How to Make Ice Candles

These fancy candles look difficult to make but are, in fact, very easy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Dye Chips
• Candle Wax With Low Melting Point
• Tapered Candles
• Coffee Cans
• Ice Cubes
• Wax-covered Milk Cartons
• Saucepans
• White Paper

1. Wash and dry the inside of a wax-covered paper milk carton. This will be your mold.
2. Use or make a taper candle for the center to avoid having holes around the wick.
3. Break wax into chunks and estimate how much you'll need to fill half of the carton. Too much is always better than not enough.
4. Make a double boiler by putting about an inch of water in a saucepan. Set a clean coffee can upright in the water.
5. Set the heat to low and melt the wax in the coffee can.
6. Add dye chips if you want colors.
7. Fill the carton with ice cubes.
8. Pour the melted wax on top of the ice.
9. Let it cool.
10. Pour out the water.
11. Tear away the carton.
12. Wait a few days before burning the candle - it needs time to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Wax is usually a more intense color when hot than when it's cooled. Drip a few drops of hot wax on a white piece of paper and stick it in the freezer for a quick color preview.
• Paraffin wax is a petroleum by-product that contains oil. The lower the melting temperature, the higher the oil content. You'll want low-melting-point wax for container candles such as this, because it will shrink less as it cools.
• Try different-shaped ice cubes.
• Don't microwave wax. It will spatter and can catch fire. Microwaving will also fade the colors.