Hi people! I hope life is going good and since all you “just-out-of-high-school” folks have a long holiday now, it’s quite obvious that you all are enjoying to the fullest and busy with different activities! However, sometimes you can feel bored while you sit at home. After all, who roams around all the day!

Wondering what you’ll do in the free time? Not to worry! I’ll be your guide and will introduce you with four out-of-the-box activities to work upon! Who knows, it can become your favorite hobby too!

So let’s start off with the first one. Today I’ll tell you about ‘Candle making’. I’m sure you all love candles. Aren’t the candles beautiful little pieces of happiness? Not the regular ones, they are dull and only used when there is no electricity! But I’m talking about the decorative ones.

They are so colorful and so pretty to look at. Some are bling, some are colored in different hues, some are molded in different designs, some are fragrant and some can even float in water. Amazing varieties, right? But how does it come up as a hobby? Let’s see.

Candle making is one of the most popular hobbies of all, in fact it is an art form now. It is very relaxing after a tiring day because it is very easy to make a candle. Imagine, something designed entirely by you can become the main attraction of your room! Great, isn’t it? You can design it in any way you prefer and once you’re done, you can flaunt it and can even gift it to your dear ones. And you know what is the best part of this craft? If your design is not that good, you can melt it and again give it a fresh start! Nice, right? So, let’s start making a candle now. Here’s one DIY idea for you, you can get more in YouTube and Google sites.

HOW TO MAKE A CANDLE

MAKING A CANDLE:

STEP 1.

Choose your wax― Soy, paraffin, and bee wax are the most popular waxes for candle-making. However, Soy wax is easily available and best suitable for your craft. If you want to make a recycled candle, you can use the leftover wax of any used candle and create your own.

STEP 2.

Select your mold― You can use almost any mold you like to make a candle, as long as the mold is durable enough to withstand the heat from hot wax. Different molds will give your candle different shapes, so feel free to use any mold. You can buy them from stores or can also use jars, cookie cutter, and baking molds to make your candle.

STEP 3.

Remaining tools― You will need a lead-free wick, a double boiler to melt the wax, a thermometer, candle dye if you want a colored candle, and fragrance if you want a scented candle. You will get the dye and the fragrance in candle supply stores. The fragrance can be scents or you can use essential oils.

STEP 4.

Melt the wax―

● Generally wax comes in chips but often it comes as a block. If your wax is in a block, cut it into one-inch cubes. Place the wax into the top pot of your double boiler. Fill the bottom pot with an inch (2.5 cm) of water. Place the top pot inside the bottom pot and heat the double boiler on medium heat, stirring every few minutes.

● If you don’t get a ready-made double boiler, you can make one on your own. To make your own double boiler, place a large, heat-safe glass bowl on top of a metal saucepan.

● Now, fill the saucepan with water and the glass bowl with wax.Two cups (227.5 g) of wax will yield an eight-ounce candle, four cups (455 g) of wax will yield a 16-ounce candle, and six cups of wax (682.5 g) will yield a 24-ounce candle.

STEP 5.

Prepare the wick― You can prepare the wick by coating it with wax. Once enough wax is melt, dip the wick into the molten wax and let it dry. Once dried, dip the base again and this time let it set on your mould base. Use a spoon or chopstick, if necessary, to hold it in place. Lay a pencil on the rim of your mould and wrap the excess wick around it to keep the wick straight once you pour the wax.

STEP 6.

Add color and fragrance to it (optional)―

● Once the wax has been fully melted, add the dye in it. If you’re using blocks of dyes then break it into small chunks before adding. Stir it gently and mix well. If you want a multicolored candle then separate the wax in different bowls and add different colors and stir it gently unless it mixes well.

● Use a thermometer to keep an eye on the wax temperature, and when it reaches 185°F (85℃), add the fragrance.

● Add 15 drops of fragrance for an 8-ounce candle, 30 drops for a 16-ounce candle, and 45 drops for a 24-ounce candle.

STEP 7.

Pour the wax― Fill the mould with the wax, but leave a quarter-inch (63 mm) of space between the top of the candle and the top of the mould. If you want to make a multicoloured candle, pour your first colour, and give it about an hour to dry. During this time you will have to keep your other wax colors warm. After the wax has started to harden, add your next wax colour. Repeat until you have poured all the wax into the mould.
Remember: Once you’ve poured all your wax, wrap the candle in a towel to stop it from shrinking and cracking.

STEP 8.

Finish the candle― Allow the candle to settle for 24 hours, then remove the pencil and trim the wick to one-half inch (1.3 cm). If you have used a mould that needs to be removed, place the candle in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before removing the candle from the mould.

And there you go! Your candle is ready! Now you can decorate it with different flowers, wax cut-outs and can also paint then according to your wish. If you use flowers, make sure you dip the candle in hot, clear wax for the last time before you put the flower on it. You can get wax cut-outs easily in candle supply shops and can use a glue gun to fix them. So what are you waiting for? Start making your own candles and let me know how it was in the comment section!

I shall bring more amazing ideas to utilize your holidays. Till then, stay tuned!