DIY Glitter Candles. How to beautifully decorate a candle with your own hands - stylish ideas and photos for inspiration. What you need to make your own candle

Individuality in your interior design will always be its winning side. Nothing gives it so much home comfort apartment, like things made by the hands of the owners. And if until now you could not boast of such fruits of handicraft, you have a great opportunity to fix it. We invite you to try making candles with your own hands.

Candles are a wonderful souvenir that can brighten the atmosphere of any family holiday. Candles have long been an attribute of celebration, significant dates, and romantic evenings. Yes, just sitting in silence, listening to your favorite music while a gentle light flutters - this is sometimes so lacking.

For some, a candle is nothing more than a cute decorative item. And there's nothing wrong with that either similar products serve as a wonderful decoration in the home. But scented candles can become a real psychotherapeutic tool: they will help create the necessary atmosphere for relaxation, taking a person into the world of dreams and pleasant memories.

In addition, a candle is a wonderful gift. The warmth of your hands and the light of a beautiful candle will best wishes to a loved one. Candles will decorate even the most modest setting, highlight color scheme of your apartment will be evidence of the excellent taste of the owner.

Needless to say, mothers on maternity leave can even earn extra money from such a pleasant activity. And not only mothers - everyone who is fascinated by the process of creating a candle. And you can be sure that there will be people who want to purchase such hand-made beauty.

So, we have many reasons to finally begin our creative process. But to make a candle, we need to stock up on certain materials and tools.

Materials for making candles

Indeed, how to make candles with your own hands without special materials? We will need the following in our work:

Wax melting vessel
Candle molds
Pan (for water bath)
Sticks (the first is to attach the wick, the second is to stir the wax)
Decorative elements to decorate the product
Wax crayons
Household candles or stubs of old candles
Paper threads (100% cotton)

All this will help us create, if not a wax masterpiece, then a beautiful original candle. So let's begin!

Candle wick

Now we have to learn how to make a candle wick with our own hands. Whether we make a gel, paraffin or wax candle, in any case we will need a wick. In order to make it, we need natural cotton thread without any impurities. Alternatively, use colored floss threads as a wick. It looks very cute and unusual.

The thickness and texture of the wick depend, first of all, on the thickness of the part of the candle that should burn out. For example, there are candles that are partially composed of flammable materials. Only the core burns out in them.

For those who are going to cast a candle from wax, you need to take thick threads and weave them not very tightly. Paraffin and gel candles, on the contrary, require a tight weave of threads (otherwise the wick will smoke when burning).

Wick for wax candles

Wick for gel suppositories

You also need to be attentive to the following detail: if the candle is colored with wax crayons, small shavings can clog the wick without dissolving in the paraffin or wax. In general, there are a lot of nuances in this issue; be prepared for the fact that choosing a wick for a certain type of candle will have to be done by trial and error.

If you use a very thick wick, it is possible that the candle will melt too much, which can lead to soot. If you make a very thin wick, it will constantly go out.

There are several options for designing a wick: it can be crocheted, braided, or twisted with a rope. Before pouring the candle, you can soak the thread with wax, or you can do both pouring and impregnation at the same time.

If you don’t want to waste time making a wick, then use a ready-made wick household candles.

Candle mold

In this matter, your imagination plays a decisive role. You can use any plastic or metal molds that you think are cute and appropriate for making candles. Don’t limit yourself to just ready-made molds: yogurt packaging, cream jars, baking tins, tin cans, glasses or mugs that can withstand high temperature heating Some even use milk tetrapack as a mold for a future candle.

Candles poured into tea cups

Candles made in eggshells

But for your first experience, it’s better not to split hairs: take something simple. For example, a yogurt cup. Be sure to remove the paper label first, as it may catch fire.

We take our glass and pierce a hole in the middle of its bottom with a thick needle - insert the ready-made wick there. WITH reverse side cup, the wick must be tied in a knot. In this very place of the knot there will be the top of our candle, because it will be poured “upside down”: the knot minimizes the flow of paraffin, stearin or wax through the hole we made at the bottom of the glass.

Go ahead. We need to place any stick across the glass - a toothpick, brush or pencil. We need to tie the other end of the wick on it. It should be positioned strictly in the center in a vertical, level position. This way, you guarantee yourself that the candle will burn and melt evenly.

Coloring a candle

You will get really beautiful candles if you don’t forget to color them. The simplest and most acceptable way is to color candles using simple children's wax crayons.

Do you think it would be smarter to use watercolor or gouache? Indeed, the palette of these paints is richer than the color variety of crayons. But the problem is that both gouache and watercolor are made on a water-soluble basis: these dyes are not suitable for working with a candle. They do not mix well with wax or paraffin, they can float in them in strange-colored flakes, and then completely settle to the bottom.

Decorating candles can and should be done only with fat-soluble dyes, and these are our wax crayons.

Often, many craftsmen use lipsticks or shadows to decorate candles. If you don't mind your cosmetics, please feel free to follow their example. But rest assured that the aroma of lipstick will linger throughout the house, which is not always pleasant. Many people may find this smell intrusive.

If you decide to make decorative candles with your own hands, it is better to use less aggressive materials. When choosing wax crayons, we focus on soft types of this dye. Candles made using mother-of-pearl wax crayons are especially good.

If you come across hard crayons, melting them will be difficult. Yes, and planing them is quite problematic. So, we chose a piece of chalk, sharpened it using a grater, and added these shavings to the wax cinders. Mix the shavings and cinders thoroughly with a stick.

However, there is another coloring option. In specialty stores it is easy to find tableted pigments of different colors. They can be mixed with each other and dosed. Using such pigments, you will be able to make a truly unusual, bright or delicate candle. Pigments in tablets significantly expand the possibility of obtaining interesting shades.

You should not refuse to use dyes: they give the candle a unique look and create a unique pattern.

Pouring a candle

Now that the wick is ready, it’s time to fill it. We will need a regular tin can. It has to be flattened a little to form a kind of nose. This is necessary to make the process of pouring out the molten material easier.

It is better to lubricate the pre-prepared form with a thin layer of dishwashing liquid or plain vegetable oil. Both remedies are equally good.

We need to put the fragments of candles in a jar (candles must be of the same quality). If we are going to make a paraffin or wax candle, we can take a saucepan or ladle for melting, which is not too much of a waste. In any case, this container should be placed in the pan that will be used as a water bath. In principle, you can use whatever you want, except glassware.

So, we fill the pan with water, boil the water, and then immerse the container with wax or paraffin. This is how our material will melt.

When the material and shavings are completely melted, you can begin pouring the candle.

Fill the bottom of our mold with wax and let it cool. Do not rush to fill the entire mold at once, otherwise a lot of wax or paraffin may leak out through the hole in the bottom. We pour the wax in layers, and what has flowed out is re-sent for re-melting. When the candle is completely filled, it needs to be cooled. The temperature should be room temperature.

Many people make a mistake at this point: they try to speed up the cooling process by placing a candle in freezer. In this case, it may spread unevenly.

This is not critical if we fill the candle upside down. If you use another method, then you should leave a little wax in order to fill the depressions next to the wick. And after drying they will definitely appear.

When the temperature of the candle becomes equal to the temperature of the room, you need to untie the knot at the bottom of the mold. At this moment, we remove the product itself by carefully pulling the wick.

If you can’t do this, you can cut the mold. Or put it in the refrigerator for a minute, and then put it under hot water.

After this, we cut off the excess part of the wick, leaving a tip of 1 cm. If there are unsightly seams left from the mold, they can be removed hot water. But with these manipulations, the candle may become cloudy, its shine may fade. Therefore, the optimal solution would be to choose a candle mold that does not contain seams.

DIY aroma candles

Making scented candles with your own hands is quite possible. In particular, this is worth doing for those who are true fans of aromatherapy. In order for you to get exactly the aroma candles, you need to add some essential oils before pouring them into wax. The choice of oil depends on your taste: you can add any oil, except perhaps rose oil. After all, its smell when burning will be suffocating and heavy.

It would be great if the decor of the aroma candle matches the plant whose oil we use. For example, using lavender oil as the basis for the aroma, pink or lilac dyes should predominate in the decor of the candle.

Using laurel or mint oil, it is better to decorate a candle with green shades.

Vanilla or cinnamon will be organic in warm, beige-brown tones of a candle.

It's not just oils that can make your candle scented; regular coffee is a strong and pleasant scent.

In principle, achieving the scent of a candle is not so difficult. Aromatic oils are added to paraffin, wax or gel. And then the process of making a scented candle is no different from creating a regular candle.

We advise experimenters to mix oils: unusual bouquet flavors are guaranteed. If you are afraid of “doing something weird” and synthesizing incompatible smells, look at perfume recipes. Follow their instructions, just don't add rose oil.

Gel candles

Now let's talk about how to make gel candles with your own hands. In order to make gel candles, it is better to use ready-made gel wax. The recipes for making candles are often written on the packaging with it, and you can use it.

For those who are used to doing everything themselves, the following recipe can help:

5 g gelatin

2 g tannin

20 ml water

35 ml glycerin

First we need to dissolve the tannin in the glycerin through the heating process. We continue to heat, adding the remaining glycerin and gelatin to the composition. Add water to the resulting clear solution. Bring the mixture to a boil. Some cloudiness of the solution should not scare you: it will soon disappear. Until the water completely evaporates, you need to boil the solution.

Can also be added to gel candles essential oil, this does not contradict the recipe. A separate, especially pleasant process is decorating gel candles. At the bottom of any transparent container we freely place decorative elements: beads, beads, pebbles, shells, sequins, coffee beans, dry plant stems or flowers. Then fill everything with gel transparent wax. This candle looks simply incredible: transparent, delicate, with a magical pattern inside.

Coffee candles

Making decorative candles is also not difficult. For example, you can make an original coffee candle. The decor is, of course, coffee beans. The principle of operation is this: a small one is inserted into a large mold. Between the walls of the two molds you need to pour coffee beans, and then fill them with candle mass.

As soon as the mass coffee beans frozen, the walls need to be blown with a hot hairdryer. Thanks to this, excess paraffin will drain and the coffee beans will be clearly visible.

Now the outer layer with coffee beans is ready. We put it back into the mold, fill the inside with paraffin/wax of a different color.

Coffee candles can be like this:

You can make sea candles in the same way: instead of grains, they will contain pebbles or seashells. As an option - transparent gel candles with small pebbles or coffee beans.

Candle decoration options

How else can you decorate a candle you created with your own hands? The first way to add originality to your candle is to use unusual, unexpected shapes. Sometimes an interesting shape can be more advantageous than even the most skillful decor. A wonderful decorative element for candles - various kinds glass stands.

In a specialized store you can find special stickers for decoration. Or decoupage is a great way to decorate candles. By the way, it is very fashionable among professional candle makers. Most often, napkins are used as the basis for decoupage. Don't forget about safety precautions: use special varnish for candles.

For lovers original decor The following option will do:

Before pouring, place shells, pieces of dried fruit, cinnamon, seeds, and dried flowers around the edges of the mold. Or let it be coffee beans in an ensemble with rhinestones and beads. But in the latter case, it would be more appropriate to talk about decor finished product: we insert decorative elements into melted paraffin/wax.

An already frozen candle can be covered with bamboo or cinnamon sticks. You can add star anise or the same coffee beans to them. It will be beautiful decoration for aroma candles.

If you are using dried plants (or any other decorative items that can become flammable), the candle wick should be thin so that the candle only melts in the middle.

In principle, if you have the opportunity to go to specialized stores for material, you will buy a lot there useful means. For example, markers and outlines are sold there; they do not burn, but during the smoldering of the wick they melt along with wax/paraffin.

If you don't want to collect old candle cinders, use paraffin beads or candle gel. In specialized stores you can even find ready-made wicks (with a metal holder). For floating candles, you can purchase specially formulated wax.

Today, the imagination of a creative person is practically unfettered by anything: prices for materials for making candles are not high, the process is exciting and not as long as it might seem. Having once created a beautiful candle with your own hands, you are unlikely to deny yourself the pleasure of experimenting again.

And for inspiration, we invite you to watch a wonderful video master class on creating carved candles

DIY candle molds

Shapes for candles can be very different, it will depend only on your imagination and mood. For this, various transparent glass jars, cups that you have in your kitchen, containers from baby food and yoghurts, small boxes made of thick cardboard. You can also use orange and lemon peels. And you can also do plaster candle mold, to do this, you need to fill the figurine of an animal or flower with plaster and wait until it hardens.

Wick

The wick can be purchased at a special store, taken from a candle that you have, or made with your own hands. There are two options.

Materials you will need for work:

bamboo or balsa wood sticks;
sunflower oil, you can also use olive oil;
napkins;
scissors.

First you need to cut the stick to the length you need. Then place the resulting stick in a sunflower or olive oil for twenty minutes. This is necessary so that the wick burns longer. After this, remove the stick and lightly blot with a napkin. Your wick is ready.

Second option. Here the wick will be made from cotton thread. Necessary materials for work:

floss thread or cotton thread;
water;
salt;
borax.

You need to cut a couple of strips of cotton thread. Then take a glass and mix three tablespoons of borax and one tablespoon of salt in it. After this, lower the strips of thread into the glass and leave them there for twelve hours. After this time has passed, the threads will need to dry thoroughly.

When the threads are dry, weave them together and dip them in wax or paraffin. Once dry, the wick will be ready.

Flavors

You can use essential oils for this. When the candle burns they will evaporate and permeate the air. pleasant aromas, which, in most cases, have a good effect on the body. Oils can be mixed to create candles for different purposes, some for relaxation and stimulation, and others for uplifting. The more oil is added to the candle, the brighter its scent will be. But if you make a candle with your own hands from natural wax, it is better not to use flavorings.

Dyes

It is not necessary to use this component, since you can make a candle without it. But if you decide to make your candles bright, you can use wax crayons that children use to draw on the asphalt. Before use, it must be crushed into small crumbs, and then added to the melted mass for the candle. There are still liquid food coloring, but they are not suitable for our candles, because they contain water. You can replace them oil paints or special paints that are sold in stores that have everything for candle making.

How to make a candle at home

DIY wax candles

Necessary materials:

wax or paraffin, at your discretion;
form;
flavorings and dyes, if you decide to use them;
a container for a water bath and a saucepan with water;
wick;
sticks that will support the wick;
glue gun.

Making candles.

The first step is to decide on the form into which the wax will be poured. Then install the wick in this form. The wick must be glued to the bottom of the mold, by using glue gun and fix his stick, and if there is no stick, then you can use a regular pencil for drawing.

After you have fixed the wick, you need to make a mixture for the candle. To do this, melt wax or paraffin in a water bath. As soon as the mass becomes liquid, you can add flavors and dyes to it.

The last step in the work will be pouring the mass into molds. In order for it to take the shape you want, it needs to harden, which will take several hours. After hardening, your original candle will be ready.

DIY gel candles at home

They can be a wonderful gift or souvenir. They smell very beautiful and burn much longer than paraffin or wax. Moreover, the container in which the candle will be made, after it burns out, can be used for other purposes. We will tell you further how to make candles with your own hands.

Materials for work:

gelatin, it should be colorless;
glycerin and tannin;
ink that has different colors;
essential oil that you prefer;
glass container;
wick;
various items

Making candles.

The first thing to do is add five parts gelatin to twenty parts water. Then twenty-five parts of glycerin are placed in this mass and it is all heated over low heat until transparent.

Bye gelatin and glycerin When it gets hot, you need to dissolve the tannin. To do this, you need to take two parts of tannin and ten parts of glycerin, after mixing, add it to the total mass. The mixture should simmer until it becomes clear.

If you want the candle to be bright and beautiful, add ink; the color of the candle will depend on its color. After this, essential oils are added.

To decorate a candle, you need to put decorations on the bottom of the mold, these can be beads, various beads, shells and even pieces of fruit.

After this, the wick is fixed in the mold; it needs to be in the middle. Then the mass is poured in and left to harden. Beautiful candle, after hardening it will be ready for use.

For this you can use whatever you like. If you are making an aroma candle, you can use pieces of fruit; oranges, tangerines, lemons, and grapefruits are suitable. But before that, the fruit must be dried; this can be done in the oven at seventy degrees.

You can also use various ribbons, decorative threads and lace as decoration. But you need to be careful with this decorative material, as it lights up easily. It is best to mount it on a candlestick.

Candles self made can be decorated with pine cones, coffee beans, cinnamon sticks, different beads, printed photographs. How your candle will be decorated depends only on your imagination and desire.

Modern candle making is not only the production of necessary household items. This is real art, amazing with flights of thought and unlimited imagination. Modern candles are real elements of decor and interior design that can easily replace works of art. Today, candle making has become a favorite hobby among many people. The thing is that candles are easy to make, they don’t require a lot of expensive material, but the field for imagination is endless.

What you need to make your own candle

To prepare a candle, we need paraffin. It can be purchased in specialized craft stores, as well as in hardware stores. Paraffin can be taken from old, unburnt or broken candles. Instead of paraffin, you can use beeswax. This natural material, which, when burned, cleans and disinfects the air. However, it cannot be dyed or flavored. IN Lately Soy wax is gaining popularity. It hardens quickly, burns for a long time and is easy to clean.

Pay attention to where you will be working. Prepare working space and cover it with old oilcloth or newspaper. We will need a water bath pan, an old bowl, a wick and a thermometer. You can use a thin rope or a paper rope as a wick. You can decorate the candle with decorative elements - Christmas tree branches, shells and beautiful stones. Don't forget about dyes - it's better to use dyes on oil based, food grades are not suitable. By adding at a certain stage aroma oils you give the candles a special charm - when burning, they will emit a pleasant smell.

How to make a candle

Fill a saucepan with water and put it on fire. You will need it for the water bath. You cannot heat wax over an open fire - it burns and evaporates.
Grind the paraffin into shavings and place in an old aluminum bowl. Keep in mind that paraffin is practically not washable, so it is advisable to have a separate vessel for making candles.
The paraffin needs to be planed; you should not place the wax in one piece - it will take a very long time to melt. Place a small container in a pan of boiling water and wait for the wax to begin to melt.
Just in case, have warm soapy water and a damp cloth on hand. If wax gets on the table or stove, it will need to be wiped off immediately.
Use a thermometer when heating the wax. Craft stores sell a special thermometer for making decorative candles. If you can’t find such a thermometer, you can use a regular confectionery analogue.
Wax usually melts at a temperature of 85-90 degrees. It is very important to monitor the temperature so as not to overheat the wax. If you let it get hotter than it should, it may begin to boil and then simply ignite.
Melting wax is a fire hazardous process. Carefully monitor the melting of paraffin and do not trust the process to children without adult supervision. If the wax catches fire, it cannot be extinguished with water; use a rag for this.
If you burn wax from old used candles, you need to pay attention to whether there are old wicks in the mass. If necessary, remove them with tongs.
When the wax becomes liquid, you need to add flavoring and dye to it. You can add several colors without mixing too much to get a candle with multi-colored patterns.
Prepare a candle mold. Typically the shape is a glass cup with transparent or patterned walls. You need to secure the wick in it so that it is straight in the center. To do this, one end of the wick must be secured to a round tin plane the size of a penny. The second end of the wick is tied to a stick, which holds it in an upright position.
If you want to add some decor to your candle, now is the time to fill the mold with them. It is best to place them as close as possible to the walls of the mold, so that after the wax hardens they can be seen.
The wax mass is carefully poured into the candle mold. In this case, you need to make sure that the wick does not move.
Wax and paraffin harden depending on the density of the raw material. Usually homemade candles freeze for 10-12 hours. But it’s best to wait a day; the longer the candle hardens, the better it will burn. There is no need to put a candle in the refrigerator.

After hardening, the candle can be used. Before doing this, do not forget to trim the wick, leaving a small tail for burning. The candle can be removed from the mold or left to be used directly in it. Candles self-made can become a pleasant and original gift.

This is interesting! If you add scented citronella oil to the wax when preparing a candle, the candle will repel mosquitoes as it burns. It's safe, simple and effective method protection from annoying insects.

Gel candles are gaining popularity due to their lightness and original design. Decorating gel candles is a pleasure, because the transparent structure allows all decoration elements to be visible. Let's look at how to make a gel candle.

You need to buy a special gel for making candles at a crafts and crafts store. It can be transparent or colored. You can mix several colors to get the desired shade.
We melt the gel in the same way as paraffin. The gel becomes liquid at 100 degrees.
We lower the wick into the prepared form in the same way as in the previous description. Place decorative elements at the bottom - buttons, pieces of dried citrus fruits, toys, beads - whatever you like. Please note that decoration items must be non-flammable.
Pre-wash the decorative elements and dry them dry. Some decorations can be placed on the bottom, while others can be added to the candle as the melted gel is poured. They will remain as if floating in space.
Arrange decorative elements so that they are not located close to the wick. Maintain a distance of at least one centimeter from the wick.
Sometimes after the candle hardens, bubbles form inside the gel. To prevent this from happening, the mold must be heated. This can be done by putting it in hot water or using a hair dryer. If you put the mold in water, be sure to dry it thoroughly afterwards. If, on the contrary, you want to decorate the candle with a lot of bubbles and focus on this, you need to pre-cool the form in the freezer.

After hardening, the gel candle cannot be used earlier than one day later.

As interesting idea You can use the gel in several colorful shades. To do this, pour a little gel into the bottom of the mold and wait a few minutes until it sets. After this, pour a gel of a different shade into the container. This way you can combine colors and make a bright striped candle. If you want the colors to have smooth transition, you don’t need to wait long for it to harden. In this case, they will mix at the color border. If you want clear boundaries, you may want to wait longer. However, do not overexpose the composition, otherwise, after complete hardening, a whitish film may form on the surface - it will spoil appearance candles.
You can make a natural candle from lemon zest. To do this, cut the lemon in half and carefully cut out the pulp. When melting, add cloves, lavender essential oil and a sprig of rosemary to the gel. The melted gel must be poured into the mold and allowed to cool. You will get a beautiful and fragrant fruit candle.
In order for the finished candle to emit a pleasant aroma when burning, you need to add coffee beans to the melted wax. After you pour the wax into the mold, decorate the top of the candle with an original pattern of seeds.
You can make a candle with your own photos. To do this, print the photo on tracing paper and cut out the image. After this, attach the photo to the candle and heat it with a hairdryer. After some time, the drawing will begin to be transferred to the candle. This way you can make candles with any design or picture.

Exquisite decorative candles can change the atmosphere in your home. Handmade candles make the interior warm and cozy.

Video: how to make clear gel candles

People have been using candles for a long time. Previously, they served to illuminate rooms, but now they are an element of decor and a way to create a romantic, festive or cozy atmosphere.

You can find a lot in stores different types candles, ranging from simple to fancy. You can make similar decorations yourself from simple materials. Making decorative candles will not require financial costs and will not take much time, but by showing your imagination and putting a piece of your soul into your product, you can create a unique thing that will bring joy to you and your family.

What you need

Candle material. Wax, paraffin or stearin. For people new to candle making, it is best to start with paraffin wax as it is easier to work with. Paraffin can be purchased or obtained from white household candles or their remains.

Stearine is easily obtained from laundry soap. Grate the soap on a coarse grater or slice it with a knife. Place the shavings in a metal container, fill with water until the liquid covers them and send to melt in a water bath. When the soap has dissolved, remove it from the heat and add the vinegar. A thick mass will float to the surface, which needs to be collected with a spoon after cooling. This mass is stearin; it must be rinsed several times under water and wrapped in a clean cloth to remove excess moisture.

Wick. For the wick you will need a thick cotton thread, for example, braided or twisted floss. Synthetic materials for candles are unsuitable because they burn quickly and smell unpleasant. It's easier to get a wick from regular candles.

Form. You can use different containers as a mold for making candles: coffee jars, durable packaging, sand molds and plastic balls. If you decide to make a narrowed or round candle, the container you will use for this, for example, a plastic ball, should be cut lengthwise and a hole with a diameter of at least 1 cm should be made at the top so that the composition can be freely poured into it.

Dyes. You can use dry food coloring, wax crayons, or natural ingredients, such as cocoa. But alcohol or alcohol paints water based not suitable for making candles.

Progress

Grind the selected raw material and place it in a water bath. If you are using household candles, be sure to remove the wick. Remains of candles must be cleaned of black soot. While stirring, wait until the mass melts. Dip the wick into it several times until it is saturated and set it aside.
Add flavoring and coloring to the mixture. If you use wax crayons, you need to grind them using a fine grater. By using two or more colors you can achieve a marbled look. And by dividing the mass into several parts and painting them in different colors, you can make a multi-colored candle.
Grease the mold chosen for the candle with vegetable oil or dishwashing detergent. Attach the tip of the wick to a stick, toothpick or pencil and place it on the mold so that the free end of the wick passes through its middle and reaches the bottom. For reliability, you can attach a weight, such as a nut, to the free part of the wick.
Fill the mold with the melted mass, wait until it hardens completely, then remove the candle by pulling the wick. If the candle is difficult to remove, immerse the mold in hot water.
You can decorate candles in different ways, for example, place dried flowers, blades of grass and seeds around the edges of the mold and then pour in the melted mass. To make a coffee candle, you need to pour a layer of coffee beans on the bottom of the mold, pour them liquid material for the candle and put the grains on top again. Decorating the product with beads, rhinestones and shells is best done after it has hardened and been removed from the mold. Decorative elements are inserted into the melted surface of the candle or attached with glue.

Behind last years The production of candles from mass production slowly migrated to the home workshops of needlewomen, turning into a creative activity.

Candles, which just a century ago were not only the main source of light, but also a kind of indicator of a family’s well-being, used in wealthy homes instead of a smoky torch, have long lost their original meaning. Today it is important to make candles with your own hands at home in order to use them in a completely different capacity - as an element exquisite decor and an invariable attribute of creating a romantic mood.

Making decorative candles as a hobby

Thanks to simple creation technology and a large selection of materials for work and decoration, now every craftswoman can open a miniature “candle factory” at home, which will not only bring pleasure from creativity, but can also become an additional source of profit.

The advantage of this type of hobby is that the activity is not difficult, not boring, and you can get a beautiful result quite quickly. For these reasons, making candles at home will appeal to and be within the power of needlewomen of all ages - both seasoned and not yet very experienced.

What you need for creativity

The best part is that to get started you need a minimum set of materials:

candle gel, wax or paraffin;
wick or cotton threads without synthetic impurities for its manufacture;
form for pouring candles;
elements for decoration.

Wax or paraffin can be used from ordinary household candles, and it will not be difficult to remove the finished wick from them. Candle gel is also easy to make with your own hands. Instead of an expensive mold, you can take any suitable fireproof container - a beautiful cup, jar, tin box. In short, starting a new hobby won’t cost much. We can say that this is one of the.

Based on the main material used to make candles, there are two basic technologies - wax and gel, which are similar in many ways, but still have their own nuances in operation.

Secrets of making candles from wax or paraffin

In the process of creating a wax product, the most critical moment is the melting of the material. This will require good dexterity and speed of action, since melted wax or paraffin cools quickly, moreover, it is very hot and can easily burn.

Also, before making a candle with your own hands, it is important to choose the right thickness of the wick: if you make it too thick, the candle will melt and smoke excessively, and a very thin one will constantly go out. The twist density of the wick also plays an important role - for wax and paraffin candles the threads should be twisted slightly loosely so that the flame does not go out.

There is no universal advice here - optimal thickness and the twist density of the threads for the wick will have to be determined only by personal experience, by trial and experimentation. Over time, each master develops his own formula and secret of successful work.

DIY gel candles

To make beautiful transparent candles that do not emit odor or smoke, you can use ready-made gel wax, or you can prepare consumables on one's own. In the latter case, you need to purchase ingredients such as glycerin, tannin, gelatin, distilled water and mix them and boil over low heat until the liquid has completely evaporated.

This technology is somewhat more complicated than wax technology, but the result is worth the effort - the products are very elegant and unique. During cooking, the mixture may become cloudy, but this is a temporary phenomenon that goes away immediately after the gel cools.

Gel opens up many different possibilities for decoration. For example, shells, pebbles, starfish, dried citrus fruits or flowers look very beautiful when filled with transparent wax. Women who are looking for candles can make candles with their own hands in this way, since they do not stand out during work. harmful substances.

Making aroma candles at home

It’s worth mentioning separately about aroma candles - they are also easy to make at home. The benefits of scented candles home production Also, you can have one hundred percent confidence in the environmental friendliness and harmlessness of the aromatic components.

Why learn to make candles?

Designers and decorators often use beautiful interior candles to create false fireplaces in homes and apartments. They can also be a good gift or a romantic souvenir, so if you learn how to make a high-quality and original product, then it’s quite possible to make good money from your favorite hobby.

Especially if, on the eve of major generally recognized holidays, you make products with a themed design. Hand-made products can also be offered to restaurant owners, who often use candles to create an intimate atmosphere in the establishment in the evening or to give a special festive atmosphere.

Step-by-step master classes with photos

To help those who are just trying themselves in creating “homes,” we have prepared unique master classes With step by step photos. Detailed instructions will help you delve into the intricacies of craftsmanship and master difficult moments.