Personally I am not a huge fan of birthday candles on cakes. In fact I find it a little gross to have someone blowing (spitting) all over my food. But alas, my family doesn't completely agree with me. In fact some of them find them pretty important. Mara is one of those. So though I think I got by without candles for Jonathan's birthday in August, Mara announced that wasn't happening for her birthday.
Well, we were basically out of birthday candles. Even though we save them and re-use them over and over they do at some point get rather short and aren't usable any more. So this time we decided to make our own. We had candle wicking on hand and we also had beeswax that I had processed from the cappings that I had to cut off the combs of honey when I was extracting honey.
We melt it down by putting wax chunks in a large tin can (I have a couple that I save to use whenever we feel like candle making) which then goes into a kettle with water in it and is put onto heat.
We had cut our wicks to the desired length and then dipped them in the wax many times letting them dry a bit in between times. We made the spot above to hang them while they were drying. It was a fun little project that all of my kids were interested in and lent a hand from time to time.
The kids wanted candles for Ken's 40th too.
Aaron just turn 14 this week and he got to use our new candles as well.
Here they are in the jar that we are storing them in between birthdays. As you can see we will re-use them (probably quite a few times) again.
Have you ever made candles?
Naturally making something using things that we already have on hand rather than buying it is pretty much always a way to create less waste.
We also reuse candles! My Momaw loves to shop at her local Dollar Tree and often gives us random items such as candles or paper goods so we try to use them over and over (or at least recycle what we cannot reuse)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the book giveaway also! I cannot figure out how to e-mail you so I will leave our mailing address here. Amy Riley. 1142 Chestnut Lane. Franklin, IN 46131. Thank you again!
Wow, that is pretty awesome to make your own birthday candles! I do keep and reuse candles, but I agree with you, it is kind of gross to think of someone blowing on the cake, however, I don't guess it's killed anyone yet, lol, but the thought of it still is strange. I love how your family is so creative about making do or making it yourselves! Happy birthday to all the birthdays in your family :)
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies! I am hoping to make some bigger candles soon but I wanted to do it outside over the fire and now winter came earlier than expected so I am not sure if I will get it done or not.
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