Like a lot of Woman and Men out in the world, I love candles. When I walk into a store, or walk through a craft show/market and I see candles I can’t help but stop and hardly never walk away without purchasing at least 2 candles. I just love candles.

Now I have known candle purchasers who seem to purchase candles but never burn the candles, I however,  am not that person. I buy a candle,  I go home and  lite one up  letting its amazing fragrance flow through my house almost as soon as I walk in my door.

My mom, like me is also a lover of candles. One night while  I was sitting on my parents couch talking about candles my mom said “Why don’t we just making our own candles?” and I was just looked at her and said “wouldn’t that be difficult, its so much easier to just go buy a candle?” So started our hunt for how to go about making your own candles. We found the process appeared fairly easy as long as you just want to make simple container candles or wax melt cubes.

Off topic for just a moment,  I know on Etsy there is a shop  I just love ran by Michelle Boswell called Home Made Scents, the link to her shop is:  etsy.com/shop/HomemadeScents  . She makes some of the most deliciously edible looking candles that just smell amazing, burn well and make the most awesome gifts for candle lovers everywhere.   I know a little odd for a candle maker to mention another shop that sells candles, but I make simple container candles and wax melt cubes, I do not make Artisian candles like the decorative amazing looking candles you will find at Home Made Scents.

So getting back to how we started, we did several weeks of research on candle wax, candle containers, scents, and Candle Wicks. We ordered some wax, Color chips/and liquid, candle containers, wicks, wick tabs, wick holders and we got started. After trying several different containers we  landed on Mason Jars for our container of choice, and a Hybrid Candle wax ( a mix of Paraffin and Soy). Overall we are very pleased with the Hybrid wax, very simple to use,  burns well,  and holds the scent well.

The most important items needed to begin Candle making are  Thermometer, fragrance or essential oils, Candle Wax, Candle Color Cubes or Liquid, Candle Wicks, Candle Containers, a Double Broiler,  and a metal Pouring container. I would recommend clearing off your kitchen counter of all unnecessary items before getting started and found laying Freezer paper down and lightly taping in place over our Granite counters made clean up a breeze.

To start out fill the bottom of your double broiler with water, place the empty top half of the broiler on top of the water filled bottom half of the broiler. Add your wax and heat your wax up in the top of the  double broiler until it reaches the recommended temperature.

While you are waiting on the wax to reach its desired temperature, now is a good time to add your wicks to your containers, I use wick tabs they make the wick stick to the bottom of your container and keep them in place even after you pour your wax in.

Once the temperature of your candle wax  is met and your containers are ready with the wicks in place, you now want to add color to your wax first if you wish to have a colored candle then add 1.5 ounces of fragrance per pound of wax used,  and stir your candle wax  until you feel the color and scent are all mixed together.

Then pour your wax into your metal pouring container (this makes pouring the wax into the containers you have chosen much easier than trying to pour the wax from the pot) and then pour the wax into your candle containers, straighten your wicks if needed (they also have wick holders available which will help keep your wicks straight while cooling)  and wait for your candles to cool.

Again like Soap making I find the aspect I appreciate most is having complete control over what goes into my candle and what scents I make. I never have a candle made that I won’t burn because I made them all, I love all the scents.  Being a very simple person who loves things that are just plain useful, I don’t really need my candles to be pretty,  just useful.  So that is what my candles are just plain awesome smelling useful candles meant to be used and enjoyed. I especially find I appreciate the odor eliminating scents I have come across that work wonders for the home.

You can see some of my candles here etsy.com/shop/BearsHeadMountain