| Sea-Theme Candles |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-115 |
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Home craft expert Kathi Cardinalli explains how to make innovative candles using sand, shells, flowers and other found objects. Materials:
Sand
Aluminum roasting pan
Bowl
Wicks, coated or uncoated
Pot for melting wax
Wax
Shells
Herbs
Essential oil
Making a Sand Candle - Pour sand into an aluminum roasting pan or other large container. Dampen the sand to make it "moldable."
- Place a bowl (or bowls) firmly in the sand to make a well-defined, firmly packed impression. Carefully remove the bowl (figure A).
- Place a coated wick in the center of the sand form. Holding the wick straight, pour melted wax right into the form (figure B).
- Add shells, herbs or other found objects to decorate your candle. Some decorative objects will float on the wax; others may sink to the bottom. If you like, sprinkle a dab of essential oil into the wax to scent the candle.
- Allow the candle to cool for a few hours. Then remove it from the mold, and snip off the excess wick (figure C).
Making Your Own Candle Molds Materials:
Wick
Milk carton
Mug
Herb pot
Glass
Beeswax
Vanilla bean, rose petals, orange peel
Found objects
- Cut off the top of the milk carton, and suspend a wick from a stick. This creates a simple candle mold (figure D).
- A little herb pot can make a lovely candle mold (figure E).
- Even a drinking glass can be used as a candle mold. Use beeswax when making candles in glass. It has a lower melting point than other waxes and won't break the glass.
- Pour 1" of wax into the mold. Add decorations, such as a vanilla bean, rose petals or some dried orange peel. Then add another layer of wax and decorations, continuing until the mold is full.
- Cut off the excess wick, and you have a candle that smells good and will last a long time (figure F).
Tips: - Beeswax is more expensive than other waxes, but it's worth the cost. It doesn't smoke, melts more easily, burns more slowly and has a lovely fragrance.
- Use real wicks when making candles, not kitchen string. Wicks burn slowly and are much safer than string. They cost only about 12 cents a yard.
- When using waxed wicks that stand up on their own, place a piece of masking tape across the opening of the container or mold, and poke a hole in the center of the tape to hold the wick straight (figure G).
- When using a flexible unwaxed wick, tie it to a craft stick and suspend it across the opening of the container.
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