| As featured in the story "A Candle For | | | | Use a pair of tongs (a scissors works, too), and |
| Christmas" from the book: Christmas In Dairyland | | | | dip the string into the paraffin. Dipping the string |
| (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm) (August | | | | will ensure that it is coated with paraffin since the |
| 2003; trade paperback) | | | | ice cubes may prevent some sections from |
| Materials: | | | | coming in contact with the liquid wax. Hold the |
| 1 wax carton (quart) (milk, fabric softener, or | | | | string so that it is in the middle of the carton and |
| orange juice) | | | | fill the carton with ice cubes. Pour the hot paraffin |
| 1 pound of paraffin wax | | | | over the ice cubes. |
| 4 or 5 old crayons | | | | The candle will be set in about 30 minutes. Let the |
| two trays of ice cubes | | | | candle stand for another hour or two until most |
| a double boiler (or an empty coffee can and | | | | of the ice cubes are melted. Pour off the water. |
| a saucepan) | | | | Peel off the carton. Place the candle in a tray or |
| 1 piece of ordinary white package string | | | | on a plate to catch the rest of the water from |
| about six inches long. | | | | the ice cubes as they finish melting. Let the candle |
| Caution: Do not heat paraffin directly over the | | | | dry for a day or two. |
| burner. Paraffin is easily combustible. Use a double | | | | The candles I have made with a single piece of |
| boiler or a two-pound coffee can set in a pan of | | | | string only burn for an hour or so and burn quickly |
| water. I put the coffee can on top of home | | | | enough so that most of the paraffin remains |
| canning jar rings (the rings, not the flat lids). If the | | | | intact. To use the paraffin again, melt the candle |
| can is not set on top of something, the concave | | | | and pour the wax into other containers to make |
| bottom creates a vacuum when the water begins | | | | solid candles. |
| to heat up, plus if it’s on the bottom of | | | | ~ Solid Candles ~ |
| the pan, it's just that much closer to the burner. | | | | To make solid candles, select several glass |
| Trim the top part of the carton off so that what | | | | containers. Pint or half-pint canning or jelly jars |
| remains is about six inches high. | | | | work well. For the wick, measure out a few more |
| Cut the string so that it is six inches long. (To | | | | inches of string than is needed to reach the |
| make a wick that lasts longer, try braiding three | | | | bottom of the container. Tie the string around a |
| pieces of string together.) | | | | pencil. Put the pencil across the top of the |
| Melt the paraffin wax over medium heat in a | | | | container to hold the wick in place. When the |
| double boiler or a coffee can in a pan of water. | | | | paraffin and crayons are melted, pour the liquid |
| Use three-quarters of a pound for a somewhat | | | | wax into the container(s). When the candle is set, |
| smaller candle or use all four squares for a larger | | | | snip off the wick about a half inch above the wax. |
| candle. Once the water begins to boil, it will take | | | | ~ Scented Candles ~ |
| 10 or 15 minutes for the paraffin to melt. | | | | To make scented candles, put three or four |
| Break the crayons into small pieces and add to | | | | teaspoons of vanilla extract into the bottom of |
| the paraffin. If the crayons are added first before | | | | the double boiler (or the coffee can) and then add |
| the wax is melted, the color makes it difficult to | | | | the paraffin and crayons. When the wax is |
| see if all of the paraffin is liquefied. | | | | melted, pour into containers. |