Commercial candle making scents: These are in liquid form and are available from most stores that sell candle making supplies. The strength of the scent will vary from brand to brand and whether or not you have access to a full list of ingredients will depend on the manufacturer’s willingness to provide this. Expect to use about 1 ounce of liquid scent to every 2 pounds of melted wax. Fragrance oils: These are 100% synthetic and are not specifically made for candles but usually still work for scenting them. The same issues as the commercial scents apply. Most are highly concentrated, so use of these should be sparing. Expect to use about 10-15 drops of fragrance oil per 1 pound of melted wax. Essential oils: These are produced naturally from plants such as herbs and flowers. They have specific properties, which can be found by doing an online search or using a book on essential oils. Not all essential oils will work well with wax, so you may need to do a test first. Expect to use about 10-15 drops of essential oil per 1 pound of melted wax. Natural sources of scent: This covers such things as crushed or powdered plants, spices and herbs, finely ground zest, etc. Some work really well with melted wax, such as ground cinnamon, crushed lavender flowers or finely ground lemon zest. Others may not meld as well though, or can stop the wax from turning hard or prevent the wick from burning, so do your research first. Expect to use about 1 teaspoon of ground spice, herb or zest per 1 pound of wax.
The candle should lack fragrance, else it may overpower or mix poorly with the scent you’re adding.
Work quickly, once the wax solidifies, the leaves are stuck in place and no more can be added.
Further dipping in the hot water will shift the pressed leaves further into the candle. Bear this in mind if adding more layers of leaves, as some will be deeper in, some closer to the outside if you approach this in several goes.
Fill a shallow bowl with water. Float the candles on top. Add a few flat-headed flowers in between the floating candles for a prettier look. Light the candles when needed. Place the display in the middle of a table or somewhere else where a glowing decorative element is needed.
Cut the wick. Cut it at least 2 inches/5cm longer than the height of the can mold. Attach the weight to the bottom of the wick. Attach the other end of the wick to the wick holder. The wick should feel taut and when it is rested at the top of the mold, there should be no slack.
The purple crayon pieces; The lavender essential oil; Then stir.
Melt the high melting point paraffin wax in the double boiler. Melt until it reaches 200ºF to 210ºF. Paint the exterior of the candle with this melted wax. Immediately roll the candle over the baking sheet of lavender flowers. Many will instantly adhere to the sides of the candle. Let set.
