Candles are indicative of love and the divine. Click on the link to learn how to make your very own candles at home.

How To Make Candles At Home

Candles have a long and intriguing history in worship, magic and rituals. They light up the way to the divine, and are even believed to drive out dark forces and invoke spirits! Though the origin of candles is unknown, there is proof that candles made of beeswax were used in ancient Egypt as early as 3000 B.C. Other early candles consisted of tapers made of a tough material, such as rushes, soaked in tallow. Today candles are mostly made of paraffin wax. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Candles are indicative of love and the celestial, as they are also very closely associated with the Light of Christ. They are carried in religious processions and are lit when people pray both at home and in church. So can you prepare your very own candles at home? Homemade candles are really not that hard to make. They are more special, too, as you put in your hard work and creativity in making them. Thus they become coveted and make excellent gifts for family and friends. Read on for a step by step procedure to make your very own candles at home.
 
Steps On Making Candles At Home

Supplies
  • Crock pot (slow cooker)
  • Thermometer
  • Candle wax chips (if possible pre-formulated for candles)
  • Glass container with a lid (for the candle)
  • A suitable sized pre-tabbed wick (a larger wick for a larger jar)
  • Food coloring or coloring agent of choice 
Directions
 
  • Take the crock pot and melt the wax at 160 degrees F. Remember not to overheat the wax and keep a watch on the temperature. As the wax is melting, gently heat the candle jar in the oven at the lowest possible temperature. Doing this allows the wax to stick to the glass better.
  • Once the wax has melted and heated up to 160 degrees F, mix the food coloring and stir. Keep a constant check on the temperature as wax that is overheated can catch fire and lead to a fire hazard.
  • Next pour the liquefied wax carefully into the glass candle jar that has been in the oven. Do not fill the jar to the brim as you will need room for the lid and save a little wax for topping off. (Wax tends to sink in the middle after the first pour cools and a subsequent pour is required to level this off. This is known as 'topping off').
  • Set the wick straight and lower the metal disk base into the melted wax and place the disk as close to the center of the candle as possible. The wick should be able to stand vertical on its own.
  • Now allow the candle to cool till there is a semi-solid layer on top. Next take the wick and alter it so that it is in the center of the jar. (The semi- solid layer on top will hold the wick in place when you alter it)
  • Allow the candle to cool completely at room temperature (This will ideally take about 6 hours). Once cooled there are chances of the wax having sunk a little in the middle. If this is the case, heat up the left over wax in your crock pot to about 185 degrees F and pour just enough to flood to the boundaries of the glass.
  • Allow it to cool once again. You must now trim the wick to a quarter of an inch for best results. Your homemade candle is ready for you to admire! 
Tip
  • You can try making candles with different containers. You can use chinaware, brass cans or anything that will hold out the strong heat from the fire.

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