The Art of Candle Making- Straight from the Artist
Would you believe me if I told you candles dated back to the ancient Egyptians? Well, it's true. How else could they see in those pyramid tunnels? There are not many items we have in our homes today that were used in 3,000 B.C. Actually, I can't think of one other than candles. According to Candles.org the Ancient Romans are credited with using candles even before the ancient Egyptians. This post is quickly getting older and older. Today, many people enjoy the scent of candles and the warmth and comfort they provide. Many people have memories associated with scents. That classic "Pine" scent may spark a memory of snow falling at Christmas as a child. Or how about the smell of Mom making an apple pie? We can bring many scents into our homes without ever turning on the oven or chopping down a tree.
Crafters and DIYer's have gained popularity in the last decade. One of my favorite sayings is, " Why buy it for $20 when you can make it for $80?" If you are a crafter or an artist you know this is true. Many people have grown hobbies into successful businesses right out of their homes. One of the most popular hobby to business ventures people take is candle making. Why? That's easy; because it's easy! Now, don't confuse easy with fast because candle making is not fast by any means. It is time consuming, very time consuming but the difficulty level is low. Jenny Rose over at I'd Rather Be Soaping explains her candle making process. She has a ton of great information here from where to buy your supplies to a list of supplies to purchase and even what to do if your wax melts in transit! If you are thinking about candle making you will want to visit her blog.
For me, candle making was a compliment to my business. I have always loved primitives, log cabins, civil war quilts and just about anything else that looks old. Ok, well maybe not wrinkles, those just make ME look old. I didn't have much time to invest in a great new idea but I needed something that would pay my rent in my small rental space in a local shop. I know you are giving me the one eyed look right now because I just told you candles take a long time but I got into candles because I didn't have much time. Well, let me explain! Candles are very time consuming. They take up a lot of space, they have a long drying time, each wick needs to be trimmed and each candle needs a label. With that being said, I usually make candles in batches of 100 and they will be completed over two days. On day one I melt the wax, add my fragrances and dyes, place the wicks, pour the wax and let them dry. On day two I trim the wicks, lid all of the candles and place the labels. If you have ever made 100 cookies for a cookie exchange you can relate. It is much easier to make 100 candles over two days than 10 candles every day for 10 days.
Candle making is pretty straight forward. It is a great hobby or business venture for someone who likes to make things but may not have that creative eye. You have a set of instructions to follow and you must follow them to have a great product. For the out-of-the-box thinkers, candles can still be fun for you. Think of the different scents and colors you could mix together to get your own special blend. Or how about the different containers? Angela over at Coffee Cups and Daisies uses vintage tea cups for her candle holders.
The next time you visit your local Brick and Mortar or your farmers market and you see a candle maker there you will now know the time that went into making those candles. You will also know that he or she practices an art almost as old as dirt but you might now want to mention that.
If you would like to see my candles please visit my shop One Old Stitch.
