by Beth Hedrick
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| photo credit: Ball Mason via photopin (license) |
If you are like me, you are drawn to candles. It’s not necessarily the scent, but more so the peacefulness and calmness that a candle or two can bring to a room. Many candles on the market today are filled with unnecessary additives and chemicals that are just not good for you or the environment. Sure, they smell divine but don’t let that wonderful scent fool you! Paraffin wax candles have been shown to release carcinogens into the air. Burning too many commercial paraffin wax candles over time is just not healthy. The healthy guilt-free alternative to lighting up your life is making your own mason jar candles.
If you are interested in candle making, soy and beeswax candles are natural and burn clean. They are enjoyable, easy, and rewarding to make. I tend to stick with soy when making my candles. I like the “creaminess” of the wax. If you enjoy the glistening effects of burning many candles at once (while watching them, of course!), natural wax such as soy is a perfect candle making material. Gather the family around and make some memories by making candles!
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DIY Mason Jar Soy Candle
This recipe yields three 8 oz. candles with one pound of soy wax.
Gather the following items:
1 lb. natural soy wax
3 8-oz. Mason jars
Natural candle wicks (lead free)
Essential oil for fragrance (optional)
Candle making pitcher or double boiler
A stove or other heat source (a candle will work)
A wick holder
or clothespin to hold the wick straight when setting
Glue gun (optional)
Candy thermometer
Scale
Directions
- Take the 1 lb. of wax and melt it to about 180-190 degrees in a double boiler or in a pitcher/small pot over a candle flame.
- When melted, remove from heat and add about 1 oz. of natural fragrance oil or essential oils.
- If you want to add soy dye chips, this is the time to do it. Many people do prefer their candles to remain a natural color, but the choice is yours!
- When the wax is cooling down, go ahead and prepare your jar and wick. You can use a glue gun to make the wick stick to the bottom of the jar, or you can dip the base of the wick in the hot wax. Hold the wick up straight and secure it with the wick holder. This will allow the wick to be set nice and straight.
- Check the temperature of the wax that has been cooling. Once it gets to about 140 degrees or so, go ahead and begin pouring the wax (slowly) into the jar. Voila!
- Now it is time to wait overnight to let it all set up. Once it is cooled and set, cut the wick to about a quarter of an inch.
Light and enjoy!
You can make these candles at a fraction of the cost of those expensive store-bought candles, and they are just delightful to make. They are ideal gifts for any occasion. There is always something special about a handmade gift, especially a hand-poured candle by you!Beth Hedrick of Virginia is Thrifty Homesteader’s newest contributor. She is an English teacher, a freelance writer, and lives the ecothrifty life as much as possible. She enjoys making items, especially during the holiday season, and likes learning and practicing green living.
Nice and easy step to make DIY Mason jar candles and what an amazing candles, A debt of gratitude is in order for sharing such an amazing tips.