Richly Scented Candles or Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy has been used since ancient times in order to stimulate our sense of smell and create a relaxing mood. This has been evident in the rich oils or perfumes used by people then and only the rich or powerful could afford to use these scented oils.
These days however, people can now use richly scented candles to create a relaxing ambience in their homes or other places such as spas in order to relieve them from the stresses of daily life.
A person can choose from flower scents to fruits scents when choosing scented candles. The candles’ color can give an idea as to what scent it may have. There are some flower scented candles that are handmade and have potpourri flowers set in them as a design.
Not only do these dried flowers give a beautiful design to the candle, they also add on to the rich scent of the candle wax. You may have to remove the dried flowers as the candle burns down though in order not to burn the dried flowers. The candles’ scent is emitted as the candle burns and because the scent is infused in the wax, even if it is stored for a long time when the candles are used they still give off the rich scent.
Scented candles can also set the mood or ambience when one needs to do meditation or yoga exercises. As our sense of smell get stimulated by the rich scents, our body relaxes more. Having scented candles also creates an air of sophistication in a house or room.
Spas also make use of scented candles so that when patrons come in for a session, they are able to relax more. The scents of these richly scented candles can help as our body rids itself of all the stresses during the spa sessions.
When people want to use scented candles in their bedrooms in order to help them relax and fall to sleep, it is highly recommended to place the candles in glass or ceramic plates or candle holders in order to avoid any untoward accidents. Also make sure that the candles are placed securely and far from drapes or curtains. Make sure also that the candles are placed in an area where it will not topple or fall.
Whether it’s to soothe away our tension or to create a relaxed atmosphere, richly scented candles are great choices to use for aromatherapy.

Cupcake Candles

With candle making, there are hardly any limits. You can replicate lots of things with your creativity. Here are some delicious 'Cupcakes' that look very, very inviting.
Complete with chopped crayon bits for nuts and decorations, many people will mistake them for edible, freshly-baked, icing-topped cupcakes coming from your kitchen!

Materials Needed:
• Candle Making Supplies (Wax, Dyes, Boiler, Wicks etc.),
• Paper Muffin Cups (2-3 for one candle),
• Whisk,
• Old Crayons (chopped into small pieces)

Directions:
1.Place 2-3 paper cups into each other for strength. Now, place them into individual muffin molds or a muffin tray for a string base. Grease them lightly if you wish, but it is not necessary.
2. Melt Wax, mix a dark or earthy colored dye for the muffin base. We have used brown, but you can experiment. They are not real cakes after all!
3. Pour melted wax into the prepared 'molds'. Allow to cool and set. You can use a wick at this point. We have have not used one because I made these 'cupcakes' just as a show-piece.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the 'frosting'. Melt wax and dye it a soft, creamy color. We used used a pale, earthy brown again, but pinks, creams, blues, greens, yellows, peaches etc. look great for the icing. Be creative with your color combinations.
5. Cool the melted wax till you see a thin skin forming on it. Whip it with a whisk till it gets frothy. Quickly, spoon the froth over the cupcake. If the wax solidifies before you are able to spoon enough froth, repeat the melting, cooling and whipping process.
6. While the frosting is still warm, sprinkle pieces of old crayons.

Cruelty-free Candles

When the days grow shorter and the dark of night begins its wintry reign, you know the signal to cozy-up your living space and create a nurturing environment has been officially sounded. A key ingredient in this process is the addition of candles. They provide ambience at dinner parties, set the mood for romantic evenings at home, and even play a role in our spiritual lives, giving our personal spaces a warm, peaceful glow. They smell good, look good, and cast a snuggly light that begs for you to whip up a cup of hot cocoa and settle in for the night. Best of all, today's cruelty-free, alternative-wax candles support our desire to live compassionately while keeping the home fires burning with a cozy warmth.
The Joy of Soy (Candles)
Most candles are made with paraffin—a petroleum waste-product. When burned, paraffin releases carcinogenic toxins like benzene and soot into the air, which, in addition to being dangerous for your lungs (and your animal companion's lungs), can settle on furniture and countertops, damaging surfaces. A better bet for a soot-free home is soy. That's right: The mighty soybean that yields so many health benefits also lends itself to candles. Natural soy-wax candles are not only healthier for the environment, but more economical, too, because they burn up to 50-percent longer than their paraffin counterparts.
(Bay)Berry Good
Mother Nature has generously supplied us with another natural source of cruelty-free candle wax in the bayberry. You could call bayberry the "patriotic alternative to paraffin," since colonial Americans were the first to transform the teensy little berry into candle wax. Today, as in the past, bayberry candles enjoy extra popularity around the holidays, when they are burned to bring good luck for the coming year. When scouting for these special candles, be sure the wax consists of pure bayberry (a pleasant, delicate fragrance on its own) and not artificially scented paraffin wax.
Bee-Free
My quest for cruelty-free candles made from renewable resources brought me to an unexpected source: palm wax. Like olive oil, palm wax oil is a "virgin" oil that doesn't require refining—just a bit of filtering and deodorizing. Shaped from the fruit of the oil palm, palm wax candles also burn clean and last longer than those made with paraffin, and are a fabulous alternative to beeswax—the production of which usually involves drug and pesticide treatments, genetic tampering, wing clipping, and the use of manufactured pheromones. There's nothing natural about that.
Once you've made the choice to bring natural-wax candles into your home, be sure any added fragrance is pure, essential oil—otherwise your good intentions will go literally up in smoke as harmful by-products from artificial scents are released into the air.
There is no denying the magic of candlelight. With a little detective work, you can enjoy the beauty and comfort of candles while keeping your home cruelty- and toxin-free.

The History of Candles

Candles today are used to create warmth, scent and ambiance in our homes. There was a time quite long ago when candles were a necessity for lighting the darkness. The first mention of candles in the bible was as early as the 10th century BCE. Clay candle holders found in Egypt date back to 400 BC. The candles were then made from sticking wicks into containers filled with flammable material.
It has also been noted that the ancient Egyptians used rushlights or torches, made by soaking the core of reeds in molten tallow. This type of candle had no wick. It was the Romans who are credited with developing the first wick candle.
The Egyptians and the Roman's gathered tallow from cattle or sheep suet as their main ingredients in candles.
 

Since tallow was cheap and easily available, Tallow candles were widely used for many centuries.
It is said that the Romans used candles during the Saturnalia festival. During the festival, tall papers of wax were offered to Saturn (an angel of God).
The Chinese made candles from whale fat. In India, they used the wax from boiling cinnamon for candles in their temples. Japanese candles were made from extracting wax from nut trees. In the first century AD, the indigenous people from the region between Oregon and Alaska used a fish called the eulachon or "candlefish", which is a type of smelt.
The oil from this fish was used, or a candle could be made by putting the dried fish on a stick and lighting it.
Tallow was still used during the first century AD, however the tallow was smoky and odorous. In the early 1500's the beeswax was introduced as an alternative, however, beeswax was more difficult to obtain. Since beeswax was difficult to obtain and costly, beeswax candles were used almost exclusively by the wealthy, upper class and the Church.
With Christianity becoming more widespread, the custom of placing candles in the window began to be popular. The Irish Christians believed that placing a candle near a window on Christmas Eve would guide the Christ Child as he wondered from house to house. The people of Europe have kept this tradition going.
Early colonial women made their first contribution to candle making by boiling the berries of the bayberry bush to produce a sweet smelling, clean burning wax. This didn't last long, as the task of extracting the wax from the bayberries was tedious and the use of the bayberry candle diminished.
In the 18th century, candle makers began to use sperm whale oil to make candles because it was clean burning and low on odor like beeswax. They also found that it was harder than beeswax and withstood the summer heat better. In the Victorian period, candles were being placed on the Christmas Tree as a symbol of the star which guided the three wise men to the dwelling of Jesus. In 1890 candle holders were used for only one year to hold the candles to the tree. Before that, melted wax was used or the candles were pinned to the tree.
In 1834, Joseph Morgan introduced a candle making machine that used a cylinder with a movable piston that ejected the candles as they hardened. In 1850, paraffin wax was made from oil and coal shales. It was processed by distilling residue after crude petroleum was refined. Paraffin was found to burn clean with no odor, and the cost was very economical. The only threat to paraffins popularity was its low melting point. By the end of the 19th century, stearic acid was being produced and most candles consisted of paraffin and stearic acid. Soon the devastation would begin in the candle industry.
The distillation of kerosene would hurt the candle industry because it made an excellent fuel for lamps. In 1879, the introduction of the light bulb caused the candle making profession to decline until the turn of the century when there was a renewed popularity for candles. Candle making was enhanced during the first half of the 20th century due to the growth of the U.S. oil and meatpacking industries. Several meat packing and oil producing companies also had candle businesses. In 1829, Price's Candles, William Wilson, made candles from coconut oil and later he tried palm oil. In 1854, Williams brother George distilled the first petroleum oil. In 1919, Price's Candles was purchased by Lever Brothers. In 1922, Candles Ltd was created. By 1991, the last remaining owner of Candles ltd was sold off by Shell Oil Company.
Today, candles have become more of a decorative item. Candles are now available in a broad variety of sizes, shapes and colors. During the 1990's a new type of candle wax was being developed due to an unusual demand for candles. Soybean wax, which was softer and slower burning than paraffin, has become popular. Candles are used today to warm our hearts with alluring scents of remembrance and romance. They are also used as symbolic in celebrations. Candles are used in weddings to define ceremony and in our homes to accent decor. Candles are even popular to light paths for outdoor parties.

Making Candles At Home

Candle making crafts are great fun as long as you steer clear of some simple pitfalls. It is very thrilling to decide what form of candle to create and acquiring your supplies. Nevertheless, some people quickly grow to be disappointed and annoyed with the hobby and give up. There are a lot of common problems that novices go through when candle making, many of them have speedy and simple solutions, for this reason it is highly recommended that all novices set out with the fundamental candle making process and stick to it. This offers you the chance to master the fundamentals, and then you can progress to creating the kinds of candles you want to.
A simple tip for making a fantastic candle is to use good quality materials and on the whole candle making materials are reasonably priced. It stands to reason that if you use poor quality wax, then it is rarely going to make high quality candles. It's very important to heat the wax to as close to the recommended temperature as possible. Too high or low temperatures will alter the characteristics of the wax depending on the kind of candle you're making. As an example, if the wax isn't hot enough it won't form correctly; similarly, wax that's too hot loses lustre and won't be as strong after it's cooled.
The length of the wick that you give the candles you make is quite important. Too long and when you lite them they burn a little and then go out, usually filling the room with smoke rather than fragrance. To rectify this simply cut the wick back a little on candles you have already made, then change the wick length for future candles.
Ever had a beautiful looking candle that when lit, the wax melted making a crater in the middle but leaving the outer edges solid,steep sided and unsightly. I have and the cause surprised me, again its because of the wick, this time however its due to the wick being too thin. To get the candle to melt evenly the simple solution is to make the candle with the width of the wick determined by the breadth of the candle. Any candles already made are a problem unless you melt them to rescue the wax and for future candles buy the right wick as described earlier or you could even braid 2 or 3 thinner wicks into a wider one.
Cooling the candles is another area of anxiety for many beginners. The cooling process must not be rushed under any circumstances or you run the risk of damaging the strength of the finished candle. Trying to make the candle cool quicker could cause bubbles to form in the middle and on top of the candle. Whilst it isn't a physical defect, as the wax melts it's able to enter the bubbles when the candle is lit causing the wick to extinguish. Candles ought to cool down in a place where they won't be moved until entirely cool. This area must be level and out of the path of direct sunlight. Its also advisable to ensure the cooling area is not in the vicinity of cooling or heating vents.
If when making jar candles you notice the wax pulling away from the jar then heating the jars in a microwave or oven for one or two minutes before filling them will help the melted wax stick to the jar correctly with a really smooth look around the jar.
Candle making for beginners is more successful when the basic rules and guidelines are followed, it also makes it more enjoyable and easier. Beginners should not be afraid to experiment with making different types of candle. Because materials can be expensive, when mistakes do happen, it is easy to melt the candle and recover the wax so that you can then simply make another. With this in mind it is always a good idea, when starting out, to make only a few candles at a time. The experience gained in this way is invaluable and enables you the confidence to working with other waxes and making better and better candles.

Woodwick Candles

Scents and sounds of special memories of time spent with loved ones can evoke your feelings of love. Whether your memories are of a fabulous mountain camping trip, an exotic beach vacation, or simple evenings spent at home, these are the memories that we cherish forever.
When something reminds us of these special moments we are able to relive them in our minds. Nothing fills our hearts with a warm glow like knowing that the person we shared these special times with also remembers them as well. You can show a person you love how much you cherish these memories with a woodwick candle.
Not only can woodwick candles bring the scents of these treasured locations to your home, but they can also imitate the sound of a crackling fire. These candles can make you feel like you’re surrounded by the serenity of a romantic evening spent by a fire or take you back in time. These candles are special because of their wonderful scents and wicks.
Woodwick candles are made with a unique wood wick that sounds just like a crackling fire when it’s lit. Whether you long for the comfort of a crackling fire on a chilly winter night or want to create a perfectly romantic atmosphere, the sound woodwick candles give off create the illusion you desire. The sound can arouse wonder memories or may be just what’s needed to create new one.
There are a variety of scents available to choose from. Their Biscotti or Anjou Apple scented candles can bring back the memories of treasured holidays filled with wonderful smells coming from the kitchen and lots of love and laughter. Perhaps the Mountain Stream woodwick candle can take you back to the spectacular weekend you spent in the mountains. Choose the Tradewind scent if you want to remember the fabulous beach vacation you enjoyed.
While these candles are great for recalling cherished memories, that’s not all they’re good for. They are perfect for creating new memories of romantic evenings spent with a loved one when the kids are out of the house or to create a soothing, relaxing atmosphere to unwind in after a hard day at work.
Gifting a woodwick candle tells the recipient that you care about them and their comfort and are thinking of the memories you share. Woodwick candles are the best smelling and sounding candles available and will be loved by anyone that receives them. They are literally a gift of love in a jar.

Candle fire

Candles provide great warmth and ambiance to any home. It is easy to forget that such a calming artifact is an open flame that can reach 1,400 °C. Most candle fires begin in the bedroom – with a mattress or bedding cited as the first item to ignite – except during the holidays, when more people use candles precariously too close to decorations. Furniture and plastics are also cited as the first items in the home to catch fire from a lit candle.

Statistics reveal that the most common causes of fire are:
• Leaving candles unattended.
• Falling asleep while a candle is lit.
• Using candles for light.
• Candles located too close to burnable objects.
• Candles knocked over by children, pets or sudden drafts.

Safety Tips:
• Extinguish candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Keep lit candles away from items that can catch fire such as toys,clothing, books, curtains, Christmas trees and paper decorations.
• Place candles in sturdy, burn-resistant containers that won’t tip over and are big enough to collect dripping wax.
• Don’t place lit candles near windows, where blinds or curtains may close or blow over them.
• Don’t use candles in high traffic areas where children or pets could knock them over.
• Never let candles burn out completely. Extinguish them when they get to within two inches of the holder or decorative material.
• Never leave children or pets alone in a room with lit candles.
• Do not allow older children to light candles in their bedrooms. A forgotten candle or an accident is all it takes to start a fire.
• During power outages, exercise caution when using candles as a light source. Many destructive fires start when potential fire hazards go unnoticed in the dark.
• Never use a candle for light when fuelling equipment such as a camp fuel heater or lantern.
• Keep candle wicks short at all times. Trim the wick to one-quarter inch (6.4 mm).
• Be wary of buying novelty candles.
Avoid candles surrounded by flammable paint, paper, dried flowers, or breakable/meltable containers.
• Extinguish taper and pillar candles when they burn to within two inches of the holder, and container candles before the last half-inch of wax begins to melt.
• When buying or using novelty candles, try to determine if they pose a potential fire hazard (if they contain a combustible component for instance). If they do, or if you suspect that they might, inform your local fire department.
• Use extreme caution when carrying a lit candle, holding it well away from your clothes and any
combustibles that may be along your path.

The Law:
• There are no legal standards or regulations for candles, including their make, design, safety features, location or use.
• Candles are not tested by a testing agency for safety before they are put on the market for you to buy

A romantic evening by candle light

These are essential in setting the mood, go through your pantry and pull out all the candles you can find. If you're all out, a cheap and effective solution can found at your local dollar store. The quality is nearly the same as you'd find anywhere else, at a tenth of the price. Tea lamps in bulk can be an amazing effect, although they tend to burn out fast. I suggest a mix, a few tall candles at the dining table and tea lamps spread out throughout the room. Avoid scented candles as they interfere with the aroma of your meal.