Lay the sheets of beeswax individually on the cutting board and use the cookie cutters to cut six shapes (or more for thicker candles) from the beeswax. Sandwich the wick in the center of the wax layers, leaving 1/2 in at the top of the candle. Press the wax shapes together. If they don't stick well enough together, heat slightly with the hair dryer.
Pine cone fire starters can be made as scented or non-scented and may or may not be colored depending on the wax used. You can use candle wax from the craft store, old candle stubs or paraffin blocks from the canning department of your local grocery. For color use candle coloring from the craft store. The scent MUST be essential oils, the type used in potpourri or candle making available at your local craft store or candle supply store. As an added note color and scents are not required for the pine cone to become an effective fire starter.
Wax must be melted in a double boiler. This can be achieved by using a metal can large enough for your largest pine cone to set into with at least two inches head room above the pine cone. Place a mark on the can at the top of your largest pine cone (a coffee can usually works well).
Place the can in a pan of water on the stove. Add broken pieces of wax or candle stubs to the can and allow to melt on medium to low heat until the liquid wax reaches your mark.
Tie a string around a few of the scales. Holding the string dip the pine cone slowly into the liquid wax. Remove and allow to drip over the can until it stops. Place on wax paper and allow to completely harden.
Pine cones can be arranged in a basket or other container and if used as a gift you might add a fancy box of fireplace matches. To use as a fire starter place the pine cone on top of the kindling and light the edge of one of the scales.
CAUTION: Because of the properties in the essential oil, potpourri and scented light rings should not be placed on finished wood furniture without glass protector as the essential oil will damage the finish.
Melt, color and scent wax following the instructions for pine cone fire starters. Grease a shallow pan using solid white shortening such as Crisco. Pour the melted wax approximately 1/4" thick. Allow to solidify but while still warm cut circles with the doughnut hole cutter. With the wick in the center form a ball the size of a radish. Flatten the end opposite the wick against a sheet of wax paper.
With each circle of wax while firm but still warm shape a rose petal by pinching the edge between your thumb and forefinger to make it ruffle like a rose petal (similar to making bread dough roses).
Smooth each petal as it is formed around the wicked ball until you have a rose the size you desire. If you wish to add leaves tint some wax green, proceed as above but cut in leaf shape smaller than you want the finished leaf and pinch and stretch the edges as with the rose petals. Add the leaf to the bottom of the finished rose.
These roses can be placed in a low shallow bowl with a little water in it. They will not actually float in the bowl but they will look as if they are.
Heat votive or cast-off wax in the old pan till it is melted. Arrange the herbs on the table in a design suitable to your candle unless you wish to place them on the candle randomly. Using your paint brush, dab a little bit of hot wax on the candle where you plan to place the first flower or herb and quickly place the foliage on the wax before it cools. Do this with your whole candle, making sure you put only a thin layer of wax on top of your herbs. When you finish with your candle, brush a thin layer of wax over the entire candle. Allow the candle to cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If planning to give as a gift, wrap in tissue paper and hemp cord or straw the same color as the herbal theme of your candle with a small spray of dried flowers.
Moisten the sand to the point that it will not fall back into the holes you make. Dig holes in the sand in the shapes that you want. Tapers are easiest, but pyramids and cauldrons are also easy. For the cauldron you can even use a pencil to poke holes in the sand for the legs.
When your shape is finished, hold the wick in the approximate center of your candle while gently pouring the wax in (making sure to fill any legs as well).
Allow the wax to set (which can take a while) before lifting the candle out of the sand. (If your legs are uneven, you can even them out by placing the candle in a warm frying pan.
Fill the canning jar with potpourri, or whatever you like. You can try something scented like dried fruit, or something colorful or decorative like marbles, pasta noodles, polished stones, or colored sand.
Set the candle holder inside the mouth of the jar once you have filled it with your choice of materials. The top of the candle holder should be even with the top of the jar. Place the candle in the holder, and then use the ribbon to tie a bow around the neck of the jar to disguise the fact that the two are separate. This is where you can use the glue to keep the ribbon in place.
You can also glue some bits of dried fruit, flowers, or whatever you placed inside the bottle along the bow for a more themed look. At the holidays you can purchase small ornaments and place them in the jar. For Yule, you might use miniature ornaments, holly leaves and berries, and frost the outside of the jar with white paint. Use your imagination. These candles make great gifts and are also fun to make for yourself.
Marbleizing Candles
Needed :
Tapers
Paraffin
Wax color
Pots or containers that you don’t mind getting waxy
Get some taper candles... whatever color you want. Dip the exposed wick in melted paraffin so it won't get wet in the process to follow:
Melt some paraffin in a container in a pan of water on the stove or hot plate. Color it with a contrasting or complimenting color to the original taper color.
Heat water to almost boiling in a tall container. Pour to float the colored paraffin on the surface of the hot water in the tall container. Swirl the colored paraffin around gently. Dip your taper candle in the water/colored paraffin vat, swirling it around as you pull it out. It will develop a mottled, swirl pattern of color on its surface. Let it harden and cool. Repeat if you wish.
Water Balloon Candles
Needed :
Balloons
Wax (the colors of your choosing)
Wick
Fill a balloon with water to the desired size. Dip the balloon in wax, making sure the wax is somewhat cool. Continue dipping the balloon until a hard shell has formed around it.
Carefully pop the balloon at the top, and empty out the water. Pull the balloon out of the wax shell. Pour a small amount of wax (a different color from the first) into the shell. Roll it around in the shell, making sure all areas are covered, until the wax is dry.
Continue doing this with different colors until the shell is almost filled. Insert the wick during the last fill. Once the candle is cool, use a potato peeler or something similar to shave the top of the candle, making it smooth and flat.
These candles turn out to look something like a geode. They are a little time consuming, but the end result is fantastic!!
Decorative Candles
You don't need to make candles for this craft, but you can if you want.
All you need for this craft are candles, small cookie cutters (flower shapes or whatever strikes your fancy), thin sheets of wax of assorted color, and a paper punch.
Use one sheet of colored wax at a time. Place sheet on a clean work surface, and using the cookie cutters, create as many cut outs as you feel you will need to properly decorate your candle. Using your fingers, press the shapes onto your chosen candle. The warmth from your fingers should be enough to make the shapes stick. If you are making flower shapes, the hole punch can be used to make the center of your flower. Just choose a different colored wax than your flower.