How To Make Candles - Step by Step

I thought id check out the different ways of adding colour to the candles and this is what i found.

Adding color to your homemade candles is a simple way to make your creations unique. How is it done? Find some crayons, take the paper off, and add them to your melted wax. When the candles have melted, stir the color in well so that you have an even shade.

To add different colors you need to let the first color set on the top first, before adding the new color on it (this means just the top needs to be hard which can take from 10 minutes to 20 minutes depending on the size of the candle. Or the second color will bleed into the first color. You can tilt the mold to add design to the candle while the first color dries.

Add some color. Choose a dye that's specially formulated for gel candles. They generally come in liquid, block or powder forms. Liquid dyes are the easiest to work with; you simply dip a toothpick into the dye solution and swirl it around in your melted gel. You can continue to add small bits of color until the candle is the right shade. Just remember that a little bit goes a long way when adding color to gel candles.

Candle wax is naturally a white to a light cream color, so to add color, you will have to use a coloring agent. The color can come in the form of small bottles of liquid dye or color blocks. The liquid dye allows you to easily pour a certain amount of dye in the wax to achieve a color. The color blocks can be used in different quantities to make a candle as a light or dark of a shade as possible. You can also use crayons to color your candles!

Making Candle Molds

If you want to make your own candle molds, there are many places to start. An empty soda can makes a wonderful mold, just cut off the top. An empty frozen juice container can also be used, and the plus side is that the top has already been removed.

For bigger candles, cut the top off a two-liter of soda. Sure, this will give your candle a strange shape, but it's kind of fun to have a candle with feet! Or try a coffee can for a more standard look.

Just about any receptacle you've got in the house that is leak-proof and heat-resistant can make a good candle mold. I've even read about using cardboard to make your own molds, but, frankly, I'm too chicken to try it!

You can also make a "mold" using sand. Take a big bucket of sand and get the sand wet enough to hold together, like sand on the beach you'd want to make a sand castle with. Press a votive holder or any other container into the sand to make the "mold." Pull your form out of the sand and make sure the walls are solid, without any gaps or air bubbles.

Then just hear and pour your wax like normal. Using this method you can make candles in just about any size and shape that you like.
candles.lovetoknow.com

I thought id share this link to a site where you can purchase colour blocks, dyes and many candle making bits and pieces.
check it out at
candlechem.com