Candle Making Tips

Everyone loves candles and they are a great way to add warmth and comfort to your home. You even have a few choices of candles such as regular wax candles and soy candles. Candles are affordable and they can last for a very long time. The best part about candles is that they look good both lit and unlit. Oddly enough most people, me included, own candles that they never intend to light for fear of ruining their beauty.

Candles are both practical and gorgeous and of all the candles on the market soy candles are the most sought after these days. Everyone is wanting to get themselves some fantastic soy candles. Only soy candles are healthier.

Did you know that candles can be dangerous to your health, the health of your children and even your pets? Some candles have been known to kill pet birds! Paraffin is not good for people to be inhaling and some candles are even made with lead wicks in them. Can you image how much harm could be done with a lead wick?

If you were to purchase soy candles you would not have these types of worries. These soy candles were created to combat the growing problem of inferior cheap candles. Now you can have all the glory of good candles and candle light without the dangerous components. You can even get wonderfully scented soy candles.

There are so many reasons for you to choose soy candles over regular run of the mill candles. For instance, did you know that soy candles can last twice as long as other candles? They are so affordable when you look at them this way. You will be able to get twice as much use out of your candles when they are soy candles. And since they burn slower and longer the smell will be even better.

Have you ever noticed that some scented candles get overpowering in their smells? That is because the candles burn so hot and fast. When you are using soy candles this is not a problem. Since the candle is burning at a lower temperature the scent will be dispersed at a much better rate, one that will keep your home smelling fresh and clean all day long.

The biggest complaint that most people have about regular candles is the soot factor. How many times have you had to try and scrub off soot after lighting a candle? Well, the good news is that you will never have to do this again when you switch over to soy candles. Soy candles have no soot production and they will never stain anything at all.

Soy is also a renewable resource. It grows in the USA with ease and there is a plentiful amount to it. You will never have to worry about hurting the environment when you are using soy candles. You will be giving people new and better jobs and helping the world at the same time. Soy candles are really the best way to go and if you have not checked them out yet, what are you waiting for?

Millions of people throughout the world have hobbies to help them relax after a long day of work. One hobby that has risen in popularity is candle making.

Candle making has become sort of an art form. Each person has their own ideas and designs for candles, and each candle has the potential of becoming a work of art, if only to its creator.

Candle making is not difficult, however if you are creating something that will become a focal point of a room, you want it to be perfect. The great thing about candle making is that if you make a mistake, you can melt the candle and start all over again.

Candle Making Kits Are Great

Candle making kits are great for first timers to introduce yourself to candle making. Candle making kits will show you the basic steps and techniques when you have the basic knowledge of how to make candles, you will be able to create candles that are stunning.

The first step in candle making is to protect your work surface from melted wax. Covering with newspaper or heavy plastic will insure that your workspace is kept clean.

You do not need elaborate tools to create wonderful candles. A roasting pan and a thermometer will work just as well as all of the fancy equipment that can be quite expensive.

Candle making kits can become a way to spend quality time with your children. However, it is very important that they are supervised at all times to avoid any accidents that may occur.

Safety First

Melting wax is relatively easy, however little fingers may try to test it. Make sure that you advise your children that although the melted wax may smell good, it is extremely hot and they could get serious injuries if they try to touch it.

Dyes and fragrances for candles are available at craft stores throughout the country. It is important that you add the dye slowly to the melted wax and wait for it to dissolve completely. Adding colors one at a time will allow you to determine which colors work with each other the best.

It is very important that you watch the wax very carefully when it is melting. If the heat is too high, it will burn the wax. If melting wax begins to smoke, remove it from the heat immediately, being very careful not to spill any on your skin. If this should happen, do not wipe it off. You could spread it cause more serious burns. Instead, run it under cold water until the wax hardens and it should fall right off.

Once you have poured your wax into your molds, it will need twenty-four hours or more to cool and harden completely. Once the candle has set up, it is time to decorate.

Add Personality To Your Candle Making

Choosing the right pattern for your candle is the most creative part of candle making. If you want to add a splash of color, try melting your favorite colored crayon for a vibrant look to your candle.

You can use just about anything from stencils to non-flammable beads to create works of art. You are limited only by your imagination.

If you choose to create scented candles, adding crushed herbs will give a pleasant scent that will last as long as the candle itself. Candle making kits come with complete instructions on how to create the perfect candle. They are easy to follow and can be used in any setting.

There are eight distinct candle making additives used in the candle making process. Some makers choose not to use them at all while others take advantage of what each type of additive has to offer to their candle making process. Candle wax additives are inexpensive and work well if you are educated in how to use them and why to use each kind.

Kemamide is a fine powder. It has a hint of ivory in the color, but it is close to being transparent. This type of additive becomes clumped if it is exposed to humidity so keep it in a closed, dry environment. Use this type of additive as a release agent. Add one teaspoon for each pound of wax.

Poly-AC is a fine powder, white in color. It has a dry texture and should also be stored in a dry environment to prevent clumping. This additive is a hardener. To be effective, add one teaspoon for each pound of wax.

Chimasorb 81 is a powder with a yellowish tint. Of all the additives, this one is the most likely to clump, even in areas of low humidity. Chimasorb 81 is used to enhance color. You do not need much of it, 1/10 of a percent for each pound of wax.

Stearic Powder is flaky. The color is white. This additive doesn’t react to humidity at all so it is an agreeable product to use for hardening. They amount you will use depends on the type of candles you are making. This additive helps reduce the temperature needed to melt the wax. Add about three teaspoons for each pound of wax. Be careful not to over use Stearic Powder as doing so will cause damage to the wax.

103 Vybar generally is sold in the form of very small beads. The beads flow loosely and do not stick or clump together, even in areas of high humidity. 103 Vybar is a hardener as well. It will add a very creamy texture to your candle wax. This is a perfect hardener to use for scented candles. Add one teaspoon to for every pound of wax.

Paraflint is another hardener. It comes in beaded form similar to the 103 Vybar. However, the beads are much larger. You will want to use one teaspoon for every pound of wax.

Poly 400 comes in the form of beads that vary is size and shape. This is a UV inhibitor, which will keep your candles from fading in the sunlight. This additive is also to be used at the rate of one teaspoon for every pound of wax.

BHT Crystal is a yellowish powder. This is an antioxidant for wax that has been stored in liquid form for a length of time. Using this crystal will also add a very pretty luster to your wax.

Candle making additives can add a variety of features to your wax. The type of additives you choose to use will depend on the types of candles you are going to make as well as the climate in your region. Be careful to use candle making additives in the right amounts or you will cause damage to the wax, resulting in ill effects in the visual aspects of the candles as well as their ability to burn properly. There are many great candle making books out there to help you figure out which types of additives to use for the various types of candles you can make.

While candle holders are obviously key elements in any candle setting, all too often they suffer a sort of benign neglect.
Sometimes they’re used “just because they’re there”, and sometimes because choosing the right candle holder seems a rather daunting task.
If deciding what to use is your problem, then this handy checklist could help to simplify the process.
While glass and metal candle holders are the most popular, there is an absolutely huge variety available, in all sorts of materials.
As you run down the list, you will see that as you make decisions you are led naturally to the right kind of holder and the right kind of candle.
Making your own is also an option if you have the patience and skill – or perhaps just the patience!
1 The event
* Are you going to use the candle holder as an integral part of the event, or do you want the candle to be a minor accessory?
* If it’s a seasonal event, such as Easter or Christmas, one of the many plaster candle holders might be suitable.
Once you’ve got the setting for the event clear in your mind, you can move easily to the next point to consider, which is…
2 Size
* If it’s a statement you’re after, think big and bold because anything less will probably not achieve the effect you want. But big and bold brings its own problems – solid colors probably won’t work.
Think vines, ivy, and espalier multiple candle holders, which lend themselves particularly well to larger arrangements with a number of tea lights or small jars.
If you’re going this route, you can probably justify wholesale and/or discount quantities.
* If intimate is your objective, then go with tea lights or small jar or container candle holders.
* If you want to go to the opposite extreme, then chandeliers can add a delightfully unusual touch if you have the right place to positon them, which leads to…
3 Siting
Where are you going to position the candles?
* For instance, if you’re going for a combination of scented candles and food (and you should think very carefully about that particular mix) then the holder needs to be off to one side, substantial enough to be noticed and to be left unattended in safety.
You want to please your guests with a suggestion of a fragrance, not overpower them or the food.
* If the setting is more intimate, then smaller is better. Don’t force your guests to crane over the candles to hold a conversation.
4 Color
* On some occasions you will want to match the colors in your rooms, and on others you’ll be going for contrast.
* You also don’t want to restrict yourself to just one color of candle, so you need enough holders to allow you to mix and match.
* Remember that boldly-colored holders are more difficult to match to the candle color and to your decor.
And once you’ve decided on the right color, you’ll be led naturally to the appropriate….
5 Material
Even though you’ve narrowed down the options, there are still some wonderful decisions to be made.
* You can choose between wood, bronze, silver, crystal, aluminium, metal candle holders, wrought iron, beaded holders, or natural products such as bamboo and coconut.
* Glass is obviously popular. You can either choose a completely neutral holder, or choose a colored holder that will match the candle color. Glass is particularly appropriate for votive candleholders.
* Hurricane candleholders are popular for pillar candles and are wonderful for al fresco dining. Remember to look for one with a handle if you will need to move it while still hot.
Then you only have to decide on ..
6 Shape
* There are a large number of animal and character shapes available, although these have to be matched carefully to the occasion.
Bees, birds and butterflies (particularly pretty when matched to tea light candles) are popular and are available in solid and transluscent colours.
* Consider slate pillar plates for the really big or multi-wick candles; in fact, lovers of pillar candles can find a wide range of coasters and plate holders, some of them beautifully decorated.
7 The candle itself
By now you should have eliminated a whole lot of possibilities; the holders you are still considering will almost choose themselves.
* For instance pillars, which tend to be chunky anyway, require more substantial holders than more delicate candles.
* If you’re going to use votive candles, remember that they must be burned in a holder, because votives are really container candles without a container. If possible go for a straight-sided container as long as the rest of the design pleases you.
The straight sides will reduce the wax pool that is formed when the candle burns, and the tighter the fit, the longer the candle will burn.
* And finally, if you’re in a languid mood, what about the charming bowls, complete with stands, that are specially designed for floating candles?

The aromatherapy candle making business has long been there to serve as a nice option for those who are looking for a little bit extra cash to go on a cruise or buy a new car. The concept of aromatherapy candle making had actually all started when the a French chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse performed studies on the cosmetic properties of plants and coined the term “aromatherapy” when he learned that plants contained organic antiseptic elements that worked better than inorganic ones.

Since the formation of the concept of aromatherapy, several people have begun to consider aromatherapy candle making as a profitable alternative. They then started to take the essential oils from plants and used them in forming the beautifully scented candles. The aromatherapy candle making business then became popular as more and more people are appreciating its benefits, although they know that no one is really going to get wealthy and be ready to give up their job by making aromatic candles.

On its most basic, the aromatherapy candle making does require some forms of artistic talent, although learning the fundamental skills needed is just fairly simple. There are even dozens of varying types of wax as well as candle styles out there. However, in the spirit of the true aromatherapy candle making, it is usually advised to employ beeswax, soy wax, as well as palm wax in making the candles instead of paraffin. Most of the experts in aromatherapy candle making in fact typically claims that paraffin is not a good material for crafting aromatherapy candles as it contains carcinogenic chemicals.

In aromatherapy candle making, the idea of trimming the wicks of the candles is usually considered. It is as well necessary to note that in order to produce the best aromatherapy candles, the essential oils should be added at the top of the candle, but never on the wick itself. A number of experts in the field of aromatherapy candle making even commonly consider adding the essential oils after the candle has been lit and there is a small pool of wax at the top of the candle. However, in the aromatherapy candle making, the experts avoid from adding the essential oils to the flame as the oils are capable of catching fire.

Today, the aromatherapy candle making is so famous throughout the world. The Internet has even made it possible for the candle makers and other craftsmen to sell their aromatherapy candle making products around the world at the click of a mouse. And, with some helpful aromatherapy candle making resources out there on the web, there is no doubt then that you will get to create something and see the results of your work first hand. The aromatherapy candle making business is but more about fun than it is about money, but there is still a risk of getting burned if you are not carefully when you work.