As with all creative types, I’ve had this idea in my head and I’ve been trying to bring it to life. I’m not quite there just yet but I am definitely on the right track.
A while ago, I wanted to know if making a tye-dye candle was even possible. It is. I watched a few videos on YouTube and had fun duplicating the effect. I tried to do it their way, I really did, for the life of me I’ll probably never know just exactly how they do it no matter how many times I watch the video.
While trying, I had a very happy accident. It made me laugh right out loud. When I looked at the result I was tickled pink.
I call them “Spoolsh Candles”.
That imagine in my head kept coming back. I tried several times to bring it to life but it took a while. I couldn’t figure it out until one day inspiration struck on FB. There it was in my feed. This beautiful rich blue and white…..alcoholic beverage. I swore it was a candle! Oh well.
As Fate often has Its way with me, things came in bits and pieces. I took them, put them in my Candle Tool Box, knowing I would use them later. Things like; oh you really must try this coconut/apricot wax, it’s to die for! (Yeah, and it ain’t cheap, and the packaging…well…more on that later). Other things like; you really must try the scents on CandleScience, they’re so much better than what you’re getting off Amazon. (And NOT more expensive….thankyouverymuch). Things like; YouGov paying off my $100 Amazon Gift card!
Well, when that happened, it was time to do my best Julia Roberts impression and go shopping.
Before this, I bought a few scents from CandleScience and I highly recommend them. I also bought a slab of coconut wax to work with. Hubby gave me a candle kit for my birthday so I have this neat little melting pot now and, for the first time, block dye. Love it! The liquid is nice too, it all just depends on the wax you’re using and the color you want to end up with. This electric melting pot is not good for making candles but it’s an awesome Boo-Boo Pot. Keep fresh undyed, unscented wax in it, and when I come up a bit short, pour it in to fill the candle the rest of the way. It also makes a fantastic Decorating Pot as it got me out of the kitchen and into my comfy living room where I could watch murder mysteries as I worked on the first stage of the project.
The slab of coconut wax I bought was very nice and easy to work with as it came wrapped in butcher paper. The coconut/apricot wax I got was NOT a joy to work with so these things better come out nice. It’s packaged badly in a vaccum baggie that you must slice to open. This leaves you buying your own butcher paper or using reams of plastic wrap so the slab doesn’t dry out. No fun.
It also STICKS like a bitch! No joke, Clean-up with coconut/apricot wax is not fun at all. If you use it and have a tip for this please share it in the comments. If I use it again I will have to keep a large hot pot of water on the stove for cleaning the excess wax out of my little melting pot. It also cools amazingly quickly, once it hits below 140 your time is short so move your butt. I know, I’m supposed to pour higher than that, but not for what was in my head because pouring at a high temperature just caused the whole thing to…well….it wasn’t very good. So in this process I learned a lot about patience.
I love the Dollar Store for candle holders. It’s the BEST. Yes, I bought a box of 6oz jars online, I do use them, but if I want to make something unique, I head to The Dollar Store. always stop in the Craft Aisle first, there’s lots of neat stuff there, do not miss the glass section.
Lucky me they had the above two of which are utterly perfect for what I wanted to accomplish and the other two will certainly do.
So there I sat with my little electric melting pot, my tools, my coffee, my cigs, my weed, my TV, all on my comfy couch. Ahhhhh. Wonderful. Time to create. After all, I’d practice the last two weeks on those little 6oz jars so, with the last Supermoon of 2024 in the sky above, I sat down to do my new thing.
I sat down at 11:30 (after grocery shopping, cleaning the house, picking up glasses, and dropping off groceries) and didn’t finish the decorating part until nearly 1pm. I was amazed by how much time and wax it took! OMG the wax! Geez. I was actually starting to sweat whether or not I was going to have enough wax to finish the project. Yet, the house smelled of vanilla the whole time while the new Matlock and Elsbeth kept me company.
After letting them rest a few hours it was time for The Big Pour. These are my results.
Coffee and Cream. Yep, looks a lot more like hot chocolate and I thought it might but it was a lovely coffee color in the melting pot. I can get a nice chocolate mint scent so….next time, baby.
Creme de Menthe Parfait. Not too shabby. Definitely on the right track with these. And, no, the stone isn’t missing, it fell into the wax. It was heavier than I thought. 🙂
Creamscicle. Or as we like to call them, Dreamscicles. Let me tell you, they smell awesome! Definitely making more of these.
Last, but not least.
Cherry Wine. Must work on the color, yes. I couldn’t help myself, once again, it was a lovely cherry red in the melting pot and I knew I should add more red (such a hard color to work with) but it just looked so must like Cherry Kool-Aid that the childhood memory made me smile and so I stopped there.
For my first hard efforts with my new made-up technique and the first time working with coconut/apricot wax I’m going to call them all a success. One that can be improved upon but a success nonetheless.
Then it was time to take them downstairs to the curing cabinet where they will sit for the next two weeks.
Those little 6 ouncers in the middle, those were my trial efforts. Gotta love that neon yellow in the front, hey? Gave me an idea for psychedelic candles. Watch for those on the horizon.
What is that junk in my basement? Stuff from Amazon, obviously. An Afghan my mother made for in 1976 in case you can’t by the red, white, and blue theme. Two antique Union Thrones from the 30s (yes, when One Day finally rolls around, I’m going to refinish them! LOL)
Oh. Wait.
Those are my finished ones. Poor greenie needs to be hit with the heat gun.
Anyway, if you’re in the market for a candle, let me know.
Lisa Beth Darling 