These are simple to make, a lot of fun and they look
great! It's a wonderful way to recycle left over wax.
What you will need:
Clean Sand
A Box or Container
Heat Source
Cooking Pan
Oven Mitts
Small Cauldron or mayonnaise jar
Wax
Candle Wicking
Scissors
Coffee Can or Heat Proof Jar
For wax, you can use paraffin (found in the canning section of the
grocery store), beeswax (can usually be obtained cheaply from people
who sell their own honey), or even left over candles.
If you don't have candle wicking, you can buy them at craft stores or
do what I do - use small twine or get the wicks out of broken
candles.
Directions
Prepare the mold: If you are using a box, line it with a plastic bag
to keep the moisture from destroying the shape. Moisten the sand with
water so that it will keep its shape when pressed. If you have a
small cauldron, press it tightly into the wet sand until it comes to
the top. You dont want the sand over the edge, just flush. Make sure
that you have at least one inch of packed sand around the top so that
it will hold its shape once the wax is poured in. Carefully remove
the cauldron, trying to avoid loose sand particles from falling in.
If it doesnt hold its'shape, or you are not happy with the results,
redo it! Depending on the size of the container, you can make as many
candle molds as you have room. If you dont have a small cauldron, use
a small mayonnaise jar or other container that will give you the
basic shape. You can even use your fist for a unique looking
cauldron. Kids especially love to do this. You will however need to
make legs for the cauldron. Simply use your little finger or a
chopstick and press into the bottom of the mold three times. Try to
keep them at the same depth, and spaced evenly around the bottom,
otherwise you end up with a lopsided cauldron!
Prepare the wax: Put the wax into the coffee can or the heatproof
container into a pan of water; bring to a boil on the stove. Caution
- NEVER leave melting wax unattended and if there are children
involved in candle making,always supervise them! Hot wax is highly
flammable and can burn skin - so be extremely careful.
If you wish to make black cauldrons, add left over black candles or
wax to can. If you dont have any, you can add black crayon pieces
until you are happy with the color. Of course, if you want a
different color, use the appropriate wax or crayon.
Prepare the wick: While the wax is melting, add the wicks to the
molds. Press the wicking directly into the sand at the center of the
mold. You will need to drape the top of the wick over a pencil or
meat skewer that is placed over the top of the mold - preferably
resting on the top of the box, to keep the wick from falling into to
wax once it is poured.
Pouring the wax: When the wax is completely melted, put your oven
mitts on, lift the can from the water and slowly pour the wax into
the molds. You dont want the wax to cool too slowly or it may crack,
so dont put them outside or in the refrigerator to speed the process.
Finishing the candles: Once the wax has hardened, you can just scoop
the candles out of the sand. Trim off any wick that is sticking out
of the bottom with scissors and brush off any excess sand.
