Add a touch of rustic coziness to any space with this DIY Christmas candle centerpiece. This can be created with foraged natural materials for an affordable homegrown project.
A rustic and natural Christmas candle centerpiece planter can be used as table decor, fireplace mantle, or even outdoors on the porch. This is a wonderful holiday decor project using my favourite decorating material: fresh-cut greenery from the garden.
This post will cover…
The Best Greenery for Crafting
Many of the shrubs and trees in your garden that have evergreen leaves can be brought indoors for the holidays. You can see a comprehensive list of the best greenery for decorating in this post.
I love working with greenery because it doesn’t need any special care like watering or misting, and when the holidays are over, you can simply toss them in the compost.
Pairing candles and garden greenery makes for elegant yet natural entertaining decor. I have made one in the spring, as you can see with this 10-minute candle planter. I have made one in the summer with a hurricane candle holder surrounded by succulents. For Christmas, this candle display in a wooden liquor box makes a perfect centerpiece to celebrate the season.
How to Make a Rustic and Natural Christmas Candle Centerpiece
Here are the steps to making your very own rustic and natural Christmas candle centerpiece from the garden (and, in this case, your Christmas tree!).
Materials
Make It!
Head out to the garden with your pruners and cut some greenery. Read this article on The Best Garden Greenery for Holiday Decorating before you go, to brush up on what and how to cut the greenery.
Fit some dry craft foam into a wooden box. You do not need wet florist’s foam that holds moisture for flower arrangements. The stems do not need water; the foam is simply to keep it all in place. You can also glue the craft foam to the wood box if you would like. I didn’t find it necessary, as the arrangement holds in place perfectly once it is finished.
Set the taper candles into the craft foam, equally spaced apart.
Next, start designing the planter with cascading, needle-leaf greenery around the edges (I used Fraser fir trimming from my Christmas tree) and colourful broad-leaf evergreens and berries in the center (I used Portuguese laurel and holly).
Check the arrangement to be sure that it looks good from all angles, especially if it is going to be used on a table where the guests will surround it.
Light the candles and enjoy the ambiance!
A Note About Candles and Greenery
This candle planter, if not used with common sense, could be a fire hazard. Please do not leave the candles burning unattended near greenery or wood. You could certainly enjoy this planter without lighting the taper candles. You could replace the candles with electric candles, or even candles contained in glass jars. I only plan to light the candles while sitting at the table where I can closely monitor them. When they burn down, I will blow them out.
Please use your common sense when using candles. I don’t think that every project should have to show electric candles for safety reasons on a blog, and we do not take any responsibility for how the projects are used at home. Be smart, my friends, and you can enjoy the warm glow of candles and fresh greenery for Christmas!
More Christmas Crafting Ideas
DIY Rustic Christmas Candle Centerpiece
Forage greenery from your backyard and make this lovely rustic centerpiece for the holidays.
Cut a chunk of floral foam to fit in your wooden box. If necessary, you can glue it in place.
Add the candles into the foam, equal distances apart.
Layer in greenery around the candles. Make sure to press the stems firmly into the foam. Place cascading greenery on the outer edge, and shorter greenery on the inside.
Light the candles and enjoy!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Wax melts are a popular way to fill your home with fragrance, but they are often made with artificial scents that can be irritating. Herbal melts are a natural alternative made with soy wax, essential oils, and herbs. As the scented cubes of wax are melted on the top of a wax melt warmer, they release aroma and allow for the ritual of using herbs while safely keeping the dried plant material away from a candle flame. Wax melts are easy to make at home and make a great handmade gift idea.
Ready to make wax melts? This post will cover…
What is a Wax Melt?
A wax melt is a scented square of wax that can be melted in an electric-or candle-heated ceramic vase to release the scent of the wax. Wax melts and warmers are a way to get all of the fragrance and warmth of a candle without the flame.
The beauty of warmers is that you can use botanicals and dry herbs to decorate your projects without the worry of them catching fire. The electric options also keep your home safe from flames if you have young children or pets.
Wax melts can also have a longer burn time than candles.
How to Choose a Wax Melt Warmer
A wax melt warmer looks like a decorative ceramic vase that has a dish set on top. The base can either have an opening for a tea light or votive candle or house the electrical components to heat the upper tray.
Wax cubes are placed in the top dish and gently warmed so they melt. As they melt, they release the fragrance.
A wax melt warmer is not to be confused with a candle warmer, which is an electrically heated tray that you set a container candle on to warm it and release the fragrance.
Here are some great wax melt warmers you can find online:
An electric candle warmer.
Using Essential Oils to Scent Wax Melts
Many commercial wax melts and candles are scented with artificial fragrance, which is why I choose to make my own. Candles and wax melts are often made with fragrance oils because they offer the most consistent and reliable scent, in addition to being less expensive.
They have been formulated to be heated to high temperatures and added to molten wax without evaporation. Fragrance oils also come in a wide variety of lab-created scents like strawberry and green apple that are pleasing and not available as essential oils.
But when it comes down to it, I prefer natural scents of essential oils as the artificial fragrances tend to give me headaches.
Essential oils are natural, but that doesn’t mean that they also won’t cause a reaction. Essential oils are the concentrated volatile oils extracted from thousands of plants squeezed into a tiny bottle, meaning they are very powerful.
It is important to be safe when using essential oils by choosing gentle oils, oils that you and your family don’t react to, and oils that have been approved by your health care professionals.
A good way to test for scent-sensitivities is to smell the oils. If you don’t like the smell, then you should avoid it, even if it has some benefits that you think might be good for you. Trust your senses. The nose knows.
How to Make Wax Melts
You can easily make these at home by melting flaked soy wax, stirring in essential oils and herbs, and then pouring the wax into heat-proof molds to set. The following covers two methods for making wax melts (in the microwave and in a double boiler) and shares some recipe ideas from my book, Make & Give Home Candle Making.
Microwave melting can be tricky as it is harder to control the temperature. If you choose a wax that is labelled as appropriate for the microwave, it will have instructions included that will help you avoid cooking and burning the wax. Here are the steps I use to melt wax in the microwave and how to avoid burning it.
Equipment
Make it!
Weigh microwaveable soy wax for wax melts in a heatproof container with a pour spout.
Weigh the scented essential oil in a paper cup. Prepare the herbs in advance of using the microwave so you are ready to add them as soon as the wax has melted.
Melt in 20-second intervals to melt as opposed to cooking the wax. The first few times you set the timer for 20 seconds, you may be tempted to set the timer for longer, as you will see little change. But, after a few tries, you will see that the wax quickly turns from a solid to a liquid in the microwave. Overheating the wax can cause it to burn, and it smells terrible, so set intervals and check the wax frequently.
When the wax has fully melted, stir in the essential oil and half of the dried herbs.
Pour the wax into a flower-shaped mould. Choose a mould used for soap making or candy making to be sure it can handle the heat of melted wax.
Sprinkle the remaining herbs onto the top of each melt and allow the herbal wax melts to dry completely before popping them out.
Sprinkle with dried herbs and flower petals for decoration.
Double Boiler Method
Making soy melts in a double boiler is much easier to control and will ensure that the wax melts evenly.
Equipment
You can also “make” your own double boiler.
Make it!
Set up a small double boiler using a heatproof glass jar to hold the wax and a metal bread pan filled partway with water. Stir the wax frequently until it is fully melted.
Weigh soy wax and essential oil.
Bring the wax to the specified temperature for adding dye or scent oil (i.e., 160°F—see the instructions that came with your wax). Add in scent and colour (if using) and stir until completely mixed.
Pour the wax into a silicone ice cube tray.
Allow the wax melts to dry completely before popping them out of the mould for use.
Silicone ice cube moulds work great for making wax melts.
Herbal Sleepy Time Wax Melts Recipe
These herbal chamomile, calendula, and lavender wax melts are the perfect way to send you to dreamland, as the calming scent of herbs will fill the room and relax you as the wax melts. Packaged with a wax melt warmer, they are a lovely self-care gift for a friend who could use a restful night.
Chamomile, calendula, and lavender wax melts.
There are some herbs that wake you up and others that quiet you down. Herbs like lavender, chamomile, calendula, hops, mint, and passionflower are calming for the nerves and quieting for the mind. Using these herbs before bed can help to promote an easier time falling asleep as well as better quality of sleep.
Making this recipe allows the wax, oils, and herbs to melt together at a safe temperature without the risk that the herbs will catch fire.
Materials
Makes twenty-five 0.3 oz (9 g) wax melts
Make it!
Make the soy wax melts according to the instructions in either the microwave or double-boiler method.
Fill a wax-lined window bag with the herbal wax melts and label it with letter stamps. Use some floral stamps to further embellish it. Move the melts around so that they show their pretty faces in the window.
Citrus Celebration Wax Melts Recipe
Citrus celebration wax melts are the perfect housewarming gift. The festive scent is both cheerful and uplifting and will give any home a refreshing, energizing feel. The bright and cheery aroma of citrus is fresh and lively, but also very calming.
Lemon, lime, and orange wax melts.
Use citrus-scented melts to make your home smell fresh, clean, and welcoming. Give a pretty wax warmer along with some homemade citrus wax melts topped with lemon, lime, and orange zest.
An ice cube mould is a perfect size for these wax melts. You will want to make enough to give away and keep some for yourself, too. Pro tip: just don’t use a grapefruit scent before a dinner party, because it is said to curb the appetite!
Materials
Makes twelve 0.5 oz (15 g) wax melts
Make it!
Make the soy wax melts according to the instructions in either the microwave or double-boiler method.
Fill a Mason jar with citrus wax melts and pair it with a small tea light wax warmer. Wrap both the Mason jar of wax melts and the wax warmer with a tea light in a clear cellophane bag tied with a satin ribbon.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wax Melts
How do I make wax melts last longer?
If the fragrance isn’t as strong as you would like it, use a reliable brand of essential oil to add more when making your melts.
Fragrance load is how much scent oil the wax will hold. A common fragrance load for soy wax is one ounce of scent per one pound of wax, or a 6.25% ratio.
You can increase or decrease the ratio depending on how strong the scent is. Use 6-8% for a subtly fragrant oil and 8-10% for a strongly scented one
Be sure to check the maximum on the wax you are using if you plan to go higher than the one-ounce per pound rule. Adding more scent than the recipe calls for may end up being too much oil for the wax to bind with, leaving you with excess oil at the top and bottom of the wax melt.
Can you reuse wax melts?
It depends on how long you burn them. Typically, a cube should last between 6-12 hours, depending on the size of the cube, the temperature it burns at, and the quality of the wax.
The melted wax will not evaporate, but the fragrance will. You can reuse your wax melts until you no longer notice a fragrance.
Are wax melts safe to leave on?
As long as you’re home, you can leave your wax melts on for as long as you like. They can scent a room pretty quickly, so it’s up to you if you want to keep them burning or turn them off to make them last longer.
Whether it’s an electric wax warmer or a classic warmer, never leave the burner unattended while it’s being used.
More Candles and Handmade Gift Ideas
How to Make Herbal Wax Melts in the Microwave
You can easily make homemade wax melts with just a few simple items! These wax melts are made with all natural ingredients including essential oils and herbs.
Microwave
Heatproof container with a pour spout
Silicone molds – I like these flower shapes or cubes
Weigh out the soy wax in a microwave-safe bowl. Then weigh the essential oils in a paper cup.
Melt the wax in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time. Stir between each time.
When the wax has fully melted, stir in the essential oils and the herbs.
Pour the wax melt mixture into silicone molds and sprinkle some herbs on top. Then allow them to dry completely before using.
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Take a walk through a winter wonderland with this evergreen candle. Made with a combination of evergreen essential oils and a cool ombre effect, this is the perfect gift to make this holiday season for all your candle-loving friends.
Without a doubt, you know someone in your life who is obsessed with candles. In my life, that person is me. So you can imagine I make quite a few candles!
Around the holidays, you can find me making all kinds of homemade gifts for my friends and family. Candles are one of the most well-received gifts and they aren’t that difficult to make.
Let’s talk about how stunning this evergreen candle is! I used an ombre layering effect, a wooden wick (for that real-life crackle), and wrapped it in twine and a cedar leaf. It looks like it came straight from an artisanal holiday market.
You too can make this beautiful, forest-inspired candle for gifts this year…or hold onto it all for yourself!
This post will cover…
A Note on Wicks
Wicks come in many different materials and forms, from basic cotton on a roll to wired and waxed wicks with tabs. No matter which you choose, you need the right size (thickness) for your candle to burn properly.
Wicks that are too small will not melt the wax all the way to the edge of the candle, creating a tunnel in the center. Wicks that are too large will create a lot of smoke. Look for labeling on the package of wicks to see what wax and candle diameter they are appropriate for.
For this evergreen candle, I’ll be using a wood wick. The crackling sound it makes gives me all the cozy vibes for the holiday season!
Wick Tips
If you use a wick that isn’t wood, keep wicks trimmed to 1/8” to 1/4” for best results. Be sure to only trim the wicks once the candles have fully cooled and cured for 24 hours. The best way to trim a wick is with a wick trimmer – it provides the perfect length every time!
Cotton wicks come as a roll of cotton string that has been braided to provide thickness.
Wire wicks have a thin zinc wire in the center that helps to hold the wick straight.
Waxed wicks are coated with wax. If you are making a paraffin coated candle, use a paraffin coated wick. If you are making a soy or beeswax candle, use a soy coated wick (a soy coated wick has proven to perform better than a beeswax coated wick in a beeswax candle).
Wood wicks are flat wicks made of soft wood that sound like a crackling fire when they burn. Wood wicks do not need trimming after they re burned.
Tabs are metal disks (or in the case of wood wicks, they are rectangular) that weigh the wick down and give you a place to glue the wick to the bottom of the container (if appropriate).
Choose whichever wick works best for you!
What Does an Evergreen Candle Smell Like?
This candle smells just like a walk through a wintery forest. Crisp and fresh, this is a great scent to use around the holiday season. When you burn it, you will feel as though you’ve brought the outdoors inside.
For this forest candle recipe, I use a combination of cypress, cedarwood, and sweet birch essential oil. Together, you get a slightly sweet yet woodsy scent. To learn more about how to properly use essential oils in candle making, check out this post.
How to Make an Evergreen Candle
This modern ombre, evergreen candle subtly nods to the holidays, making it a lovely winter gift idea that doesn’t date itself as soon as the festivities are over.
The ombre effect is created with just one colour of wax dye in different strengths to give the candle a decorative graduated colour that adds elegance and interest along with a pop of colour while maintaining a minimalist style.
Materials
See the recipe card at the end of this article for exact measurements
Equipment
Make It
Prepare Wax
Weigh the soy wax and add it to a double boiler on medium heat. While the wax is melting, measure the essential oils into a paper cup. Then prepare the dye chips.
Cut Your Wick
Prepare the wood wick by determining its final height in the candle, approximately 1/4 inch above the tops of the wax. Feed the wooden wick into the metal base and use a dab of hot glue or wax adhesive to attach it to the bottom of the jar at the center.
Make Your Dye
Prepare your ombre colours by calculating how much dye will be needed for the amount of wax. Then, divide the dye chips into three pieces: one large, one medium, and one small.
The larger the difference between the sizes of the chips will mean a greater difference in the colour of each wax layer. Use rubber gloves to protect your hands from the dye while you’re cutting the chip.
Dye Your Wax
Add each piece of dye chip to a shot glass and top with hot wax. Use a chopstick to stir and dissolve the dye chip completely. If the dye chip doesn’t completely dissolve, you can place the shot glass in the double boiler to heat it up a bit more.
Add Essential Oils
When the melted wax has reached the specified temperature for adding essential oils (see the instructions that came with your wax), pour a third of the wax into a heatproof measuring cup. Add the wax you dissolved the largest dye chip in and pour in one-third of the essential oils. Stir well to combine.
Create Your First Layer
Cool wax to 140°F and pour into the jar. Leave it untouched to set for at least one hour. It could take longer than an hour for the wax layer to set, depending on the temperature in the room that you’re working in.
Add Remaining Layers
Follow steps 5-6 for the remaining two layers, adding the essential oils and the wax with the dissolved medium chip first and then the wax with the dissolved small chip. Pour each layer only when the previous layer is completely set.
Evergreen Candle Tips
You can trim the candle wick after the candle is poured, but you’ll get a cleaner cut if you measure and trim the wick before you pour the candle.
When using a wood wick and a square jar, align the wick so that it is in line with the top of the jar.
Wrap the forest candle with a piece of jute twine and inset a freshly cut sprig of evergreen between the bow and the candle glass. The simple and natural wrapping allows the for the gorgeous ombre to peek through, ready to be revealed completely when the twine has been removed.
The active time for this project isn’t that much more than other candle-making projects. However, it takes a full day to complete this project because of the time for the wax to harden in between each layer. You can scale this project up or down to have as many layers as you would like, but keep in mind that the candle wax needs to harden completely before you pour the next layer
This evergreen candle has a spruce-inspired blue-green colour that adds a modern touch to winter celebrations, but an ombre candle project can be done at any time of the year. Change the colour depending on the season. For the spring, use pretty pastels. For summer, use bold jewel tones. And for wall, use warm colours like yellow, orange, and red. You can also swap out the fragrance to match the seasonal colours.
Homemade Evergreen Candle
You’ll be walking in a winter wonderland with this evergreen candle.
Weigh your wax and measure your essential oils together in one container. Melt wax over a double boiler on medium heat.
While wax melts, measure your wooden wick to be 1/4 inch above where the top of the wax will be. Insert it into the metal base and attach it to the bottom of the container with glue or wax adhesive.
Refer to your wax to see how much dye is required. While wearing gloves, divide the chip into 3 sizes: 1 large, 1 medium, and 1 small.
Add each dye chip to a shot glass or paper cup and top it off with hot wax. Stir using a chopstick until fully dissolved.
Read instructions that came with your wax for adding scents. When your wax has reached the desired temperature, pour one-third of the wax into a heatproof container and add the largest dye chip and a third of the essential oils.
Wait for the wax to reach 140°F and pour it in the container. Leave it until wax has set and cooled, at least 1 hour.
Repeat steps 5-6 for the other two layers. Add essential oil and the medium sixed chip next followed by the small chip and essential oil. Wait for each layer to fully set before adding the next.
Wrap in twine and a fresh evergreen clipping.
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Candle making is such a fun hobby to get into, using all kinds of recycled containers (from seashells to flowerpots!) to make unique homemade candles. But how do you know what wick to use? Or how much scent to mix in? This master guide will cover everything you need to know on how to make candles at home.
I’ve been a candle-obsessed, maker-enthusiast, and DIY potion master for so many years now. Once you make one candle, you quickly become hooked.
I got so obsessed with how to make candles at home that I wrote a whole book about it. If you really want every tidbit and the nitty-gritty details about how to make your own candles, I encourage you to check out my book Make & Give Home Candle Making. It has tons of unique homemade candle ideas, too!
But let’s buckle in, because this is a juicy, tip-filled article. I cover everything you need to know about making homemade candles.
First, I’ll break down the different types of materials available, and then I’ll go into step-by-step candle-making instructions. I’ll finish off by sharing some of my candle projects to spark some inspiration.
Feel free to jump ahead to whatever section you’re interested in most below!
A Note on Safety
Remember that we’re dealing with fire here! All candles should never be burned without you in attendance. Always be prepared to extinguish a candle by covering it. Do not throw water on a burning candle, as it can cause the wax to splatter.
When adding anything into a candle other than wax, be aware that it can catch on fire. If you add herbs or other elements like glitter, colour, or even essential oils, they can react in a way that you might not expect.
Materials for Candle Making
While candle making is fairly straightforward, each material has a few options. Read through to find the best option for you based on your desired candle and budget.
When it comes to wax, there are three popular options for candle making: beeswax, soy, and paraffin. All are fairly easy to come across, either online or in craft and candle-making stores.
Beeswax is created by honeybees, giving it a sweet honey aroma and honey colour hue to the candles you make. It’s on the more expensive side, but often doesn’t need any fragrance added (though it pairs well with citrus and floral scents).
Soy wax is a vegetable-based wax made of hydrogenated soybean oil. It comes in a creamy white that can easily be dyed any colour. It also takes well to most fragrances. It has a lower melting point and a longer burn time than paraffin wax, but it can create dimples when the candle is burned.
Paraffin wax is a byproduct of crude oil and has been used for over 150 years to make candles. It can be a more economical choice for wax and is known for an even burn. However, it has a shorter burn time than soy wax.
You can always blend your waxes to improve wax texture, performance, and affordability. Don’t be scared to mix things up!
Candle Vessels
Choosing a container for your candle is one of the best ways to personalize your candle. As you can see from the pictures in this post, I’ve made candles in all kinds of containers.
Any container that is heatproof, clean, and free of cracks and holes is a goodoption. Avoid using large jars, as they require lots of wax to fill, which can get expensive and create an uneven burn once you light the candle.
Aim for containers that are pint-sized or smaller. Here are a few recycled container ideas you can try:
Candle Wicks
Wicks come in all materials and types. You don’t want to choose a wick that’s too small, or your candle won’t melt all the way to the edge. On the other hand, a wick that is too large will create lots of smoke. You want to look at the packaging of the wick to see what wax it’s appropriate for and the appropriate vessel diameter.
Here are some wick options:
Cotton wick: comes in a large roll of string and is braided for thickness.
Wood wick: flat wicks made from a soft wood. Make a cracking sound when burned.
Wired wick: contains a thin zinc wire to help keep the wick straight.
Waxed wick: contains a thin coat of wax. Use a paraffin-coated wick for paraffin wax and a soy-coated wick for both soy and beeswax.
Tabs: metal tabs to hold and weigh the wick down at the bottom of the container (often glued in place).
Artificial Fragrance vs Essential Oils
Personally, I rely only on essential oils for my candles. I find artificial fragrances irritating, especially in candle form when they are designed to scent the whole room. That being said, I’ll tell you the pros and cons of both fragrance and essential oils.
Fragrance oils are the most consistent. They are designed to handle the hot temperatures of a lit candle without evaporating, and come in a wide variety of lab-created scents you just won’t find in an essential oil.
Essential oils are natural scents extracted from plants. They’re sometimes better suited for people with scent sensitivities or allergies. Essential oils are common in aromatherapy thanks to their healing effects. In candles, they aren’t as consistent in fragrance as some will evaporate at the high temperatures of candles.
Pro Tip: hot throw refers to the scent the candle gives off when it’s burned, while cold throw refers to the candle’s scent when unlit.
You can also try to make youe own fragrance blends by combining different scents.
Colouring Candles
Another great way to personalize your candle is by adding colour. I love making ombre candles by layering different colours of wax. You can use liquid wax dye and solid wax dye, both designed for colouring candles.
I also like to use crayons because they’re super inexpensive. However, they can give a slight crayon smell and can clog a wick. To avoid this, use them in a very small amount.
All in all, remember that you’re dealing with fire here. You don’t want to include anything large and flammable. Keep elements like dried flowers to the edges. I like incorporating pressed flowers along the glass where they are decorative but well away from the wick and fire.
Another creative way to decorate is with wax itself. You can make shapes out of beeswax sheets (like in this flower candle).
You can also buy moulds with all kinds of shapes that you can use to fill with wax and then decorate the top of your candles with. I particularly like these succulent ones, this seashell mould, this flower one, and this fall-themed set.
Wrapping Candles
The final touch on a candle is to wrap it up. If you’re gifting your candle, you definitely don’t want to skip this step!
Here are some wrapping suggestions:
How to Make Candles At Home: Step-by-Step
Now onto the candle making! Once you have all your supplies and materials sorted out, the actual candle-making process isn’t difficult.
Gather your supplies ahead of time
Start by preparing your wick. Assemble your wick of choice by placing it in a tab (if it isn’t already in one). Make sure it sits flat on the bottom of the container.
Add a dab of hot glue or a wax adhesive to firmly attach the wick tab to the bottom of the container. Use a pencil or pen with a lid if you can’t get your fingers to the bottom of the container.
Secure your wicks before pouring the wax.
Use a chopstick or clothespin to help keep the wick upright and straight.
Even glued down, wicks can move. A chopstick or clothespin helps to keep it straight.
Prepare your double boiler. I like to use a container with a pour spout to make pouring my wax as easy as possible. If you make homemade candles often enough, I suggest investing in a candle pouring pitcher.
Temperature is important when pouring candles.
If working with wax blocks, cut them up into smaller pieces to help them melt faster.
Weigh the amount of wax needed on a scale, followed by the fragrance or essential oils.
Weight is more accurate for measuring your wax.
Heat the wax over medium heat until the wax is melted and reaches the appropriate temperature designated on the packaging of the wax you purchased.
If you’re adding colour and scent, the wax needs to be heated higher than you will pour the candle. It will differ depending on what type of wax you’re using since they all have different melting points. So refer to your wax’s packaging for the temperature.
Candle dye can come as a liquid or a wax chip.
Let the wax cool to 140°F and pour the wax into the container.
Make your candles in a warm room to prevent cracking or dips.
Wrap your candle in a towel and let it cool down, and set it completely untouched in a warm room.
After 24 hours, trim your wick to 1/8” to ¼”. And it’s ready to be burned!
Trim your wicks once your candles are fully cured.
Unique Homemade Candle Ideas
I’ve made MANY candles over the years. Here are a handful of the candles I’ve made for indoor, outdoor, and Christmas use. Find detailed tips and tutorials for each candle by clicking the project link!
Indoor Candle Projects
Outdoor Candle Projects
Christmas and Holiday Candles
Homemade Candles Troubleshooting
How much fragrance do I add to my candles?
Fragrance load is how much scent oil the wax will hold. A common fragrance load for soy wax is one ounce of scent oil per one pound of wax, or a 6.25% ratio.
You can increase or decrease the ratio depending on how strong the scent is. Use 8-10% for a subtly fragrant oil and 6-8% for a strongly scented one.
How to make homemade candles smell stronger?
Fragrance oils will always smell stronger than essential oils, since they are designed to handle the higher temperatures when lit. Essential oils can evaporate when they reach a certain temperature, leaving the cooled-down candle nearly scentless. So, while they may have a nice cold throw (scent when unlit), they may lose the hot throw (scent when lit).
If you want to stick with natural essential oils, choose strong, notable scents such as eucalyptus, sweet orange, lemon, and cinnamon.
Make sure you add the fragrance at a higher temperature so that it properly bonds to the wax and is evenly distributed. The temperature varies depending on the wax, so read the packaging for the exact temperature. For soy wax, it’s typically around 160°F.
Why do my homemade candles sink in the middle?
A depressed center can occur from the wax cooling too quickly or varying wax temperature. If you get a depressed area around the wick when cooled, warm up some more wax and pour a thin layer on top of the candle to smooth out the surface. You can also smooth out the top using a low-temperature heat gun (do not use a blow dryer, as it melts and splatters the wax).
Some brands of soy wax can create dimples when it’s burned. If this happens, consider using a different brand or a soy wax blend.
Cracks in the candle can happen if the wax was cooled too quickly or left in a cold room.
And that just about covers it all! If you have any more questions about how to make your own candles, leave them in the comments below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m able!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. For many years, I have done anti-bullying PSA campaigns to contribute to the discourse, but truth be told, it was hard to find a way in 2025 that didn’t feel too earnest or treacly. Sadly, we still see bullying behavior everywhere. If it isn’t the FCC bullying Jimmy Kimmel, it’s LGBTQ+ rights under attack, and even Kanye West’s forthcoming album, Bully. What could I do this (fucking) year that didn’t feel tone-deaf, but could somehow help?
In early September, I texted Richard Christiansen, founder of lifestyle and wellness brand Flamingo Estate, to ask him if, like some recent collaborations—Pamela Anderson’s pickles, Laura Dern’s olive oil, and LeBron James’s honey—we could join forces on a candle in support of National Bullying Prevention Month with a small portion of the proceeds benefiting some anti-bullying organizations. Candles have always been something that help me ground and find my center—especially in tough times. I burn them daily in my home as a reminder of warmth, and the fragrance transports me. I travel with candles, gift them often (yes, even after I read that hosts often think a candle has been regifted), and always have one lit near my bath. But more than anything, candles symbolize a light in the dark. “I love that idea. God knows I had enough bullying at school,” Christiansen replied in seconds. “And no—not a small portion of the proceeds. ALL OF THE PROCEEDS [can go to the charities].” (Yes, get yourself a friend like Richard Christiansen.)
While I was initially flattered that Christiansen had responded so quickly to me (although in case you forgot, I am charming after all), I came to learn there was a deeper meaning behind his enthusiasm.
Growing up in rural Australia, one of two boys raised by farmer parents, Christiansen experienced incessant bullying at school. “I was a soft, gentle, gay kid who grew up in a very hypermasculine, sort of rural world. My dad sent us to a school that had a cadet-like program—I think to toughen us up,” he explained over the phone. “I was very aware that I was just not like the other boys. My brother and I both were bullied pretty heavily all the way through high school.”
Without a doubt, pumpkin spice has taken the fall world by storm. I love the way it smells, instantly making me feel cozy and ready for the sweater weather season. This pumpkin spice candle is the embodiment of the seasonal favourite, filling your home with the signature scent in the cutest DIY pumpkin container.
Just about everywhere you turn in autumn, you will find pumpkin spice everything. I’m not just talking about coffee, either. From lip balm to car diffusers, to yes, candles, pumpkin spice is in the air! You can easily make your own DIY pumpkin spice candle using a signature blend of oils and a tiny pumpkin itself.
A candle burning is much more up my alley when it comes to pumpkin spice. The warm notes of cinnamon, ginger, clove, cardamom, and orange are perfect for the fall. They fill the house with coziness and allow you to settle into shorter days and longer nights.
It’s a scent combination that doesn’t feel as comfortable in the spring and summer, so enjoy it while you can. This pumpkin spice candle is a celebration that is meant to be enjoyed before the season passes.
This pumpkin candle is one of many fun and unique candle projects that come from my book, Make & Give Home Candle Making. All of the 12 artisan-inspired projects are designed to help you learn your own candle-making techniques so you can make your own beautiful creations.
This post will cover…
While I chose tiny pumpkins as my candle vessel, you can use this recipe for any vessel.
Thank you to Leisure Arts for providing these photos of the pumpkin spice candles from the book.
Can You Use Essential Oils in Candles?
Candle scent is differentiated by hot throw (the scent that a candle gives off when burned) and cold throw (the scent that an unlit candle gives off). Both essential oils and fragrance oils can be used to scent your candles; however, I prefer essential oils.
Essential oils are natural scents extracted from plants, and they are sometimes better tolerated by people with scent sensitivities or allergies. Used in aromatherapy, they have different healing effects (such as relaxation or focus) ascribed to the aromatic diffusion.
Essential oils typically have an expected cold throw, but can be inconsistent with hot throw, as each oil type and oil manufacturer will produce oils with differing qualities.
This is because some essential oils will evaporate at the high temperatures needed for binding the scent with the wax. When the candle cools, the scent could evaporate and leave the candle with very little scent. So when purchasing your essential oils, look for ones of high quality or designed specifically for use with candles.
Essential oils can be better for those with scent sensitivities.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Scented Candles
Now that you have the pumpkin spice candle fragrance all figured out, the next part is coming up with the cutest container. I love to use actual tiny pumpkins to make my candles.
These pumpkin candles are ideal for entertaining or giving as gifts, as they last as long as the pumpkin. Since pumpkin spice is such a short-lived scent for the fall, it works out well!
When using perishables as a candle container, it’s best to choose the fruits before they completely ripen, so they last as long as possible after pouring the candle.
Make the candle just before you give it as a gift or use it at a party. The wax will seal the open flesh and prevent some decomposition. Use a wood slice or a plate under the candle to protect the surface below, and never leave a burning candle unattended.
There are a whole host of wonderful natural containers like citrus rinds, apples, gourds (like these festive tealight candles), and pumpkins that can be used to make a container candle. So let your imagination go wild!
Gourd tealights.
DIY Pumpkin Spice Candle
Makes one 8 oz (225g) candle
Usher in autumn with the signature pumpkin spice scent. This pumpkin candle project is meant to be used soon after it is made because the container is a real pumpkin, and therefore perishable.
Materials
For exact measurements, see the instruction card below.
Baby boo pumpkins are the small white ones, and are what I used for this project.
Equipment
Make It!
Prepare the pumpkin as if you were making a small jack-o-lantern: use a paring knife to cut into the pumpkin and remove the top; then use a tablespoon or melon baller to scrape out the seeds and fibers.
Make the opening as wide as you want your candle to be.
Weigh the soy wax and add it to a double boiler on medium heat.
When the melted wax has reached the specified temperature for adding essential oil (e.g., 160°F – see the instructions that came with your wax), add the essential oils. Stir well to bind.
Cool the wax to 140°F and pour it into the pumpkin.
Let the wax cool slightly before pouring it into your pumpkin.
When the candle wax starts to turn opaque, insert the wick. Use the chopsticks to hold the wick in place as the candle cools. Wrap the candle in a towel and place it in a warm room to slowly set.
Chopsticks help to hold the wick in place.
Allow the candle to cure for 24 hours undisturbed. Once cured, trim the wick with scissors to ¼ inch above the surface of the wax.
Make this pumpkin candle the day before you intend to gift it, and with the understanding that the recipient will use it soon after receiving it. Place the pumpkin on a wood slice or a pretty ceramic plate and wrap it with a linen bow. Attach a little tag with coordinating baker’s twine.
A wood slice below helps to protect the surface below the pumpkin as it slowly decomposes.
Pumpkin Spice Candle FAQ
How long will the pumpkin last?
Once cut, I find the pumpkin lasts about one week. So this is meant to be enjoyed right away! To help prolong the life of the pumpkin, keep it cool when not in use (such as in the fridge).
The wood slice beneath the pumpkin acts as a barrier for the bottom of the pumpkin, since that’s where it will tend to decompose first.
What is in pumpkin spice?
When making the best-smelling pumpkin spice candle out there, the best way to achieve enough fragrance is by using essential oils (no, not the actual pumpkin spice mixture you get at the grocery store!). For my pumpkin candles, I use an essential oil blend of cardamom, orange, cinnamon bark, clove, and ginger.
More Ways to Add Scent to Your Home
DIY Pumpkin Spice Candle
This recipe makes one 8 oz pumpkin spice candle in a miniature pumpkin container.
Carve out the inside of the pumpkin like you would a jack-o-lantern. Use the paring knife to cut open into the pumpkin and then use the melon baller to scrape out the guts.
Use the kitchen scale to weigh your soy wax. On medium heat, add it to the double boiler.
Wait until the wax has reached the required melting temperature to add the essential oils (it should say on the package). Add in the essential oils and stir well.
Let the wax cool to 140°F and then pour it inside the pumpkin.
When the candle wax turns opaque in color, insider the wick and use the chopsticks to hold it in place. To slowly set the candle, wrap the candle in a towel and place it in a warm room.
Let the candle sit for 24 hours. Trim the wick to 1/4 inch above the wax.
Gift right away as the pumpkin is perishable. To protect the surface, place a decorative wood slice or ceramic plate below the candle while burning.
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Heartbreak and fear linger in a Melbourne neighborhood three days after a deadly shooting that killed a 2-year-old girl and injured two adults. Police are still looking for whoever is responsible for this tragedy.A growing memorial outside the home on Poplar Lane now features balloons, candles and stuffed animals left in honor of the little girl, identified by family members as Bles’syn. Police have not officially released the victims’ names, but family members said the two adults fighting for their lives in the hospital are the girl’s grandparents. Neighbors say the shooting has left the community shaken.“It brought me to tears because I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I was just devastated,” said Belinda Durant, a neighbor.“I just have been inside, keeping my door locked. I’m scared,” she added. Police remain at the home as detectives gather evidence and work to track down whoever did this. Melbourne police say there are no new updates in the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the department or submit an anonymous tip through CrimeLine.
MELBOURNE, Fla. —
Heartbreak and fear linger in a Melbourne neighborhood three days after a deadly shooting that killed a 2-year-old girl and injured two adults.
Police are still looking for whoever is responsible for this tragedy.
A growing memorial outside the home on Poplar Lane now features balloons, candles and stuffed animals left in honor of the little girl, identified by family members as Bles’syn.
Police have not officially released the victims’ names, but family members said the two adults fighting for their lives in the hospital are the girl’s grandparents.
Neighbors say the shooting has left the community shaken.
“It brought me to tears because I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I was just devastated,” said Belinda Durant, a neighbor.
“I just have been inside, keeping my door locked. I’m scared,” she added.
Police remain at the home as detectives gather evidence and work to track down whoever did this.
Melbourne police say there are no new updates in the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the department or submit an anonymous tip through CrimeLine.
If you are the awkward type that enjoys the smell of gasoline, well now you can enjoy that smell not only at gas stations but in the comfort of your own home with this Gasoline Scented Candle. One strike of a match and you will be enjoying the pungent odor of gasoline you enjoyed so much while pumping your gas.
Forget a perfectly stacked log cabin and helplessly blowing on your tiny flame. Spend time enjoying your summer nights, not getting frustrated trying to start a fire. These camping fire starters are one of the easiest ways to start a fire, whether that’s out in the woods or in your backyard.
Besides being out in the garden, you’ll also find me out in the woods come summertime. And just like gardening, I didn’t grow up as a camper.
It was always something I wanted to try out, and when I first saw my pop top camper van, it was love at first sight. I knew it would the perfect little home on wheels for kiddo and I. You can see it on my camping blog!
One of the most beloved parts of camping is the nights spent around the campfire under the stars. While I have a propane fire that I often use for ease, you can’t deny the magic that comes from the crackling wood and smell of a real campfire.
Starting a campfire can take some finessing (are you team teepee or log cabin?), and sometimes, no matter how much newspaper and kindling you have, the fire just doesn’t catch.
This is precisely why I like to use wax fire starters. They’re much more reliable and easier to use! Better yet, they don’t require you to have pounds of sawdust or go foraging for witch’s hair lichen to make them.
Here’s how to make fire starters to use for camping or your backyard!
Dried flowers are an easy way to dress up your wax fire starters and are perfect for the summer.
Homemade Camping Fire Starters
These camping fire starters are quite simple to make, especially if you’ve made candles before! While they can be simple and plain, I like to turn these campfire starters into a little bit of a craft project. Because who doesn’t love pretty things?
Equipment
Materials
Get creative with all the different decor items you add. Just make sure they’re fire-safe!
Melt the Wax
When making these wax fire starters, I use standard soy wax. It’s what I use for most of my candle-making projects. Soy burns quite clean and produces less soot. They’re also pretty affordable compared to beeswax.
That being said, you can use just about any wax for this project. Feel free to use the leftover wax from the bottom of old candles to give them a second life.
Melt your wax in a large pot over low heat. If needed, break up your wax into smaller chunks beforehand to help it melt faster.
You can also add a few drops of food colouring to the wax once fully melted if you want it to be a specific colour. I’ve also popped in an old crayon to change the colour.
You can also add fragrance oil for a delicious-smelling campfire! The right scent, like citronella, might even repel mosquitoes.
Melt on low and stir frequently so your wax doesn’t catch fire.
Prepare Your Liners
Line up your paper muffin liners in a muffin tin like you’re about to make a batch of cupcakes. This is the easiest way to make a shape for your DIY campfire starter.
Next, add in your cotton wick. You can use metal wick tabs as well as candle glue dots to hold your wick in place. Just know that the metal tab won’t burn, and you will have to remove this from the ashes when you’re cleaning up your fire.
If you’re okay with a wick that’s a little loosey-goosey rather than straight, it’s easiest to skip the metal wick tabs altogether.
Once you add your decorative elements, they will also help to keep your wicks upright.
Pour Your Wax
Pour your wax directly into the liners, filling them about 2/3 of the way full. To make this step a little easier, you can pour directly from the pot or use a ladle or smaller vessel with a pour spout.
Don’t worry about being exact with how much you pour into each vessel.
Add Your Decorative Elements
These wax fire starts can be as simple as just straight wax. But where’s the fun in that? In my summer themed camping fire starters, I used dried flowers such as hops, calendula, rose, and lavender to make them really pretty.
Don’t place your decorations all the way in. Otherwise, you won’t be able to see them.
Let The Camping Fire Starters Cool
Once you’re satisfied with all your decorative elements, let your wax fire starters completely cool before you remove them from the muffin tin.
And then they’re ready to use! Simply light the wick to ignite your camping fire starter.
These are my more winter or fall-themed wax fire starters.
Make These Wax Fire Starters as Gifts!
I make these wax fire starters year-round. While they’re perfect for camping, you can use them in the summer for backyard fires.
They also work wonderfully indoors during the winter. They’re pretty enough to be on display on the fire mantle or nearby in a stack. For a winter version, you can add different additions, such as pinecones or cinnamon sticks.
Wax fire starters are a wonderful hostess gift. If you know someone who has a wood-burning stove or fireplace in their home, these can be a unique handmade gift for the winter season.
I think these are just the best campfire starters because they’re easy to use and make. And they don’t cost much in materials at all! Let me know if you use these for a summer night under the stars in the comments below.
More Fun Crafty Projects to Try
Wax Camping Fire Starters
Use these simple and inexpensive camping fire starters to easily light up a campfire while out in the woods or in your backyard.
Melt wax in a large pot over low heat. If needed, break up wax into smaller chunks beforehand to lessen melting time.
Add in food colouring or a crayon to dye the wax if wanted.
Line up muffin liners in a muffin tin. Add in the cotton wick, using wick tabs and glue dots if wanted. These help to hold the wick in place, though the wick tab will not burn.
Pour melted wax into the liners until they’re about 2/3 full.
Add in decorative elements, allowing the tops of the decorations to stick out of the wax. Adjust the wick placement if needed.
Allow the wax to cool fully. Light the wick to use your fire starter!
96North acquisition is Alphagreen Group’s entrance into the Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) market. The aromatherapy sector is a natural next stage for the wellness-focused house of brands. Alphagreen will utilise its NUOPTIMA service arm to optimise growth.
Press Release –
Jul 12, 2022
LONDON, July 12, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Alphagreen Group, a house of brands focused on the health and wellness e-commerce sector, has acquired organic aromatherapy candle brand 96North.
Alphagreen Group has a growing portfolio of brands within the wellness niche and is looking to increase their acquisition pipeline as other aggregators have decreased their acquisitions. 96North is a US-grown brand that recently expanded into the UK. They have been selling on the Amazon platform since 2020 and rank in the top 1% of jar candles.
96North is currently on track to achieve 260% growth in the 12 months after acquisition. With an increase in stock and marketing spend, which Alphagreen were keen to provide, the brand can successfully scale on Amazon and within other channels. Since the acquisition, 96North has doubled in the number of customer reviews on the Amazon platform, which is a vital algorithmic element for organic ranking.
With Alphagreen Group’s focus on consumer wellness areas of sleep, pain, and anxiety, the aromatherapy niche is naturally a sector of interest for the house of brands. Alphagreen is also committed to providing sustainable and environmentally safe products to answer the ethical requirements of the modern wellness consumer. The group has a pipeline of new products to be launched to extend 96North’s presence in the aromatherapy market including reed diffusers, mists and several more.
Alphagreen Group’s growth optimisation service arm, NUOPTIMA, is the driving force behind Alphagreen’s brand acquisition and incubation strategy. The team has already helped just under 100 brands deliver improvements and revenue growth on Amazon and platforms such as Google, Facebook and Tik Tok. Fulfilment operations in the UK and Europe will allow the brand to further scale its DTC and omnichannel presence in the US, UK and EU markets.
Alphagreen Founder and CEO Alexej Pikovsky said: “96North is a proud addition to our portfolio and we are excited to explore the potential this brand has for further product offerings in the home fragrance and aromatherapy niche. Alphagreen Group has been waiting for the right strategic acquisition before entering the Amazon FBA market and, after deep due diligence of over 40 brands, we know 96North has the solid yearly growth figures and a strong category presence to align with our initial goals. As a house of brands with a tech-enabled business service under our umbrella, we are uniquely positioned and have the specialist capability to bring acquired brands to market and effectively scale quickly.”
Pikovsky predicts that due to the upcoming changes to privacy regulations, and the rising costs of social advertising, Amazon will become a fundamental channel for DTC brands in the future. 96North is the first of the Group’s strategic acquisitions within the Amazon FBA arena.
-END-
Notes to Editors
For more information contact alphagreen@shift6studios.com.
About Alphagreen Group
Alphagreen Group is a global acquisition and incubation platform with a health & wellness focus. The group helps brands to scale via its own distribution channels and an extensive external omnichannel network.
Founded in 2019, Alphagreen Group was born from a passion for health and wellbeing, combined with technology and innovation. The brainchild of entrepreneurs Alexej Pikovsky and Viktor Khliupko, Alphagreen is working to simplify the entire shopper experience across self-care wellness sectors including sleep, pain, and anxiety.
