How to make a candle at home (without wax!)

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A candle is such a simple thing, but for some reason, lighting one up can suddenly make us feel like we're sitting in the lap of luxury. Maybe it's the smell — or maybe it's the romantic glow — but we're all twitterpated over a nice, strong scented candle. 

That's why in the Do it Yourself homify section, we are going to show you how to make a candle at home with no wax. It lasts for approximately 40 hours and will make your apartment smell amazing!

What you need: 

•Jar

• Vegetable Shortening 

• Crayons 

• Scented Essential Oil 100% 

• 100% Cotton String 

• Scissors 

• Nut (hardware) 

• Skewer Stick

1. Clean and dry a clear jar to hold the candle in

Even though this is an easy project, this step is still the best breeze. Prepare a jar according to your liking and make sure the insides are clean. Simply wipe it with a paper towel to avoid the stain on your candle, and you are done. A jam jar with a big opening like this one is highly recommended!

2. Fill jar with vegetable shortening and leave about 1 inch of space at the top

Put the vegetable shortening, fill until the top. Don't worry, it will melt and the volume will slightly decrease. It will not spill out if you don't overfill the top of the jar with the shortening. Pop it in the microwave for approximately two minutes.

3. Melt the vegetable shortening in the microwave for two minutes

As you see, the volume will decrease quite a bit. Don't hesitate to put a bit more and pop it back in the microwave. Take the jar out carefully, it's piping hot! Stir evenly with a wooden stick.

4. Melt crayons in the microwave

Pick your favorite color assortment of wax crayons (we picked red because it's more festive!), break them a little and let them melt in the microwave. Each wax crayon needs a different time range to melt, so heat them 2-3 minutes at a time and check the progress. This one is relatively small so it took only 4 minutes. These crayons are only for coloring your candle. You may also choose to leave this stage out. 

5. Pour the melted crayons into the jar and mix to add color to the candle

Pour the melted crayons into the melted shortening, then stir evenly. 

(Optional) Add a tablespoon of scented essential oil

Love scented candles? We do too! 

Pour half a teaspoon of your favorite scent (we chose apple). We recommend using essential oils as they are natural and have added health benefits. Stir again until all the colors and oils blend together.

6. Cut about 1 foot of the cotton string and tie one end of the string to a nut

Prepare the wick. You don't need a special thread for this, it could be any yarn made of 100% cotton. Remember it's important to pick a yarn/thread that is made out of 100% cotton, otherwise, the candle will not burn properly. 
To fix the thread on the bottom of the jar,  you can tie the yarn to a screw fastener or hex nut. However, it could be anything with enough weight that could keep the thread from floating up.

7. Drop the nut in the center of the jar and loop string around the skewer to set the wick

Tie the other end of the yarn to the middle of a wooden stick (you can use the same type you used to stir before) to keep the wick straight up while the candle is hardening. Wait until it chills a little then carefully put in the freezer for 30 minutes.

8. Freeze for an hour

Wait until it chills a little then carefully put in the freezer for an hour. 

After that, your candle is almost done! Simply cut the wick short, just make sure it is enough for the fire to kindle. 

9. Simply tie up and decorate your new candle!

We love the nature, so we lean on materials that are just literally laying around the house: especially the garden! Some fresh pine leaves and the same yarn used for the wick would totally do. Simply tie up and decorate! Dried flowers, pine cone, or even a simple ribbon would also be lovely.

10. Light it up & enjoy!

Now comes the best part of all: Sit and enjoy the luscious, yet calming fragrance. Easily light them up and they will relax your tired muscles. 

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