Making Macho Candles

OK, not sure how to write this one. I guess let me start out with some semi truths and work my way to lies.

Well, I was doing some Xmas shopping as I am likely to do sometimes. Looking through some boutique soap and foo foo candle shop, I was shocked by how much they charge for this crap. Yes I wanted some of it but damn if I was gonna pay $4 for a crappy candle that burns up in an afternoon. It can't be that hard to make this stuff, right? I remember that my Uncle had some candle making things that I messed with as a kid. I would heat up the double boiler with the wax in it and then turn it off and watch it cool. As the top turned a fuzzy white from the clear melted wax I would dunk my fingers in it. Ouch! Then again and again until I had a little mold of my hand. Then, carefully, I pulled my fingers out. Wonder if I still have any of those around?



Anyway, refusing to pay the $4, I looked up how to make candles on the internet. Dead easy. OK, now I just needed supplies. A quick search on Craigslist under "free stuff", and I had a classic candle making setup with all the supplies needed. Now the only hard part is how to admit to my friends that I spent the weekend making smelly candles cause I'm so cheap. But I guess I just did.


So here I am melting the wax in my stove top double boiler and then below is the finished product. About 20 votive candles scented with 'clean cotton'. The odd thing is trying to pick the color to match the scent. I guess it is what those marketing types do when making the fake banana or orange flavor. Everyone knows it isn't like the real thing. But what should it look like. Is 'clean cotton' blue? or yellow? Confused I looked it up on the manufactures website where they actually list a suggested color: white or pastel. Interesting. I also used two different types of molds. The pour from the top and then the upside down pour from the bottom. How exciting. Guess I know what everyone is getting for Xmas next year.