This Christmas, I've decided to do something a little different in the realm of gift giving. Over the years, I've evolved from the avid seasonal mall raider of my teens, to flea market treasure hunter (of which I will never shake), to the DIY problem solver I am today. I found myself in my father's closet recently, and I can't tell you how many ties and unused golf balls the poor man has accrued over time from me. It's embarrassing. And to be honest, there are just some people, no matter how well you think you know them, who are just impossible to shop for (e.g., my 22 year old little brother who is already to the brim with heavy metal paraphernalia - his number one passion and a niche I can't bring myself to understand, let alone supply). As I've already exhausted the art of regifiting forgotten, yet unbearably nostalgic photos, I have found myself hunting for a new project. And of course, one on a budget. Hooray for the discovery of candle making!
There are two types of candles to be made - 1) in glass, 2) without glass. Here's what you'll need for both:
1. Pilar Candle
2. Scented Oil
3. Craft Glue (dries clear)
4. Blue Painter's Tape
5. Glass Jars/Containers
6. Decorational Whatzits
7. Twine
8. Typewriter Stamps
9. Paraffin Wax (soy and beeswax is available, but more expensive)
10. Paper Cut-Outs (print from computer images or scavenge magazines)
11. Wick
12. Ink Pad
13. Crayons or Pastels
14. Tissue Paper (or fabric)
15. Wooden Skewers
Not Shown Here: Boiling Bags or Sauce Pans
DON'T buy candle jars from anywhere but a thrift store. All of the glass containers I got from Good Will were priced at an average of $.99. They're all beautiful - just make sure the hole at the top is wide enough to allow for the heat to escape, or else you'll find yourself with a blackened mess.
1. After you've cleaned the buggers, find yourself a magazine, picture book, photo album, or hunt online for some images to print. I used Anthropology's recent catalog - they always have such neat designs.2. Tape the back of the image with the blue painter's tape. Wax sweats through pores of the paper and it could ruin the quality of the image. Cut the image out. I prefer using an exacto knife with a swivel head for easy and approximate cutting.
4. *Preparing the Wax*
Now the fun part. You have two options in wax preparation. You can use a boiler bag by boiling a pot of water and setting the encased wax within (good for easy storage), or just melt the wax in the pan itself. It's easy to clean - just heat and wipe away excess with a paper towel. Choose the color of your candle by breaking off bits of crayon or pastel and simply mix in with the melting wax. DO NOT USE FOOD COLORING! It will burn. And remember, crayon/pastel goes a long way. If you want a milky appearance, put in a little chunk of white. Have fun!
5. Put a few drops of scented wax oil in with the melted wax. Stir. If you don't like the smells of Hobby Lobby brand oil, melting down candles with yummy scents works just as well ;)6. Wait about 5 min after taking the wax off the heat to pour into the container. Wax that is too hot with cave in during the cooling process. Pour wax into the jar, but leave a little room at the top. You'll be pouring more in a bit.
7. Once the wax has cooled enough where a wooden skewer would stand by itself, put one in where the wick will go. Let cool completely.
8. You'll most likely notice a bit of a concave appearance in the wax. That's okay. Remove skewer and replace with a wick. Pour wax on top, taking care not to wet the tip of the wick, until it gets to the level you desire.
9. Tack on a few decorational whatzits with the craft glue on the outside. Wrap some twine around the finished candle and attach odds and ends or a tag if it's a gift. Use your typewriter stamps for a professional dedication.
Pillar Candles (without glass)
Typewriter Candle
1. Cut a piece of tissue paper the circumference of your pillar candle. With your typewriter stamps, stamp out a relevant piece of text for your gift's receiver. Here, I've used a quote of Kalhil Gibran's - one of my go to guys for pieces of wisdom.
2. Glue the tissue paper around the candle with either craft glue or a glue stick so it won't move around during the waxing process.
3. Prepare your wax in a shallow sauce pan. Add color with your crayon or pastel chunks and fragrance with your scented wax oil. Take the wax off the heat.
5. After your candle is completely cooled, wrap twine around the middle of your candle. Attach decorational whatzits for that added zing. Gorgeous.
T-Shirt Candle
1. Take fabrics from some clothes you don't intend to wear anymore. I'm not a pack rat, but when it comes to my clothes...::sigh:: Does this ring a bell? - "I KNOW I'm going to wear that again...." You won't. Make a candle.
2. For texture and depth, glue or wrap some fabric around the candle. Experiment with different fabrics - lace is quite fun (and shown here in black). Proceed with the dipping process depicted above with the "Typewriter Candle". Let cool. For this candle's background, I first crumpled paper, then before attaching, burned the edge slightly.
3. With small tack nails, nail the remaining un-waxed fabric in layers about the candle. Voila.
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