A guide to homemade candles
Scented candles are a great way to impart a lovely fragrance throughout your home. Not only will candles add ambient light to your home but will also up the anti of the spring feeling if you opt for scents such as jasmine, gardenia or fig. With one recipe and a host of ideas you can create candles to suit just about any occasion. Here’s our step-by-step guide.
What you’ll need
- Some old jars or containers (mason jars or old-school milk bottle work well)
- Candle wax (local art or craft shops are good places to start)
- Candle wicks (local art or craft shops are good places to start)
- Metal wick holders
- Scented oils
- An old pan
- Colouring (optional)
Method
1. Place wax into saucepan over low heat. Don't allow wax temperature to get too or to smoke. Add colouring, if desirable. Remove wax from heat. To add a scent, stir in about 40 drops of oil-based essence (the exact amount will depend on the intensity of the scent and your own preference).
2. Firstly, cut the wick the right size for your jar. Next place wick into a metal wick holder. Place in base of candleholder. To center the wick in a votive, and if it moves around too much, add a bit of hot wax to the bottom to set it in place – alternatively you can use a hot glue gun.
3. Holding your wick holder in place, pour the melted wax into candle holders, stopping about 2cm from the top. Set aside to cool and harden. Trim wick to 6mm. Store in a cool, dark, dry pla