Where to Buy Candlemaking Materials?

By candle101 | Published: June 15, 2010

GENWAX is a great Southern California candlemaking supply store. They cater towards both wholesalers and hobbyist, and has a wide selection of materials for starting out.

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8 Unexpected (Mostly Kitchen) Tools Useful for Candlemaking

By candle101 | Published: March 17, 2010
  1. SPOON An essential tool when making specialty candles. It can replace a whisk when making whipped wax, since its easier to clean and you can work within a smaller container. Also useful to spoon molten wax into small crevasse and to top off the bottom of candles with more control.
  2. LADLE Great for transferring small to medium amounts of wax from one container to another without getting burned. Also useful for evening out molten wax when making homemade beeswax sheets.

  3. CHOPSTICKS Finally a use for your Chinese takeout utensil! If you don’t want to splurge on wick holders yet, look towards chopsticks to the rescue! Put wick in between two chopsticks and secure with paper clamps. Also useful for stirring in color, scent, and additives.
  4. MEAT THERMOMETER Much cheaper than a wax thermometer, and no need to worry about spilled mercury if broken. If I had extra money to burn, I would get a digital one this time. Saves me the time to sit there and wait for the pointer to go up.
  5. METAL BOWLS Great alternative to pouring pots and vats. Only downside is that you cant hold onto the rim when removing from the double boiler, so try using pliers to lift the bowl. Useful for storing wax, whipping wax, and most of all, melting wax!
  6. COFFEE FILTERS Comes in handy when making a project with recycled wax or wax with debris. Place 1 filter in an empty metal bowl, pour the melted wax into it, and left the coffee filter by its edges slowly to drain out all the clean wax
  7. TIN LIDS Remember the good ol’ AOL cds that came in the metal tins? Who knew that these would come in handy for my candlemaking! Works great for making small batches of chunks for chunk candles, no need to melt large amounts of wax to make a thin layer of wax sheet, since the surface area is so small. Other tin lids work too, like cookie tin or candy tin lids.
  8. TOOTHPICK Nice disposable tool for poking wick holes into warm wax or applying small amounts of varnish to candles.

Needless to say, you will no longer be able to use these kitchenware on your cooking again. Great tools are everywhere in your kitchen, you just have to stop and look. Hope this list has been helpful!

Have you also discovered unexpected tools you use in candlemaking? Feel free to share!

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MINI BLOSSOM ROLLED BEESWAX CANDLE

By candle101 | Published: March 15, 2010

Inspired by cherry blossoms, this dainty candle reminds me of something proper and ladylike. Contrasting and matching colors make this project a fun way to explore decorative combinations through beeswax sheets, ribbons, and beads.


MATERIALS

• 1/8-inch wide ribbon: 12 inches long

• 1/3-inch wide ribbon: 12 inches long

• Dressmaker’s pin

• Flower metal spacer bead

• Natural or light-colored honeycomb textured beeswax sheet: 8 x 16 inches

• Pink honeycomb textured beeswax sheet: 8 x 16 inches

• Primed wick (for candles 1 to 2 inches): 4 inches long

• White Indian-style bead: large

TOOLS

• Baking pan

• Craft knife

• Cutting mat

• Double boiler

• Plastic wrap

• Pliers

• Ruler

• Scissors

• Small metal flower cookie cutter

INSTRUCTIONS

to make the square candle

  1. Measure the short end of the natural beeswax sheet and mark into thirds. Using the craft knife and ruler, cut the beeswax into three long strips.
  2. Lay the wick along the short edge of one of the strips.
  3. Start rolling the candle by curling the edge of the beeswax over the wick. Continue rolling the wax tightly until the wax is about ½ inch in diameter.
  4. Begin to press down instead of rolling. Turn the candle 90 degrees, pressing down again. Repeat for all four sides. You should begin forming the general shape of a square.
  5. Continue the turn-and-press pattern, attaching the additional two strips of beeswax sheets to where the one before left off.
  6. When all three strips have been used, press the end firmly into the candle to secure in place.
  7. Heat the baking pan in the oven until hot. Remove from oven and place on heat-resistant surface. Press the top of the candle down into the baking pan to create an even top. Lift the wick up, as it probably has been pressed into the candle. Trim the wick to ¼ inch

to make the decorative cutout

  1. Lay the plastic wrap over the baking tray, smoothing out as many air bubbles as possible and covering the edges completely.
  2. Heat the pink beeswax sheets in the double boiler until completely melted.
  3. Pour molten beeswax into the baking tray, less than 1/8-inch thick. Move the tray around to ensure even coverage.
  4. Once completely cooled, lift the plastic wrap by a corner and remove from the baking tray. Peel the plastic wrap off the beeswax sheet and discard.
  5. Place the sheet on the cutting mat and press the cookie cutter down firmly to create a clean cut.
  6. Remove the beeswax flower cutout from cookie cutter.

to decorate the candle

  1. Wrap the wider ribbon around the candle and tie a knot two-thirds down and to the side.
  2. Using the thinner ribbon, tie a bow over the previous knot, keeping the ribbons centered within each other around the diameter of the candle.
  3. Insert the dressmaker’s pin through the white bead, metal spacer bead, and then the beeswax flower cutout.
  4. Using the pliers, trim the pin to approximately ¾ inch.
  5. Insert the pin through the bow and knot on the candle, pressing tightly to secure in place.
  6. Trim any excess ribbon to desired length.

Have fun with this project! How did it work out for you? Leave me a comment below!

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