Springtime Votives!

Spring is fast approaching (or at least I hope)! With spring comes the fresh scents of the cool spring breeze, grass, flowers and blossoming trees! I LOVE this season more than I can possibly express! It means that summer will soon be here!

This month I am going to show how to lightly bring those scents into your home (I say light because to me spring scents aren't heavy) and enjoy the scents of the season using votive candles! Why votive candles you ask? Votive candles are great to lightly scent an area. They are smaller so you can light more than one for more scent or you can scatter them around the house for beautiful lighting effects. Don't have a votive mold? Afraid to make a molded candle? No problem, you can also pour them right into the votive cups! A ready made votive candle!

A great way to sell votive candles, especially poured into the containers this time of year is to Brides to use at their wedding receptions! I find for that especially if food will be served, stick to unscented or a very light scent like a bit of the Vanilla Extract. But a lot of Brides also LOVE to give a simple gift as a reminder of their special day. A poured Flower Pot Votive scented in Champagne and Roses or Dogwood, etc. makes a beautiful impression on guests. The scent can be as individual as the bride herself! 






Supplies List:
Wax: For a molded votive *can also be poured in the cup* use the IGI 4794.
Wick: For a votive made from 4794 a 44-24-18z wick will work great. This is also true if pouring the 4794 into a standard votive cup. For a Flower Pot the 44-32-18z works best.
Dye: Either Liquid or Block Dye will work great in this wax.
Fragrance: Think Spring! The votives I made, poured in the cup are Citrus Splash the molded is made from Cucumber Melon! Dogwood, Texas Bluebonnet, Magnolia etc. are all awesome spring choices!
Container: Flower Pot Container or other Votive Glass

Instructions:
Heat wax to 180-190*. Once wax reaches desired temp, add your dye, blend well then add fragrance and again blend well. This wax should be poured between 175-185* into heated molds/containers to minimize skip lines. It is advisable to poke relief holes around the wick of the candle once the wax has become solid but is still pliable.
After the first pour has cooled, reheat your reserved wax from your first pour and refill the void (sink hole) in the candle until you reach the level of the first pour. You will want your second pour to be 10* hotter than your first pour to minimize lines from the second pour. Repeat the re-pour process as necessary.



Candle making can be both a fun and profitable venture! Take your time to test your candles for burn and scent throw and of course, safety! Putting a quality product into the market place is the biggest challenge in this business. If you have a quality product, good product marketing and a drive to sell, you can be quite successful! 

Happy Candlemaking!
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