and is one of the waxes used since ages past. It is white or yellow in color and has its own sweet smelling fragrance. Bayberry wax is naturally dark green in color and has its own sweet scent to it. Not that using your own scent and dye is a problem but it's 2 less things to worry about if you are just starting.
If you want to make your own candles you should educate yourself on the various waxes but most people start with paraffin wax because it's easy to work with and is inexpensive. A real fun candle to make is the gel candle. It's a little more complex then the wax candles but gel candles are a lot of fun because they are clear. Meaning you can see through them. Which means you can see things inside the gel candles which were placed there when the candle was made. You can put decoration, coins, beads, glitter and you name it in the candle to be seen. You can even pour the gel in such a way that it will create bubbles which can be seen. This kind of thing is a lot of fun for the kid inside all of us.
Besides those 4 above mentioned candle ingredients you can get at a craft store there is some equipment you will need but only a little. You will need some molds to pour your wax into. A thermometer is recommended but not vitally necessary. And if you want you can use some mason jars you may have around the house to pour your wax into rather then a mold. Or put a candle inside a coffee cup. These would be container candles which will burn inside the container (the jar or coffee cup) whereas with the molds the candles will be removed as free standing candles.
Place your solid wax in a pot and place it in a bigger pot that has water in it (the double boiler system) and heat the water. This gives the pot the wax is in a more even distribution of the heat rather then putting it directly on a burner which avoids burning the wax. Heat the wax until it is liquid.
Place your wick in the bottom of your jar or mold gluing it to the center of the bottom and draping the top of the wick over the jar top and pour in the melted wax. Pour just a little bit higher then you think you should cause it will settle down as it cools. Center the wick in the top of the melted wax and hold the wick in place by placing a pencil or stick across the top of the jar and bending the wick over the pencil. Oh to glue the wick to the bottom center you can use actual glue or you can dip the bottom of the wick in the melted wax then place it in the center and give it a moment to cool and when it does it will stick.
Does it sound easy enough to make your own candles? It couldn't be easier. Get the inexpensive paraffin (don't get fancy in the beginning and get the gel as much fun as it sounds like) and use a jar or coffee cup or buy a mold or two and you are in business. If you get your stuff today you will have your first candle(s) in a few short hours. How nice is that?
Make Your Own Candles came from a website that has candle making tips which are free for the taking at http://candledesigning.com/ so go there and grab some tips for making beautiful candles.
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