Candlemaking 101

Art Daily - View Article Candlemaking 101 [Send Article to Friend] By J Stone CreationsNine years ago my mother passed away after a lengthy illness. I knew that the only way I could cope through the mourning period was to keep myself so busy that I wouldn’t have time to think.That’s when I began my candle business. I delved into learning everything I could about the proper techniques, where to buy the best supplies and marketing my candles. I began with regional craft shows, built up to local retail stores and then invested in a quality website. I am now selling in every state in the U.S.My candle sales are seasonal--from September to April. In the slow seasons, I focus more on my jewelry business. I also work a full time job in a local manufacturing plant. My husband and I celebrated out 32nd wedding anniversary in October. WOW! We own a small cattle farm, too. I’m a country girl and love it. Materials: * Low melt point wax for containers (around 122-129)You can use a pre-blended container wax like "Container Fill" or "One Pour" (also known as Single Pour). * Candle dye/color * Fragrance oil (average use is 3%-9% or .5 to 1.5oz per pound) * Glass, Ceramic, Tin container or molds.* Pre-tabbed container wick in appropriate size (depends on diameter of container) * Pouring pot * Thermometer* Safety gear: Gloves, safety glasses, apron I use a turkey roaster to melt the wax. Use proper safety guidelines and always work in a well ventilated area. You have to test a lot before perfecting your candles. • It took me several tries before I found the perfect manufacturers for each product I use including the wax, fragrances, dyes, wicks, containers.• I made notes on the amounts of each product I used and when I added it during the candle making process.• I follow the manufacture directions on the temperature to melt the wax. Types of wax differs.• I made note of the amount of dye I used to get the coloring of the candle the way I wanted it. • Noted the fragrance of the candle during burning. Is it too light, overwhelming or is it perfect? You may find that the candles smell quite strong when you are making them, but may be much lighter smelling while burning.•I learned which wicks to use for each type of candle. Your supplier will be able to tell you which ones they recommend.• After cooled, I took note of any imperfections including cracks, air bubbles, discoloration, white lines, wells, flakes etc. and tested until I learned what to do to prevent this.• I studied my market to see which scents, colors and containers sold the best.The web is a wonderful source of information for candlemaking. Check it out and have fun, but more importantly, be safe.