It's a great idea to have everything you need ready and to work on an uncluttered surface to avoid messes and accidents!
Here you'll learn to make a shape using a block of wood, but any other shape, such as shells or bowls, can also be used for beautiful effects.
To color the wax, mix paraffin wax with a small piece of dye disc in the color of your choice. Melt together in the top of a double boiler.
Put 150ml/5fl oz water into a container with dry, fine sand and mix well. Push a block of wood into the sand to the depth required for the candle. When you remove the block of wood, be careful not to displace the sand.
Heat the wax to 127ºC/260ºF and pour it carefully into the hole in the sand, over the back of an old spoon. After about three minutes, the wax will start to seep slightly into the sand and the level of the wax will fall. Pour more wax, at 127ºC/260ºF, into the mould to top it up. After two hours, a dip will form in the wax. Push a wicking needle into the center of the wax and insert a primed 50mm wick. Top the candle up with more wax, this time at a slightly lower temperature of 104ºC/220ºF, taking care not to knock sand into the wax.
Be careful not to move or disturb the container with the sand while the wax is still in liquid form. Leave the wax to set completely. After about 5 hours, the candle will be cold and you can carefully remove it from the container of sand.
Run your hands over the surface of the candle to remove all excess sand. You can also use the rasp to remove excess sand and to attain a smoother surface.
Decide on any pattern you like and make it out evenly using a pair of dividers. Use a craft knife or scalpel to remove as much sand as you want and to give depth to the candle. Using a craft knife, tidy the top of the candle by scraping away any excess wax, to attain an even, neat shape.
Pass the exposed candle in front of a hot iron – making sure the iron does NOT come into direct contact with the candle! This creates a smooth, glossy finish. |
