Mother's Day DIY Candle

Our Mother’s Day DIY candle will brighten mom’s day with the glow of relaxing moments and radiant memories. If you add her favorite scent to the wax, no doubt, this candle will be one of her favorite gifts!

Candle History

Even early civilizations developed and used candles, a source of light through many ages. In fact, early Asian candles used wax made from insects and plants.

We credit the Romans with creating the wicked candle. In effect, they rolled papyrus and dipped it several times in melted tallow (animal fat). Egyptians, too, were using candles about 3,000 B.C.

Then in the Middle Ages, chandlers (candle makers) in Europe introduced candles made from beeswax. By comparison, they burned much cleaner than candles produced from tallow.

Now celebrate the tea in your life with our teapot with flowers glass ornament.

White glass teapot ornament with gold glitter trim and red poinsettia flowers on a a light gray background sprinkled with loose-leaf tea.

Wax for Mother’s Day DIY Candle

Basically, you can choose from three types of wax for making candles today. Paraffin, the first we mention, has been used for hundreds of years. Paraffin easily blends with scents and colors when you melt it and is inexpensive. However, because it is made from petroleum and is potentially toxic, many avoid it entirely for candle-making.

Candle makers have been making soy wax, next on our list, since the 1990s. Soy wax also easily accepts color and scent when melted.

Third on our list, beeswax, a byproduct of bees making honey, offers a natural gold hue and soft but sweet scent. Hence, colors and fragrances don’t mix well with it. Undoubtedly, we find beeswax the most costly of the three types of wax.

Tub Wax for a Quick & Easy Mother’s Day DIY Candle

Personally, I prefer soy wax for candle making. For several years I’ve enjoyed candle making at home using scented and colored tubs of wax from the Swan Creek Candle Outlet in Dundee, Michigan. After all, the wax melts easily in the tubs in your microwave. (The company has temporarily closed the Dundee location; however, wax tubs are available online or at the Swanton, Ohio, Factory Outlet Store.)

In brief, I recommend using tub wax if you’re looking for the quickest and easiest candle-making experience for your Mother’s Day DIY Candle.

Supplies

tub of wax – microwave-safe bowl – wooden spoon handle or disposable wooden skewers – pouring vessel – fire-safe candle container that will hold the number of ounces of tub wax you choose to melt and pour – pre-tabbed candle wick* – glue gun & sticks – scissors – 1 clothespin or wick bar/holder

*You should choose your wick size based on the diameter of your container and the type of wax you are using. This information will be on your wick packaging or the seller’s website: swancreekcandle.com and candlescience.com, for example.

By all means, you should never use any of your candle-making supplies when preparing food. In other words, once used for candle-making, NEVER used for food preparation.

Steps

First, plug in your glue gun.
Second, melt your tub of wax in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes with the lid in place. (The length of time needed to melt the wax will vary based on the wattage of your microwave and the amount of wax in the tub. Since I was melting just over half a tub of wax, the melting time was about 3 minutes.)
Third – and while the wax is melting – squeeze a large dot of hot glue in the center bottom of the fire-safe candle container and push the metal wick tab into place. If your container is deep and it’s difficult to get the tip of your glue gun to the bottom of the container, you can squeeze a large dot of hot glue onto the metal wick tab and push it into place on the inside bottom of the container with the end of a pencil or other skinny tool.
Fourth, carefully remove the tub from the microwave and pour the melted wax into a pouring vessel. If the pitcher of wax is too hot to handle, let it set for a few minutes until you can safely handle it. Keep in mind that hot wax can burn you – handle it with caution.
Fifth, gently pull the wick straight and secure it in the center of the opening in the clip of a large clothespin laid horizontally across the opening.
Next, slowly pour the wax into the container, stopping 1/4 inch from the top.
Finally, let the candle solidify for 24 hours; then trim the wick to 1/4 inch. You can now burn or gift your candle.

Mother's Day DIY Candle solidifying in brown recycled tea tin on counter top with clothespin holding wick in place

Mother's Day DIY Candle in recycled brown tea tin shown both lit and extinguished

Notes

If you find in step 4 that all of the wax in the tub hasn’t melted, stir the wax carefully with the handle of a wooden spoon or a disposable wood skewer. If stirring doesn’t melt the lingering wax, place the lid back on the tub and microwave it for 30-second intervals until the rest of the wax is melted. (Furthermore, wipe the handle of the wooden spoon and your pouring vessel with paper towel wet with rubbing alcohol immediately after using to remove the wax residue.)

Melting Wax Chips for a Mother’s Day DIY Candle

Mother's Day DIY Candle poured and lit in blue, etched Egyptian Museum Glass fruit bowl.

If you’d like to make quality candles at less expense than using tub soy wax, you can work with soy wax flakes and candle fragrance oils. Also, you can make this using a double boiler-style method; however I prefer the microwave method I use here for your Mother’s Day DIY Candle.

Supplies

1/2 lb./8 oz. soy wax flakes – 1/2 oz. candle fragrance oil – microwave-safe, plastic measuring pitcher – scale – wooden spoon handle or disposable wooden skewers – one 12-ounce, fire-safe candle container – 1 pre-tabbed candle wick – glue gun & sticks – scissors – 1 clothespin or wick/bar holder

Soybean wax flakes in pitcher being weighed on kitchen scale to make Mother's Day DIY Candle

Pouring scented candle oil into melted wax in pitcher to make Mother's Day DIY Candle

Steps – Preparing to Pour Your Candle

First, place your pitcher on your scale and tare it to zero so it will weigh only the wax.
Second, scoop wax flakes into the pitcher until their weight reaches 8 oz./1/2 lb.
Third, microwave the pitcher of soy wax flakes for 2 1/2 minutes on high. The wax melting time can vary depending on the wattage of your microwave so keep an eye on it. If it is not completely melted after 2 1/2 minutes, stir it gently and place it back in the microwave for 15-second intervals until the wax is completely melted.
Fourth – and while the wax is melting – squeeze a large dot of hot glue in the center bottom of the fire-safe candle container and push the metal wick tab into place. If your container is deep and it’s difficult to get the tip of your glue gun to the bottom of the container, you can squeeze a large dot of hot glue onto the metal wick tab and push it into place on the inside bottom of the container with the end of a pencil or other skinny tool.
Fifth, carefully remove the pitcher from the microwave using a hot pad or oven mitt. Then set it down on a level, protected surface and pour 1/2 ounce of candle fragrance oil into the wax. Stir gently for 2 minutes with your wooden spoon handle or disposable wooden skewer.

Steps – Pouring Your Candle

Now, gently pull the wick straight and secure it in the center of the opening in the clip of a large clothespin laid horizontally across the opening. Slowly pour the wax into the container, stopping 1/4 inch from the top.
Finally, let the candle solidify for 24 hours; then trim the wick to 1/4 inch. Now you should put the cover on your candle and let it CURE FOR 2 WEEKS BEFORE BURNING. This is very important to intensify the scent of your candle.

Gluing the metal wick tab into place in the bottom of the blue, etched-glass Egyptian Museum Glass fruit bowl before pouring wax for Mother's Day DIY Candle

Trimming the wick to 1/4 inch after the wax has begun to solidify in our Mother's Day DIY Candle

DIY Tea-infused Teacup Candle for Mom

Soybean candle in tea cup sprinkled with loose-leaf tea for our Mother's Day DIY Candle

If mom loves a cup of tea, infuse her candle with the essence of her favorite flavor. You will need a bottle of a coordinating candle oil on hand to strengthen the candle’s fragrance. Equally important, be sure to pour the candle into a tea-cup container.

Supplies

small pot or pan to use for candle-making only – 1/4 cup oil (coconut or vegetable oil) – 2 tea bags or the equivalent in loose-leaf tea – microwave-safe, plastic measuring container – 20 drops of complementary candle fragrance oil – soy wax flakes (2 teacups full) – 1 pre-tabbed candle wick – 1 teacup – wooden spoon handle or disposable wooden skewers – spatula for candle-making only – glue gun & sticks – scissors – 1 clothespin or wick bar/holder

Measuring loose-leaf tea from the tea tin to use to infuse our Mother's Day DIY Candle

Using our tea cup to scoop soybean wax flakes into our plastic pitcher for melting into our Mother's Day DIY Candle

Steps

First, heat oil in the pot or pan on stovetop on low. As soon as the oil begins to bubble slightly, turn off the heat, add tea bags or equivalent loose-leaf tea (2 scant tablespoons) and let steep for 15 minutes. Be sure to turn off the heat at the first sign of bubbles to prevent the oil from burning and having to be thrown away. If you would like the tea leaves to appear in your finished candle, break open the bags and mix the leaves throughout the oil or use loose-leaf tea.
Second, add at least 20 drops of a complementary candle fragrance oil to the oil and tea, and mix well.
Third – using the teacup – scoop 2 cupfuls of soy wax flakes into the pitcher and melt wax in the microwave for 2 1/2 minutes on high. The wax melting time can vary depending on the wattage of your microwave so keep an eye on it. If it is not completely melted after 2 1/2 minutes, stir it gently and place it back in the microwave for 15-second intervals until the wax is completely melted.
Fourth – and while the wax is melting – squeeze a large dot of hot glue in the center bottom of the teacup and push metal wick tab into place.
Fifth, carefully remove the pitcher from the microwave using a hot pad or oven mitt. Then set it down on a level, protected surface and pour 1/2 ounce of candle fragrance oil into the wax. Stir gently for 2 minutes with your wooden spoon handle or disposable wooden skewer.
Sixth, use the spatula to pour scented oil into the melted wax in the pitcher. Stir for 2 minutes.

Steps – Pouring Your Candle

Pouring melted soybean wax with loose-leaf tea into tea cup for Mother's Day DIY Candle

Now, gently pull the wick straight and secure it centrally in the clip of a large clothespin laid horizontally across the opening of the teacup.
Finally, pour the wax into the teacup, stopping 1/4 inch from the top.
Last of all, let the candle solidify for 24 hours; then trim the wick to 1/4 inch. Now you should cover your candle and let it CURE FOR 2 WEEKS BEFORE BURNING. This is very important to intensify the scent of your candle.

If you love tea time, you’ll want to try your hand at our blueberry scones recipe.