Weekend DIY: How to Make Beeswax Candles

A guest post by Adrienne of Crafty Little Gnome and Adrienne Audrey Jewelry. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.
 
I love burning candles. There is something so serene about the warm glow of the flame. They warm up the room, smell great and who doesn’t look more attractive in candle light? As we approach the winter months and the holiday season grows closer many of us will be grabbing those old candles from the back of the cabinet and lighting them up to bask in the glow of the warm flame. 

Today I am going to show you how to make cute beeswax candles in little jars. These candles make great gifts (it's never to early to start thinking about Christmas!) and because they are compact and come with a lid they are also great for traveling.

Why Beeswax?

Unlike most candles which are made of paraffin wax beeswax is a renewable resource. Beeswax is an eco friendly material. Here are some of the benefits of burning beeswax candles:

• Beeswax candles burn cleaner than paraffin candles, producing very little soot. They also burn a lot longer than paraffin candles.
• Beeswax candles contain none of the harmful chemicals sometimes found in paraffin candles. 
• Beeswax candles smell great and have a natural honey scent, They are great for people who are sensitive to perfumes and fragrances or have allergies.
• No toxic wastes are produced, either in production, or in burning.

The list of benefits goes on and on. There are other alternatives to paraffin such as soy or other vegetable wax but for this tutorial we'll be using beeswax.

Materials:

• 1 pound beeswax
• Cotton or hemp wick
• Wick tabs
• Half pint canning jars
• Super glue
• Pliers

You can find these materials at your local craft store and you can get canning jars at your supermarket. There should be a special section for canning supplies near the baking aisle.

You can buy beeswax online. You want to look for beeswax sold as little granules in a bag rather than a big solid block. There are many online stores that specialize in beeswax candle making supplies.

Directions:

1. Cut your wick in lengths of about 6 inches and feed them through the wick tabs. Use your pliers to close the open end of the tab so the wick will not fall out.  

2. Glue the wick and tab to the bottom center of the jar.


3. Fill the jar with the beeswax. Try to stand the wick straight. Trim the wick to about 2 inches higher than the beeswax.

4. Once you have several candles prepped, place them on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Watch and wait for the wax to melt completely (about 20 minutes).


5. Once they have melted pull the cookie sheet out of the oven very carefully and let the candles cool and the wax re-harden. Trim your wick to about a half inch tall.

6. Once completely cool put the lids back on the jars and embellish with ribbon or twine or grab some matches and light them up right away!

Because the candles are in jars they are safer than tall pillar candles that may fall over and cause a fire. The screw on lid makes it convenient to take your candles with you if you are traveling and makes it easy to stack them. As always, never leave a burning candle unattended and keep them out of reach of children.

Adrienne lives in Northern Washington on a farm with her husband and a menagerie of loveable animals. When she's not blogging at Crafty Little Gnome Adrienne can be found out playing in the garden, experimenting in the kitchen or working on a new craft project. Adrienne also sells handmade jewelry and accessories in her Etsy shop Adrienne Audrey Jewelry.