Make your own Beeswax Candles

We had fun making beeswax candles as part of our holiday gift making.  We tried our hand at dipped candles, as well as poured candles in molds.  Making smooth dipped candles is harder than it looks - and takes a huge pot of wax so the wick doesn't get bent into a curly candle.  We had some interesting and unusual results, all of which will still work just fine for lighting. Our daughter loved making tiny birthday candles, which didn't take more than a few minutes. 

What you need:
old cooking pot, reserved for beeswax (fill with water and place tins of wax in this pot to melt)
tin cans to melt wax in
molds (small tins, plastic molds, or other containers - we have used hollowed egg shells for round candles)
wick of various sizes

Eco craft - egg candles

In celebration of the spring equinox tomorrow we thought we'd share a simple little eco craft idea with you!  We've had some fun making beeswax candles here lately.  We found a great idea in the book The Children's Year for making candles in the shape of eggs, by using eggshells that have been blown out.  They work perfectly - what a fun project for kids to make in celebration of spring, with help from an adult (when pouring the hot beeswax).  Here's how we did it:

You need:
- two large eggs and egg cups to hold them
- small artists paint brush
- olive oil
- newspaper
- old pot (reserved for candlemaking)
- old clean tin can
- pure beeswax
- candlewick
- small piece of plastecine

1) To blow out the eggs - poke a mid sized hole in top and small hole in bottom of the egg using a sharp knife.  Then blow through the smaller hole to push the egg insides out into a bowl.  Wash egg inside, and let dry out.  Then plug bottom hole with small piece of plastecine.

2) Oil the inside of the egg using paint brush.  Do this gently as the hollow eggshell is fragile!

3) Prepare workspace by covering with newspaper.  Then heat beeswax in tin can, set inside the old pot with about an inch of water.  Heat on low until beeswax melts.

4)  Pour small amount of melted wax into eggshell.  Then add wick, hold in place and pour melted wax to fill the eggshell.   Let harden by setting egg into an egg cup, and placing in the fridge.

5) When wax is completely hardened peel off the eggshell.  It should peel off easily.  If not, there was not enough oil inside.  Your candle is complete!  Happy spring!