Making candles for very very little

**MANDERS** · 05-14-2002, 06:03 PM

Ok so you've gone to Michales and went down the candle making isle and to your surprise the molds are very expensive and so is just about everything.What should you do since you want to make candles very cheap.Go ahead and grab some wicks but make sure you use your 40-50% off coupon.Then head to your nearest yard sale and start hunting for candles.

You will need various colors(depending on what you want to make)and the bigger and cheaper the better.It doesn't matter if they are in a jar you can get them out by heating up water on the stove and holding the jar over until the wax loosens up and pop it out.Make sure you get lots of white candles.You also need something to put the melted wax in.Anything you can think of will make a great candle,I have used mason jars,tins,used candle jars,bowls and my favorite a tea cup.You wil also need wicks,you can make your own(don't ask how I don't know how)lol,and you need some tape,pen,tongs and a knife or spoon to stir the wax.And most important you need a double boiler,use your pot you had hot water in and fill it half way full and then get an old coffee can to put the wax in.Put coffee can in pot with water.Its pretty easy from there,just put the wax in the coffee pot and watch it melt.You will need to take out the wick that was in the candle.make sure your new wick is secured by tape and a pencil to the candle jar(or cup or tin)and pour slowly.let cool and refridgerate for 24 hrs.You may need to add a little more wax after it cools cause sometimes it will sink in.

For scents I usualy end up getting scented candels at yard sales,but if you don't you can use scented oils I have found them at big lots for .99 ! I have also used cocoa to make a chocolate candle.Any more ideas.If you have the hm wick recipe please post it,i think it calls for yarn borax and something else.

**Megareader** · 06-05-2002, 09:50 AM

I also keep my old candles and melt them down to make new candles...keeping like scents together, of course!

One big mistake I made last time was to pour the candles into pickle jars. They had been washed and were clean but every time I open one of those jars I feel like I should make a potato salad!

**PrairieRose** · 06-05-2002, 11:35 AM

I read somewhere to use a birthday candle for a wick. If you try it, you have to let the wax set up a bit before you push your b.d. candle down into it. Otherwise the candle just melts and your wick falls down. Also if the wax is too warm, but not hot it will just bend the b.d. candle....so wait a bit. OR do it over like I did!

**KathiS** · 06-09-2002, 03:22 AM

Thanks for the great ideas. I picked up a bunch of great candles at a yard sale today. I've never made candles but, I would like to try!

**Sadia** · 08-03-2002, 02:04 AM

Thanks for the great ideas! I have been wanting to try candlemaking but right now we just can't afford to buy all of the supplies that it seems you need. I'll be trying this

Again, thank you!

**MANDERS** · 09-30-2002, 12:21 AM

Well I got most of my candle supplie friday.Used my 50% off coupon from Joann's to get my wicks(6ft roll)for .89.Now off to making candles

Kathis did you ever make those candles?

**heaven** · 09-30-2002, 01:08 AM

nope now i am trying candles too, i have been making bees wax ones that i bought complete kits 3 of them for 50 Cents each at a yard sale and had a blast but i am doing tarts next and i will have to find the wicks for the candles thanks for the ideas girls, oh i had a friend that made me one, she used a milk carton and put ice into it and poured the wax over it turned out so cool, huge candle hard to burn it though because it kept tipping sideways little hint there. and i had to laugh Megareader i could just see you wanting to make potato salad, hey you could bring that to the pot luck we are having LOL

**captclearance** · 09-30-2002, 08:47 AM

I love the idea about using cocoa, my friend loves chocolate candle and I can never find them or the scent to make them .... I have been taking her use candle to recycle... Thanks alot !!!

**MANDERS** · 09-30-2002, 11:00 AM

I tried last year to make a coke candle for my mom,hint if its not a powder base or oil base it won't work.I had a huge coke wax mess.I have used vanilla extract and it works pretty good too.I got a bunch of scents from Joanns last week my favorite is the apple spice

**heaven** · 10-30-2002, 12:01 PM

making wicks i just read, you need string, 1 cup of water, 1 teaspoon of salt and borax soak string in mixture for 10 hours and remove let dry. (Done).