May Flowers!

In the May newsletter will be a special on Metal Votive Cups and also on my favorite floral scent of all time...The BNL Sweet Pea! It's simply intoxicating! I decided this month to combine my love of making and burning votive candles with my love of Sweet Pea! This simple project takes very little skill and is simple enough for even a novice!

What you will need:
IGI 4794 Votive Blend
Pink and Green Candle Dye
44-24-18lt Wicks.
BNL Sweet Pea Fragrance
Metal Votive Cups

Once you have your molds together, wick them and then begin to melt your wax. I recommend heating the wax to about 190-195 for the first layer. Since you are working with smaller amounts, it will cool faster than normal in the pour pot. Melt exactly 12 weight ounces of wax for 6 votive candles. I recommend scenting it all at once to make this easier.

For the first layer, I used 3 weight oz of wax dyed with 2 Drops of Kelly Green Liquid. Pour into the molds equally. After the wax starts to cool, move the wick around to keep it centered in the mold.

Next heat your wax back to 190* and make another pot using 1 drop of Red/ Dark Pink liquid Dye per 7 oz of melted weight wax. Pour this on top of the green layer once you are sure it is solid enough to not melt as soon as it is poured. I poured a thin layer first then waited a few minutes and poured the rest, again filling the molds equally. After the wax starts to cool, again move the wick around to keep it centered.

Once the candle wax is cooled and has fully shrunk you will need to do your final pour. I did not color this layer. Before pouring this layer be sure the wick is completely centered.

After the wax has cooled completely, remove it from your molds. This usually will take overnight. If they do not come out easily, pop them in the freezer for a few minutes to release them. This is a simple project, something easy enough for anyone to do! :)





Happy Candle Making!

Enjoy!
Flicker

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Mother's Day is just around the corner! This adorable Wax Melt Flower Pot is the perfect gift for any "scent junkie"! Simple to make, they can be larger or smaller and can really have any scents inside! Just a little patience and a little imagination will help create this adorable gift!

This cute Pot of Melts Should easily retail in most markets for around $20-$25 each! An excellent profit and a unique product make a winning combination!

Here is a list of what you need:
IGI 4786 or 4794 wax
Fragrance
Dye
Tart Molds
*Floral Picks
*3x4 Bags
*Ribbon          *These items all came from my local craft store.
*Floral Foam
*Flower Pot

Start by making your Wax Melts. I chose to do mine in several different floral scents. Texas Bluebonnets, Dogwood, Hawaiian Plumeria, Lavender and Freesia all from Bitter Creek South. The catch to doing these is forcing them from the molds BEFORE they are cooled completely so it's best to use a silicone mold release or a powder mold release in the wax when making them. When you can see the center is still a bit soft but the sides are solid, turn the molds upside down on a counter or table and give them a push. Sometimes I do have to bang them once or twice to get them to release. 

As soon as they are out of the mold, insert the Floral Pick (remove the wire as shown in the photo above first!) slowly first using the pointed end to start a hole then turning  it around and inserting it slowly using the blunt end. Be sure they do not get too cool before attempting this step. They MUST be warm in the center and not fully solid. If they are too solid they will crack.

You now will have the "flower" part done. Place a 3" x 4" bag over the "flower" and tie it off with ribbon so it looks like this.

Now that all your "flowers" are made, stick the floral picks into the foam and arrange then so they look like a pot of flowers. You may need to use hot glue to anchor the foam into your pot as they are pretty top heavy with all the melts in them.

Enjoy this unique idea and try making some for your next craft show or home party! They are sure to be a hit!