The other night we made our first batch of soy candles. It was really fun and wasn't as difficult as I had originally anticipated. We decided to package our candles in mason jars for a rustic feel. Our soy candles are Eco-friendly and vegan so it seemed fitting that we were simplistic with the presentation. This also meant we didn't need to worry about dying the wax - which saved a step. The candles turned out great and we were really pleased with our first efforts.

These are all of the supplies we used for the candles. The rubbing alcohol was used to clean out the mason jars to ensure the candle wax adhered evenly. It is very important to use weight measurements to ensure the most accurate amounts.

The clothespins hold the wicks in place so that they remain centered in the jar. A centered wick ensures an even wax pool which allows the candle to burn evenly.
 

This pitcher is made for candle making. We put it on the electric griddle so we could control the temperature a bit easier.

The wax is almost melted! It is important to leave the wax alone while it is melting. Less handling of the wax is best.

After the wax has cooled (it needs to cool a bit after adding and mixing in the fragrance), it gets poured into the jars. The wick can be rearranged after the wax has been poured to ensure it remains in the center.

Once the wax has cooled down and solidified - the candles should look like this!

Over the past few days we have been testing our candles to see how powerful the scent carries when burned. The Love Spell scented candles have a bit more fragrance in them than the Honeydew Melon - but unfortunately they don't have much of a hot throw. The cold throw is amazing and they smell delicious so it was disappointing when we discovered the scent was hardly noticeable when the candles were lit.

After a bit of research, Cody determined that our error was not adding in the fragrance at the right temperature. We were about 10 degrees short of where we needed to be. I never knew that candle making was such a science! Tonight we made another candle and in a few days I will burn it to test the hot throw. I'm hoping that this will fix the issue. We ordered a lot of fall and winter fragrances, so we need to perfect our "recipe" to ensure an aromatic and high-quality candle. Once we have our candles ready to go, I'm going to set up an Etsy shop! I'm super excited for this adventure.