Christmas Chunk Pillars

These candles are so easy to make and one of the prettiest around! They illuminate beautifully as they burn, leaving a slight hint of stained glass. I actually make these with a lot of scents and for a lot of holidays because they are fun and easy and oh so pretty! The randomness of thin, various size chunks versus smaller or uniform size chunks creates excellent visual appeal!

You can make these in no time and they require very minimal skills. Here is what you will need!

Supplies:
IGI 4625 Pillar Blend
1/0 Square Braid Cotton Wick
Mold Sealer Putty
Mold Plugs
Wick Rods
Fragrance. For this I used the Sleighbells
Dye. These candles are made with Red Liquid Dye

Thermometer
Pouring Pot
Jelly Roll Pan
3x4.5” , 3x6.5” and 3x9.5” Aluminum Molds
Presto Kitchen Kettle, Commercial Melter or Double Boiler
Digital Scale

Instructions:

• Weigh out your wax. For a 3” x 4.5” the weight of the wax is 15 oz, the 3” x 6.5” is 23 oz,  3” x 9.5” is 34 oz. So, to make all three sizes at once, you will need 73 weight oz of wax. 
• Melt the wax until it reaches 185*.
• Add your fragrance. For this batch I used 4.75 oz fragrance by weight. 
• Now, take about 40 oz of the wax out and color it deep red. Pour this out onto your jelly roll pan. You may need more than one depending on the thickness you want them and the size of your pan. I use two smaller pans. Allow the wax to cool and break it into random size chunks.
• Pre wick your molds at this point being sure that the wick is tight in there! Always be sure to use mold sealer to prevent leaks!
• Once your chunks are cooled (I actually place mine in the fridge for a bit to be sure they are cold before putting them in the molds) I fill the molds up completely. Pack them tight, the hot wax will fill the voids later. 
• Now with the molds filled with chunks, re-heat the remaining clear, scented wax to 165-180* and pour into the molds until they are completely full (the hotter the wax the more the chunks will melt, the cooler the more rustic finish you will get. These candles were poured at about 170-175* and have a slightly rough textured finish.
• Allow the candles to cool until the wax is solid yet pliable, poking relief holes around the wick to allow air to escape about ¾ of the way down the candle. 
• Reheat the wax reserved to 190 and repour to the top, this process may need to be repeated several times, poking relief holes before each until the tops are smooth.
  Once done, remove the candle from the mold, and level if necessary. Trim wicks and they are ready to burn in 24 hours!
   

Hope that you find this project to be fun and your customers love it as much as mine have for many years!

Have a Safe & Happy Holiday Season!
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