It’s an easy hobby to take up and extremely rewarding. Not only that, once you get the basic supplies, it’s an easy project to start. Supplies are not hard to find and you can find all kinds of necessities online and offline at your local crafts store. Since this hobby is very popular with craftspeople, all kinds of creative candles are created. I’m sure you’ve probably seen some at your local county fair or at the coffeeshop down the street.

The first step in candle making is to prepare the wax. Wax must be melted using what is called a double boiler. What is a double boiler? It’s simply a large pot filled with water and placed on the stove top. A smaller pot that contains the un-melted wax sits inside the larger pot. Wax easily burns, so having a double boiler makes life alot easier. Once the wax is melted, just hold the wick in place in the middle of the mold and pour in the wax.

You’ll have to let the wax cool for about a few hours before you attempt to remove it fro the mold. Four to six hours is a good time to wait. If you’re a little impatient like me, you could try to fit the mold in the freezer for about half an hour and then you’ll be able to remove the candle from the mold. You can also use non-stick cooking spray on the mold before you pour the wax so it’ll be easier to take the candle out in the end.

There are so many different creative things you can do with candles. You can add different fragrances, colors and decorations. Some people use liquid latex for some amazing candles. Because liquid latex molds are not sturdy and too wobbly to stand on end, you’ll need some kind of support like a piece of cardboard with a hole cut in the middle of it.

Some hobbyists have found that selling candles can be a lucrative business. By purchasing their products in bulk at discount prices, they can make some great products especially if they are creative with the packaging. After all, who doesn’t like candles?

Making candles has evolved from ancient times when it was done primarily to create a light source to today where it is a hobby that can be enjoyed with children, the elderly and everybody in between. Candle making has also become popular with folks who want to create a second income for themselves and with the right strategy can even become a primary source of income.

It is relatively inexpensive to make candles, you will need a few supplies and the best thing about candle making is that it is not very difficult to learn if you are just starting out.

Candles and be as simple or as complex as you like. They can be colored or scented by using simple techniques and supplies you can get from your local craft store.

An emerging trend in the candle making world is the use of soy candles. These are becoming popular for a variety of reasons. The main reason being that they produce less soot conventional candles such as paraffin candles. Soy candle production requires only basic ingredients many of which can be picked up even from your local supermarket store.

Many novice candle makers are finding that what was once a part time hobby has now become a work from home opportunity. The demand for custom candles is rising and many people are finding success selling their candles at local flea markets, eBay etc. One will usually find that the more they practice at making candles, the easier it becomes.

The practice of making candles dates back several thousand years. Egyptians were making candles from beeswax three thousand years before the advent of Christianity, and the practice has continued throughout history using whale fat, insects, seeds, and herbs such as cinnamon for lighting and time-keeping, as well as an incense in ritual ceremonies.While beeswax candles are probably the oldest type of candle, the more common source of candle wax has been the fat derived from rendering fish and animals. This type of candle material is generally referred to as tallow, which is made by melting animal fat and then forming it into a taper shape, usually by the use of a mold, and inserting a wick during the drying and cooling process.Beeswax has been harvested for thousands of years for candle making wax as well as for use as a lubricant and a protective material. Worker bees create wax by masticating (chewing) honey and secreting a waxy substance that is then used to seal the combs in the hive. Beeswax is collected from the hives and melted down in boiling water to be used for candle making. In some cases, mineral oil is added to add a better consistency and uniformity when burning.Paraffin wax came into use after the identification in 1830 of certain alkaline hydrocarbons in petroleum that, when solidified, would hold a form but would then liquefy at a melting point of approximately 115 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Paraffin wax has been widely used as a candle making wax due to an ability to maintain its form while melting at a slower rate than tallow or beeswax. This consistency of form lends itself well to making a variety of candle shapes.Bayberries were discovered for candle making by early American colonists who sought an alternative to the excessive smoke and soot that is created by burning tallow. The berries from bayberry shrubs are collected and boiled down, and the liquid is then allowed to dry into a waxy substance that was used for candles. Although bayberry wax has a pleasant natural scent and produces less soot, it requires somewhere between 5 to 15 pounds of bayberries to make one pound of wax.Soy has been recently discovered to be a viable source of candle making wax. Soybean wax is a derivative by-product of the oil found in soybeans, and is generally much softer than any other candle making wax. It is more often used to make container candles because for this reason. Soybean wax is also colorless and odorless, and therefore dyes and fragrances are often used in the candle making process when using soybean wax. So thats it , just a little history on the evolution of candle wax

By Lee Martin http://www.EasyMadeCandles.com

Almost any glass jar can be used to make candles. Tall , thin, short, fat whatever. If you are using various colored waxes the tall clear jars make a beautiful impression. Just make sure you have plenty of clearance between the burning wick and glass so it does not get to hot and break. For more information on this visit the web site at the bottom of this article. So to do your own homemade candle making, you’ll need a crock pot or double boiler to melt the wax to 160 degrees. Then you can add scented oils and food coloring. Put a dot of glue on the bottom of the metal part of the wick and place it in the candle making jars. Then pour the melted wax into the candle making jars or glass containers that you’ve purchased. Let the wax cool to a semi-hardened crust and then you can straighten out the wicks and get it centered. Let the candle cool at room temperature completely, which will be about 6-8 hours.

You’ll see that the wax has sunken a little in the middle. Now you are going to re heat the leftover wax to about 185 degrees and pour some in to your jar to level it off. Let that cool again and trim your wick to about a quarter inch, and you now have your very own homemade jar candle.The possibilities are endless; you can use any type of glass containers for your candle making jars that you like, so let your imagination go wild! Have fun with it!

By: Lee Martin     Resource:  http://www.EasyMadeCandles.com