How to Make Cracked Ice Candles

I have always enjoyed working with wax and making homemade candles. It is a simple craft that involves little expense and the candles bring joy and warmth to any home where they are displayed. It is always fun to find a new twist to put to an old craft and making ice cracked candles is a fun and unique way to spice up your candle making efforts.

You will only need to add a few items to any homemade candle making kit that you may already have. If you do not have a candle making kit, you can either purchase a kit or you might also want to buy the items you will need for this project separately. I found everything that I needed to make these ice cracked candles by shopping here. Below are the items you will need to get started on making these gorgeous candles.

Items Needed For Cracked Ice Candles
1. Wax paper or cardboard containers
2. Melt and pour candle wax
3. Candle wicks or candles
4. Pots or a double boiler
5. Clothespins
6. Ice cubes
7. Scissors
8. Scent and coloring (optional)
9. A pin

Getting Started
The first thing you will want to do is clear a large table where you will have plenty of room to work on your candles. Cover the table with an old tablecloth or other material that you will not mind tossing away after your ice cracked candles are finished.

Clean and dry any containers you are planning on using for your candles and set them out on your work table. Set a wick or candle next to each container that will be long enough to extend a wick a quarter inch above the container or carton. You will also want to set out any scent or coloring you plan to add to your candles. Scent and coloring is completely option for this craft project and I would suggest using them only if you have worked with candle making and feel comfortable with the added steps.

Preparing The Wax
The most important thing to remember when making these candles is that you are dealing with hot wax and you need to be very careful. The best method for melting your wax is to use a double boiler. This will keep the mess to a minimum and it is also the safest way to melt your candle wax. If you do not have a double boiler you can use your kitchen pots to melt the wax but remember that this will involve some extra cleaning work after your project is finished.

Begin by breaking your candle wax into manageable pieces. Keep your heat on very low so that you do not burn your wax at all. You will want to melt the wax at a very slow and even rate to keep it from clumping or burning. Be sure to use good potholders to manage any hot pans.

Molding Your Candles
Start by inserting your wick or candle into the container you are going to use. Use your clothes pins to secure the top of the wick above the top of the container. Pour a very small amount of wax into the bottom of your containers and allow it to dry a bit before adding more wax.

Fill each container between halfway and three quarters of the way full with the warm candle wax. Add any coloring or scents you want to use to the hot wax. As soon as you get the wax poured, you will want to add your ice cubes to each candle. Use ice that is broken into pieces small enough to fit nicely into your candles. Give each candle plenty of time to dry and firm up before you release the water.

As soon as the candles are perfectly hard, you can begin poking holes into the sides of your containers to release some of the water. Use your fingers to feel for soft spots where you should poke. Be sure to use a very small pin to the pin holes do not harm your candles. You can now peel away the cartons and release any remaining water.

The ice will have made many unusual tunnels and cracks in your candles. Each one will have a unique look of it's own. You can use any gems or shells that you like to decorate the candles but they really do not need anything extra. All that is left to do is light them and enjoy the warm glow that they bring to your home.

Source
http://www.michaels.com/