Materials

• 3-1/4" Diameter Polycarbonate
  Ball Mold

• 5" (12.5 cm) – 2/0 wick

• Concentrated Scent
  Squares – Peppermint

• General purpose wax

Step 1: Place wick in ball mold. Melt wax and add peppermint scent to wax as desired. Pour your candle. Allow candle to cool and then re-fill depression in the center of the candle. Cool completely and remove finished candle from mold.

Step 2: Add peppermint scent and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of glitter to 1 to 2 cups (250-500 ml) of melted paraffin wax and stir. Place melted paraffin in a deep bowl. Cool wax until a thin skin forms over the surface of the wax. Then, using an electric mixer or egg beater, whip melted wax until it becomes light and fluffy.

Step 3: Now, you must work QUICKLY. The whipped wax will cool quickly and become hard and unmanageable. Apply the whipped wax to the outside of the ball
candle with a fork. Cover the whole candle in this manner, holding the candle by the wick so that you can work on the entire candle at once.

Be careful! The wax can still be quite hot at the beginning of this process. If wax becomes too cool to work with, reheat and whip again.

Yellow beeswax has a natural golden appearance while white beeswax has a more refined milky white appearance.

New to candle making? Get a jump start with a candle-making kit.

With the approach of a new year, it's a good time to evaluate ehancements to your candle making business. Here is Candlewic's candle making wish list to get you thinking about ways to diversify your candle lines.

New Candle Fragrances

Our avid readers know that fragrances are a driving factor in sales, and of all candles sold, 94% of them are scented. The classic fragrances such as Cinnamon, Balsam and others will always sell, but consumers, especially candle purchasers are always searching for something new. Some of the most popular fragrances these days go well beyond your basic Strawberry, Apple and Blueberry.

The current fragrances include a wide range of different fragrances and some of the top new ones have many different notes and draw from some classic fragrances. These include Pumpkin Chai, Mistletoe and Fig, Pomegranate Cider to name a few. These are great for fall and winter and would be a great addition to any candle line.

Some of the better sellers can be re-introduced with some new wrinkles to them. For example Apple Crisp, Apple Pie and Sweet Apple Pie have always been great sellers. In the new Apple Crumb fragrance, some nice new scents have been included like cinnamon, nutmeg & clove spices in a vanilla and musk base.

New Glassware

In addition to offering new fragrances it also helps to change up the jars you offer. There are many new and unique designs out there. Because the diameters are similar in many cases, you do not have to go through the process of resizing wicks. Some of the newest best sellers include Libbey’s Status line which is available in sizes ranging from 2.75 ounces all the way up to 21 ounces.

Another very nicely designed line offered by Libbey is the Interlude which is available from 4oz and 12 ounces which is perfect for this design.

Wooden Wicks

While it is hard to generate excitement with a wick, wooden wicks will definitely liven up any candle line. These relatively new wicks are not designed to eliminate your cotton wicks but are more to offer a different candle burning experience to your customer. These do work best with a soft soy/paraffin blend. These are available in Small , Medium, Large and Extra large, so you will be sure to find one that will work in your "new container".

Soap Making Supplies

In many respects the soap and candle making processes are the same, and a nice collection of soaps can enhance any candle line. The holiday seasons give you an audience to test them out, and soap makes for wonderful gifts for friends, neighbors and co-workers. There is an excellent inexpensive kit if you wanted to try a soap making kit (Kit-14) from Candlewic.

We previously posted 5 Luminary Candle-Making Secrets, but did you know just how easy it is to make a luminary candle? I'll show you in 3 easy steps.

Step 1: Select a votive to use. For making this project you can use one that you made or a standard 15-hour votive.

Step 2: Fill a luminary bag with enough sand to prevent the bag from blowing away in the evening. Place the votive in the bag and light. Naturally, these candles should only be used in outdoor displays.

Step 3: Line along a driveway or a sidewalk.

Enjoy!