• Nifty & Thrifty

Nifty & Thrifty

Now that you have discovered how easy and inexpensive soap and candle making can be, read further to find out how to save even more money and time enjoying these time-honored crafts.

• The Magic of Crayons -- Use old crayons to easily and creatively color candles. One crayon per 1/4 pound of wax provides a nice rich color. Mix different-color crayons and see what colors you can come up with. Mixing half of a white crayon with half of a colored crayon makes a soft color. Begin by breaking crayons into small pieces. When the wax is nearly melted, drop the crayons into the melted wax. Stir to mix colors thoroughly.


• Repurpose Sturdy Food Containers for Candle Making -- Cans without ridges make great molds for candle making. Also, you can use recycled plastic food containers; grease them with vegetable oil to make releasing the candle easier.


• Make Your Own Wicks -- You can make your own wicks from cotton string and melted wax. Simply cut thick cotton string about three inches longer than your mold will require. When wax is melted, dip the string into it. Place your wicks on waxed paper to dry. Be sure to lay them out in a straight line, so you'll have nice straight wicks when you need them later.


• Cookie-Cutter Molds -- No need to purchase more soap molds when you have all those cookie cutters lying around! Pour the melted soap onto a shallow cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. Let the wax set until 90 degrees; then use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Let shapes continue to dry until completely cooled.


• Another Fun Scented Gift -- Reed diffusers are a widely popular scented holiday gift. Click here for a basic recipe using essential oils.