crafts: mason jar candles

today we are making cute mason jar candles! they are perfect for any gift, and that includes as a gift to yourself. (we are all about self-care here!) i loaded up and made a bunch of these for christmas and it was really fun. it feels great making something awesome and functional! 

to make this you will need:
- a bag of candle wax (i used this bag of natural soy wax)
- a mason jar
- an essential oil
- braided candle wick
- a wick tab
- bamboo skewers (or something long and thin) 
- a double boiler (or two pots, as i used for a makeshift double boiler)
- a hairdryer

(full disclosure: i talked to a candle expert at wildcraft studio and she swore by beeswax. she said that it is the best candle wax and melts the best, but i can't justify the price difference between soy wax and beeswax right now as i'm just starting out and doing this casually, but it's something to keep in mind!)

starting off, this is my makeshift double boiler. these are my two pots that i have dedicated for crafts, and i never use them for food prep. i filled the bigger pot with water and put the large glass inside, which is where you will be melting the candle wax. i highly recommend having a pot that has a pour lip. i tried with a pot that doesn't pour at first and pouring the wax was a nightmare! wax ended up ALL over the floor, it was awful. real candle pros use candle making pitchers that look like this, maybe some day i'll get one.

once your water is boiling, put the wax in your inner pot. i would say that you need around roughly three times the amount of soy wax as the size of candle you want to make.

once all the wax in your inner pot is melted, add your essential oils. i used lavender for my candles. i added around half an ounce for an 8oz candle. after you add your oil to the wax, take a moment to use your hair dryer to heat the inside of your candle jar. heating it thoroughly will help the wax stick to the glass and prevent any bubbles from happening when the wax sets.

cut your candle wick, making sure that is much longer than the height of your candle jar. prep your candle wick by threading it through the wick tab. i dip the tab with a little bit of wick hanging out into the melted wax and use the wax as glue to keep the end of the wick string attached to the wick tab. then, i dip the whole thing into the wax again and attach the wick portion to the bottom of the mason jar, like pictured below. it helps to use your bamboo skewers to get placed on the bottom.

once the wick is taken care of and in place, wrap it around the bamboo skewers as shown above. this will keep the wick straight when you pour the wax into the jar and as it cools. 

carefully pour the wax into your jar. make sure that your wick thread stays straight, but be careful not to lift it off the bottom of your glass! because this was a small jar, i poured all of my wax at once. for taller candles, i recommend pouring the wax twice: once to the middle, and then to the top. when the candles get taller, they tend to make craters. double pouring helps prevent this. now, all you have to do is wait for your wax to cool. i recommend waiting a day for your candle to cool before burning.

and here you go! a cute mason jar candle for your and everyone else's self-care.  have fun!