How to Make Beautiful Floating Wax Candles
Floating candles can set a romantic or luxurious mood in any room. Scented and colored candles are particularly stylish and float in almost any liquid. They can be used for parties, dinners or relaxing soaks in the bath tub. However, floating candles, especially scented and colored versions, can be a pricey option when lighting a room. If you're on a budget and enjoy crafting, creating your own floating candles at home might be just the project for you.
Things You'll Need
- Cupcake pan (6 depressions)
- 30 drops scented essential oil
- 6 oz. paraffin wax
- Wicks (15 inches)
- Scissors
- Liquid candle dye (1 bottle)
- Double boiler
- Knife
- Stove
- Measuring tape
Instructions
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1
This recipe will make six candles. Measure the depth of the depressions in the cupcake pan. Cut the wick to be 1/2 inch longer than the depression of the pan.
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2
Cut the wax into chunks so that it will fit into the boiling pot. Six ounces of wax should fill a cupcake pan with six depressions. If you have excess wax, don't worry. It can be remelted and reused when you make more candles.
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3
Set up the double boiler so that water is in the bottom pot and the wax is in the top. Turn your stove's burner on high and melt the wax.
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4
Add thirty drops of scented essential oil into the top pot with the melted wax. Add one drop of color and stir gently to evenly distribute the dye and oil. One drop will most likely not be enough to color the wax, so add one drop at a time, stirring between drops, to get the desired color.
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5
Once the wax is melted and you've added all of your extra ingredients, pour the wax slowly into the cupcake pan. Fill each depression to the top. Tap at the pan to release any air bubbles from the wax. If a hole appears in the middle of the candle, pour more wax into the pan to fill it.
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6
Allow the wax to cool until a thin film forms over the top of the candles. Stick the cut wick down into the center of the cooling candle.
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7
Let the candle cool until the wax is hard. Remove the candles from the cupcake tin and you're ready to brighten up the room.
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Tips & Warnings
If you use a hot plate instead of a stove, it will be easier to clean up any spilled wax, though it may be more difficult to use. If you have a difficult time pouring the wax from the boiling pot, try using a ladle to transfer the wax. If you don't have a double boiler, you can put a smaller pot on top of a larger pot and get the same effect. Most wax, dyes and oils can be purchased in kits at craft stores or online. Cookie cutters can be used in place of cupcake pans if you wish to make different candle shapes.
Remove the wax from the stove immediately after it melts. If the wax gets too hot, it could start a fire.
Resources
- Photo Credit Tammy Zeigler
