I finally got around to making a beeswax candle. I had a big block of beeswax just sitting around, waiting for me to do something with it. I have gifting plans for this one, but the rest of the gift awaits me getting off of my lazy behind and finishing it. Baby steps.
Beeswax candles smell great, burn with less soot and smoke and have no chemicals. Turns out they are easy to make too, but next time I will enlist the dad and his giant Paul Bunyan paws to grate the huge 5 lb block of beeswax. I got a cramp in my hand.
DIY Beeswax Candle
Materials:
- beeswax (enough to fill your container)
- box grater
- glass measuring bowl
- essential oil of your choice
- braided cotton wick and wick clip
- container of choice to hold the candle
Directions:
Grate the beeswax and melt in 1 or 2 minute increments in the microwave, stopping and stirring occasionally.
While that is happening, pull a length of wick through the wick clip, crimp the clip to hold the wick in place, dip it in a little melted wax and secure it to the bottom of your container to hold it in place. I wrapped the other end of the wick around a pen and centred the pen on top of my tea cup to keep the wick straight as I poured the hot wax.
Once the wax has melted, add in an essential oil of your choice (supposedly 10-12 drops per every 5.5 ounces of wax). I used lavender oil for mine. Then carefully pour it into your container and let it cool. Clip the wick, leaving yourself about 1/2″ to work with.
You can also just add the grated beeswax to your container and melt it in the oven. See the tutorial for that method here.
Linked to Frugally Sustainable, A Pinch of Joy, Sorta Crunchy, Knick of Time Interiors, Homestead Simple, GNOWFGLINS
lightlycrunchy 
really like the teacup you chose for your candle – the giftee is a lucky person
Fantastic! I love this as a thoughtful gift idea, and hopefully it’s cheaper for me than $50 a month candle habit…
The teacup and saucer you have used are so beautiful I can’t stop looking at the photo.
Thanks! You could make an awful lot of these for $50.
The teacup *is* a lovely idea…. I’m copying the link to the post to my wife.
Thanks! We have inherited and been given a large number of them, so it seemed like a nice container for a candle. Plus, after the candle is done, it’s still a teacup.
I think the smell of lavander and beeswax must be heavenly. I hear you on the grating too ;O Have you found a simple/easy way to clean everything up? I usually end up taking the kettle outside and just pouring boiling water all over everything a few times then hot soapy water. Beeswax seems ‘extra’ sticky.
*anna
I did pretty much the same thing, just in the sink. It seemed to come off pretty easily.
Ahh, the smell of lavender, I’m going to give this a try too. thanks for the recipe
I’m going to have to make another one for myself too. I’m tempted to burn this one.
It’s almost to pretty to burn Heidi! What a lovely gift!
Love this! I’ve got all the stuff to make homemade lip balm w/ similar ingredients… Would live to try the candle!
It’s very easy – and the wicks and clips aren’t very expensive, plus you get enough to make several in each package.
Such a pretty gift! Do you know if you can dye the wax?
I don’t know, it actually hadn’t even occurred to me. There must be something out there, in Google land about it..
My mother used to use non toxic crayons to color her wax. She saved our broken crayons, it does not take much, just drop pieces in when you melt your wax until you get the color you want. I’m a yard sale junkie and this is a great idea, now I will see candles in all those neat little planters/pots and containers.
I make candles and crayons can clog up the wick and you wont get such a great burn, could smoke too.
OH!! I LOVE this idea! I have some cups and saucers that were my great-grandmothers as well as my grandmother…I think GG started collecting them then my grandmother. I have them hanging in my dining room. I always have a soft spot for the beautiful, delicately decorated ones like you have there. 🙂
My cups are all passed down from Grandmas and my mom, too. I think we have enough now to open our own tea room.
That is about the cutest thing ever! I love the teacup and saucer idea.
Clever, clever you! This looks beautiful, what a wonderful gift to give someone. I have to bookmark this for Christmas time.
[…] are always on the go, working hard, so I know someone will be able to use them. I included the lavender beeswax candle in a tea-cup that I made on the weekend, because she loves anything to do with tea and tea cups, […]
Wow I have the same Tea cup from my grandma. I would love to make those , but was afraid of cracking it. Lol duh hot tea right… Thanks bees wax calling
It must smell so wonderful! I really like the tea cup you chose as well. About how many candles like this one do you think you could make with a 5 lb block of wax?
A lot. I’ve barely made a dent in it.
Weigh the tea cup to get a tare weight, then add the melted beeswax and weigh again. Probably around 6-8 oz according to the size beeswax candles I make.
If it smells as wonderful as it looks, it must be fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing it last week at Knick of Time Tuesday – I’ll be featuring you today and there will be an, “I Was Featured” button waiting there for you!
Blessings,
Angie @ Knick of Time
Thank you!
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Can’t wait to try. Where did you purchase the beeswax block?
We have an apiary close by that I bought a big block of wax from.
So, have you found that the 10-12 drops per 5.5 ounces is a good amount of essential oil?
Yep, it seemed to work out to the right amount of scent. I can’t remember how many drops it took for the teacup now – I wish I’d written it down at the time.
Hi Heidi, I love the candle cup you made and am researching before I make my own. I have read that beeswax burns very hot and can crack glass containers. Have you found this to be true? Especially for china and bone china, will it crack?
It hasn’t cracked so far.
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Have you tried to burn this yet. It doesnt look like you used big nuff wicking. If you did burn it, what was the size of your tea cup and what size wick did you use. I think its important to tell people that wicking for candles is tricky, at best. Too big a wick and it burns a hole down center too small and it flickers and drowns. There are a gazillion sites and i have found non of the accurate. They say to experiment with size of wick and container.
My mom has burned it – it burns a well in the middle, like all candles, but seems to work fine.
You need larger wick or two wicks in it then. I have baan making allot of bees wax candles and have found that wick size and type make a huge difference. Use a square braid wick, its made for bees wax and acts like a straw sucking up the melted wax to burn. A puddle in the center means the wick is not big enough, and not putting out enough heat to melt the whole candle. Maybe even try 3 of the same kind of wick in a triangle pattern. Its a beautiful candle, but you will get so much more with the right wick.
So how does the china tea cup do as a candle jar? Is it heat safe??? I love the idea… thinking of Mother’s day gifts!!!! Thanks!!!!
It worked great for me. And it’s reusable when it’s empty.
These are lovely! I love the smell of lavender. Can you use too much oil? I would like to use a lot more. Will that ruin the candle?
I honestly don’t know – there is no harm in trying. You can always re-melt it and dilute it with more wax if it turns out too strong.
I love this idea~I am not sure what a apairy is? Where do you find bees wax? Also I have found that flea markets have alot of tea cups, or garage sales.
An apiary is a place that keeps bees – that’s where I found my beeswax. You could probably also get it in health food stores or craft stores.
Pretty!
Next time use a double boiler instead of grating the beeswax, much easier.
I’m getting ideas for Christmas gifts for my mom and mom-in-law, though for them, making the candles in a martini and margarita glass would be much more appropriate for them!
I use beeswax very often, and putting a few tsp of baking soda into the bottom of the container and mixing it all around really helps with clean up! The baking soda traps the “grease” and clumps up allowing you to clean it with ease.
Just thought I would share 🙂
Great tip, thanks!
All, great idea but two thoughts – beware, melting of bees wax candles is highly flammable! Please use caution when melting!!! Secondly, google “bees wax “to find local vendors to purchase. I normally buy from Brushy Mountain Bee Farm.
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