Laura Ekasetya, horticulturist at Lurie Garden, and Annie Petrak came into our ABC 7 Eyewitness News studio to show us how to beeswax candles that are so easy, even kids can make them.
If you'd like to learn more, you can check out workshops for kids at the Lurie Garden.
Lurie Garden Luminary Walk and Drop-in Family Workshop
Thursday, Dec. 12
5 to 7 p.m.
Lurie Garden
Lurie Garden
Cookie Cutter Beeswax Candles
Materials:
Sheet(s) of beeswax (Lurie Garden staff purchases from www.dadant.com beekeeping supply company)
Metal cookie cutters
Handheld blow dryer or electric rollers (if temperature of room is cool)
Cotton wicks-most craft stores carry them
Toothpicks or wooden BBQ skewers
Method:
Take a sheet of beeswax and place it on a clean surface.
Cut-out a shape for your candle.
You will need two shapes of the same size for one candle.
Shapes that are round or oblong and about the circumference of a soda can work best.
We use a metal cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
Plastic cookie cutters are not sharp enough.
For the holidays, stars and conifer tree shaped cookie cutters work well.
Place the shape between you palms to allow your own heat to warm up the wax to make is malleable.
Set on the table and press the candle wick into the wax.
Let a quarter inch stick out of the tip.
It should be long enough to reach just past the middle of the shape.
Cut the wick to that length.
Place the toothpick just under the wick.
Make sure the wick is straight.
Warm the second shape with your palms and then press onto the shape with the wick.
Press the edges lightly with fingers to secure.
If you are having trouble getting the shapes to stick together, try warming the beeswax on a heated electric hair roller or use a blow dryer on a low setting.
Children tend to have warm hands, so they are great at helping with this project.
Stick into a cupcake or celebration cake and light!
This dripless candle is non-toxic and beautiful.
Apples also make a great holder for these candles.
Beeswax sheets are available in a wide variety of colors.
Shapes within shape also work, especially if you want to make numbers or letters, just make sure the shapes adhere securely together.
These fit nicely inside a card.
Try to avoid storing the beeswax sheets or candles in freezing temperatures.
You can roll the sheets of beeswax into a candle for a longer burning candle.
You need to make sure the wick adheres well to the beeswax as you begin rolling the wick with the sheet of beeswax.
Use a blow dryer if your hands aren't warm enough to get the wick to stick to the wax.
Leave a ¼ inch of wick at the top.
Use a candle holder to prevent the lit candle from potentially falling over.
