Post by Natasha on May 20, 2006 23:07:00 GMT -5
candles are too fun to make, and are even more fun to sell!
depending on your budget you can start your own out of the home business with just a few dollars, and build it as you sell your items.
i myself sell starter kits with a few lbs of wax, and colors, and scents, with wicks and decorations, starting at $20.00.
but you can start on your old candles at home that you have burned the wick down and cant light anymore, or candles that you find in your local thrift shops and yard sales that are deformed, or can't be lit anymore.
using a double boiler or a pot in a larger pot of water on the stove you melt the wax to a liquid. your pot can be anything glass or metal such as an old coffee pot or coffee can. now your caffeine habit is paying off! but don't melt them directly over the heat, you need the double boiler system with the water.
if the candle is in a glass container you can melt the wax in the glass as it is in the water.
you should melt the wax to a temperature about 150- 170 degrees, you can check the temp with a candy thermometer, or a similar looking thermometer for candles. they both work perfectly.
try not to burn your wax, then your candle wont turn out as well.
now you will need to scoop out all the stuff on the top. use a spoon that wont be used for eating again. you may have some paint if it was a decorated candle and most definitely leftover wick, and the wick pin (stub). you can also use cheese cloth if you have it. (if not i do let me know) so you wont have all this yucky stuff in your new candle
if you want to purchase a bottle of scent from a candle shop in your area or on line, you can add it to your wax when you have removed it from the double boiler and let it cool to a temp around 135 degrees. or when the top starts to film over a bit. that way you are not burning off the scent. if you have used a previously scented candle chances are that there will still be some scent left. you can buy a scent close to the one already used. if you are not sure, guess. it will still smell pretty good.
decorating your candle can be easy, you can pour the wax in a glass container, wal mart sells little votive and candle jars in the craft section, for about 50 cents each. or you can use old pottery jars, cute little liquor glasses, mason jars or dessert dishes. you will need to wick your candle with a fresh new wick that stands at least half an inch above the wax after it's been poured. you can purchase these at a candle store or on line (or me) or if you have wick from the candle that you scooped out earlier that will still fit in the smaller container after you have trimmed off the burned piece to make it look new. you can use that.
insert the wick when the wax has cooled enough to hold it in place. you need to do this though before the wax has filmed over on the top, then it's too cool and wont go to the bottom completely.
decorate the top of the candle with very fine craft glitter, or decorate the outside by painting the container with a cute design after the candle has cooled completely, ribbons around the outside or stuff glued on the container (buttons, gems, face pieces, stickers) is also very nice.
practice makes perfect, and if you are confused at all about this process of recycling old candles please contact me via email and i will talk you through it myself. if you like it you can purchase wax and wicks with scents and coloring, and make your own candles.
a $20.00 kit usually produces around five to ten candles depending on the size of your container, and you can sell the candles around $5-10.00 each. you do the math, it's profitable! why do you think there are so many candle makers out there?
you can also make dippy bears or animals, and molded candles in the shapes of fun things as characters, animals, pillars, or shapes. there is such a variety to what you can do with wax!
depending on your budget you can start your own out of the home business with just a few dollars, and build it as you sell your items.
i myself sell starter kits with a few lbs of wax, and colors, and scents, with wicks and decorations, starting at $20.00.
but you can start on your old candles at home that you have burned the wick down and cant light anymore, or candles that you find in your local thrift shops and yard sales that are deformed, or can't be lit anymore.
using a double boiler or a pot in a larger pot of water on the stove you melt the wax to a liquid. your pot can be anything glass or metal such as an old coffee pot or coffee can. now your caffeine habit is paying off! but don't melt them directly over the heat, you need the double boiler system with the water.
if the candle is in a glass container you can melt the wax in the glass as it is in the water.
you should melt the wax to a temperature about 150- 170 degrees, you can check the temp with a candy thermometer, or a similar looking thermometer for candles. they both work perfectly.
try not to burn your wax, then your candle wont turn out as well.
now you will need to scoop out all the stuff on the top. use a spoon that wont be used for eating again. you may have some paint if it was a decorated candle and most definitely leftover wick, and the wick pin (stub). you can also use cheese cloth if you have it. (if not i do let me know) so you wont have all this yucky stuff in your new candle
if you want to purchase a bottle of scent from a candle shop in your area or on line, you can add it to your wax when you have removed it from the double boiler and let it cool to a temp around 135 degrees. or when the top starts to film over a bit. that way you are not burning off the scent. if you have used a previously scented candle chances are that there will still be some scent left. you can buy a scent close to the one already used. if you are not sure, guess. it will still smell pretty good.
decorating your candle can be easy, you can pour the wax in a glass container, wal mart sells little votive and candle jars in the craft section, for about 50 cents each. or you can use old pottery jars, cute little liquor glasses, mason jars or dessert dishes. you will need to wick your candle with a fresh new wick that stands at least half an inch above the wax after it's been poured. you can purchase these at a candle store or on line (or me) or if you have wick from the candle that you scooped out earlier that will still fit in the smaller container after you have trimmed off the burned piece to make it look new. you can use that.
insert the wick when the wax has cooled enough to hold it in place. you need to do this though before the wax has filmed over on the top, then it's too cool and wont go to the bottom completely.
decorate the top of the candle with very fine craft glitter, or decorate the outside by painting the container with a cute design after the candle has cooled completely, ribbons around the outside or stuff glued on the container (buttons, gems, face pieces, stickers) is also very nice.
practice makes perfect, and if you are confused at all about this process of recycling old candles please contact me via email and i will talk you through it myself. if you like it you can purchase wax and wicks with scents and coloring, and make your own candles.
a $20.00 kit usually produces around five to ten candles depending on the size of your container, and you can sell the candles around $5-10.00 each. you do the math, it's profitable! why do you think there are so many candle makers out there?
you can also make dippy bears or animals, and molded candles in the shapes of fun things as characters, animals, pillars, or shapes. there is such a variety to what you can do with wax!
