The Basics of Making Candles

There is nothing like candles to bring warmth to a room...and making your own candles is a lot easier than you think. It's an exciting craft that's easy to get started with, with just a few simple ingredients and some basic tools and equipment (that you probably have in your kitchen or garage) are all you need to begin making beautiful, fragrant candles.

Although there are many different types of candles, the basic requirements for a simple candle making setup are pretty much the same. You'll need:

1. An understanding of Candle Safety (both the making and the use of them.)
2. A heat source like a hot plate or electric stove
3. A "double boiler" set up - a large, low pot for boiling water, with an old coffee can set inside it to melt the wax, will do just fine
4. Some wax
5. A wick appropriate for that wax
6. A mold or container to hold the melted wax
7. Fragrance or color for the candle, if desired
8. A match to light it when it's done

That's essentially all it takes. Of course, from there you can choose from various types of candles. and you'll need to choose the appropriate wax and wick for your project. Personalize your candle even further by choosing a fragrance or essential oil to scent your candle.

As you can see, the variations of candles you can make are only limited by your imagination and your willingness to experiment.

To get you started, here are some great basic projects:

• Basic Container Candles
• Votives with Wick Pins
• Dixie Cup Votive Candles
• Basic Pillar Candles
• Beeswax Rolled Pillar

and

many more candle making projects to try.To also help you get going, be sure to check out my Candle Making Videos