Lighting up my life!

There has been a lot of candle making going on at home recently... Inspired by all the glass ramekins I have collected from Gu puddings (yes, I didn't realise how many I'd eaten!), I decided to give candle making a go. I had bought beeswax pellets to make some paw balm for our new puppy (more on that later), so it seemed an easy thing to do.

I ordered some wicks with bases, and once these arrived, I set to it. Melted my wax in a jug sat in simmering water...

- this took ages as beeswax melts very slowly. Once melted I added essential oils: firstly lemon, then lemon and rosemary. Personally, I think it could have been more than the 10-15 drops I used, but a friend who had a tester pot thought the subtle perfume was enough for her - I guess it's personal taste.

So I gave away two testers,

 and lit one myself...

What I didn't realise was the impact of the wick! It lasted hardly any time at all because the wick wasnt good enough. Were all wicks different?

Well, yes! After researching online, I discovered that different wicks go with different waxes. So testing began. I ordered some wicks suitable for beeswax from a great UK site:  https://www.4candles.co.uk/index.html They offer a sample pack of wicks so you can try different sizes - perfect!

Whilst waiting for the wicks, I was walking on the beach and found some lovely smallish oyster shells that would make great outdoor tea lights. They would have to sit in gravel to keep them upright, but what a great way to light up your garden!

I had a go with the old wicks but it lasted no time at all, so excited to receive the new ones, I decided to try the 3 different sizes and test them to see how long they would last and if the wax would disappear like it does in the metal containers.

So, results in...

To be honest, all the wicks worked really well. I liked the thickest one which lasted 1.5 hours. The middle one you can see lasted the longest, but the wick was thinner. I decided that the more prominent bowl in the shell kept it lit longer.

As far as the larger candles were concerned, the new wicks made a huge difference, but size didn't matter so much. I guess it's more about looks.

So all in all, it was worth the additional expense. If you are making your own candles, invest well in the wicks. A lesson learnt...

As for me, this is the start of my handmade xmas challenge. One handmade gift for each person on my list. Guess I can tick off 3 or 4 already! 🥂
On top of that, I shall begin marketing my oyster shell tea lights... the perfect garden light for those beach inspired parties! Watch this space...

Let me know your thoughts.  Have you tried something else that makes the difference to candle making? Would love to hear your tips and tricks!

Deb x