Recycling Candle Wax

Have you ever had a candle finish burning only to find that there's actually a lot of wax left over?

Whilst most candles I've used are very good burners, one I finished recently seemed to have more left over than had burnt! As it seemed such a waste to throw it away, I started thinking about recycling the wax - something I had heard of previously, but had put off as I worried that it would require a lot of specialist equipment and a time consuming process. However, in the spirit of trying to consume less,  I decided to try and reuse the wax in a way which required hardly any new costs, and a fairly simple process. The results? I'm kind of impressed, if I do say so myself! Some of you may have seen my Instagram stories from when I decided to make it up as I went along give it a go, and these are the details. The only new purchase I made was a couple of wood candle wicks from eBay (which came in at under £2 with free postage for the pair), and it only took me half an hour at the most!

So, here's the process and everything I used, yadda yadda...

- A container for your candle - 
This should be two things - watertight (or the melted wax will run through it) and heatproof (open flames + materials with a low melting point = bad accidents). Other than that, you can be pretty creative. I've seen images of old food containers - syrup tins and marmite or jam jars being used, and I also love the idea of using shells. One thing to remember is the ease at which you can light the candle - I was originally going to use a vintage milk bottle I usually use for plant cuttings, but the narrow opening would have made it difficult to light the candle once it had burnt further down. Instead I used this ceramic dish I picked up second hand, although you can of course always reuse the original candle container (just be sure to remove the old wick before pouring in the new candle).

-An old glass jug -
Specifically one you don't plan on using for food preparation. This will be used to melt the candle wax in, bain marie style. The process I used was this: place any loose parts of wax inside the empty jug. Fill a saucepan shallowly with boiling water, and place on the heat. Stand the jug in the water, and keep an eye on the wax as it melts. For the wax still in the original candle container, I placed the container in the water (again, in a bain marie style), and when enough of the wax had melted for it to become loose, I poured it into the main jug. I had a few candles I needed to do this with, and this was the most time consuming part, but it honestly wasn't that tedious. And my kitchen smelt like a Lush store, which was an added bonus ;)

- Candle Construction - 
When all the wax had melted down in the jug, I carefully removed anything left in the melted wax - e.g. burnt wicks - that I did not want in my 'new' candle. I then removed the jug from the bain marie, to let it cool a little before pouring (mainly because I was nervous about spilling it when it was piping hot). To keep the new wick stable, I dipped the wick base in the melted wax to act as a glue, and then positioned it in the centre of my new candle container. I left this to cool for a couple of minutes, just so that it was set before I poured in the rest of my candle wax. This meant that the wick stayed in place whilst I poured in the wax. It is worth having a second container ready, just in case you have more wax than you can fit in one candle! I'm not sure on the exact cooling times for candle wax, but I left mine at room temperature for 24 hours before I lit it.

- Considerations - 
One thing I haven't mentioned above is perhaps the most important - smell! When mixing different scented waxes together, things may get... interesting to say the least! I used two different scents in my candle, and whilst I was initially unsure about whether I needed to add more through essential oils, I would advise against it. There's already probably enough scent going on without any other additions! I hadn't though about it prior to this, and whilst the candle I ended up with smelt rather delicate and relaxing, I think it would be worth thinking about which scents should be combined. After all, there are bound to be certain combinations that are not going to be a good match. FYI, in this candle I also mixed wax types - soya and paraffin - and as far as I can tell it didn't make much of an impact on the burning process. Although, maybe in some circumstances it would?

Considering this is just an experiment I decided to do to see whether it could be worth while, I would 100% do this again. I'm still not entirely sure whether making candles from scratch is something that I want to do yet, however this was simple and means I can get more mileage from some of my favourite candles. Seeing as how I still have one of my two wicks left, there will definitely be a time in the near future where I repeat (and maybe improve upon!) this process.

So, do any of you make candles? I have to admit, I'm certainly curious about it now!

REMNANT 101: A Simple Camisole

A realisation that I have come to recently is that I am horrifically bad at underestimating the amount of fabric I need for a sewing project. Not when I'm buying fabric off the bolt - if anything I almost buy far too much, but then I like to be on the safe side. Instead, I mean when I'm buying fabric remnants. With one look at a piece of fabric a little over a metre squared, I convince myself that it's plenty to make myself a short-sleeved summery top. As you'd expect, it isn't nearly enough.

After a sort out of my fabric stash lately, I rediscovered this lovely navy spotty floral remnant (a synthetic of some kind) that I'd bought in this frame of mind. I really do love this fabric, it has a lovely drape to it (aahh, I wish I was better at identifying fabrics!), and navy features heavily in my wardrobe, so I knew I wanted to turn it into something wearable. As we'd been having a spate of boiling hot weather, I made something I don't think I would have considered otherwise - a halter-neck camisole.

DIY: How To Make a Ribbon Bow Hair Tie

Whilst there are plenty of options with updo's for those with longer hair, I have to admit that out of sheer laziness and ease, when the temperatures soar, I just tend to stick my hair in a plain old ponytail. Sometimes even a topknot, if I'm feeling like putting a little extra effort in. So, this is why I've come to love the ribbon hair tie that I picked up in H&M lately, even though it was something that I could very easily have made myself. In order to give myself a little more choice, I decided to whip up one of my own, and here's how I did it...

REMNANT 101: DIY Sleep Mask

If there's one thing I've learnt about my fabric hoarding problem, it's this - there's not much of a problem with storing a lot of fabric because at some point it will get used. As my fabric stash depletes thanks to a couple of (as yet unblogged) projects, the real problem is the remnants. I just can't bring myself to throw out a few scraps of a fabric I love, no matter the shape or size, if it's pretty it stays. Which is an issue coming from someone who actually has very little use for remnants (I'm no quilter!). So, in a positive effort to force myself to actually use some of my beloved remnants, I'm starting up a new series on A+M: Remnant 101, where I'll be posting a little project I've sewn up from remnants every once in a little while.

Sewn: Daisy Pistachio Backpack with Hillarys

One of the things that has been an unexpected result of writing Awake + Make for nearly two years now (eek!), is that I have an online journal of my crafting process and makes. It's hard to see an improvement within yourself, but when Hillarys got in contact with me to announce that they were running their craft competition for a second year, I had a little look into the A+M archives at my entry for the year before, and was pleasantly surprised at how far my sewing has come along. It seems hard to believe that this time last year I was becoming acquainted with my sewing machine (no darts! mostly hand stitched!), and now we're on our way to becoming friends (nearly - he can still be an asshat at time).

How to: DIY Colouring Pencil Photo Frame

At the moment, I'm really digging decorating with things that are both practical and pretty - I prefer items that have a purpose rather than endless knick knacks that just collect dust, no matter how adorable they are. This colouring pencil frame is such a simple idea, yet I love how it turned out - I spotted a similar frame whilst shopping in Debenhams (aaaahh, their home section is to. die. for.), and instantly thought 'I could do that.' And do it I did, and I'm pleasantly surprised with the results - it's so bright and cheerful, and yet is such a simple idea!

Whilst the process was super easy, if a little time consuming, I thought I'd share how I did it here for those of you looking to add a statement to your photos...

How To: Single Pearl Ear Cuff

Yes, I know that ear cuffs are old, old news by now. In fact, I've been sat on the fence about them for so long that I've only recently decided that I actually quite like them (all the blingy styles at the Grammy's persuaded me, I guess). I wanted one that was a little more understated, and far more wearable on a day to day basis - so, what better than to make my own? If you want to make one of your own, read on for the instructions...

Knitting Pattern: Arachne Cabled Fingerless Gloves

Okay, confession time - in my three to four years of knitting, I've only ever knit cables once. It was in my early days of knitting, and whilst I thoroughly enjoyed it (I still wear my finished cable beanie), at the time I didn't like the fact that I didn't really fully understand the mechanics behind it. I suppose I'm finickity like that. But I've recently had the desire to become reacquainted with cables for some reason, and I've been loving it. The chunkiness means that they work up really quickly, and once you know the pattern, you get into a rhythm.

How to: Cut Out Jeans

Hello, cold knees!

At the moment, it seems that any crafting time I have is being taken up with a certain project involving crochet flowers. It was therefore very nice to become reacquainted with the sewing machine this week, as I ticked off a project I've been meaning to complete for a while now - a pair of cut out jeans. I'm glad I got around to making these now, as I don't think my knees would be able to survive any cooler temperatures!

Read on for the instructions...

Upcycled: A Shrunken Scarf to Messenger Bag

Okay, okay. So here I am talking about scarves again. In my defence though, it is winter, and there is nothing better than wrapping oneself up in a scarf on a cold, gloomy morning. I bought this new to me scarf recently (I love me a check pattern), a little doubtful as to how I would wear it as the previous owner had seriously shrank it in the wash. Never one to shy away from a little work, I bought it anyway and knew I would use it somehow...

How to: Make a Fake Shirt Collar

When it comes to layering, I know absolutely nothing. Nothing that is, except that I like to wear a collar whenever possible (so 2012, I know). As much as I love a good shirt, there are some occasions when I don't really want to wear a whole shirt underneath a jumper/top/dress, especially when it's still a little too warm to go into full layering. Which is where this DIY comes in - the illusion of a collar without the sleeves, bulk, and extra warmth.

How to: Make a Leather Charm Bracelet

If there is one piece of jewellery that has stood the test of time, and will continue to do so, it has to be the charm bracelet. A truly timeless classic, wearing charms can be dated back to the early days of mankind (see, this blog is educational too!), but the charm bracelet as we know it today emerged in the reign of Queen Victoria. Well, if it's good enough for her...

How to: Biscuit Motif Sweatshirt

I like biscuits and I cannot lie. Sorry if you now have that song in your head. If you're a long term reader, you'll probably know of my love of the tea break staple (you can even see my all time favourite, custard creams, in my blog background). It was only a matter of time before they made their way into my wardrobe, and now seems the perfect time to introduce a new jumper into my wardrobe, ready for the cooler weather.

How to: Sew a Wire Headband

As you might have guessed, I'm still trying to find ways to use up my stash of fabric remnants. It's pretty hard to come up with ways to use oddly shaped remnants - especially those really long, thin pieces that you end up with at the end of pretty much every sewing project. Yet, when it's a fabric I love, I'll still find myself holding onto any remnant, no matter how big or small. This is a great stash buster for long, thin remnants, and is also super fun to wear!

How to: Turn an Unwanted Tapestry into a Cushion

One thing I'm really loving at the moment is embroidery - especially vintage style pieces that positively scream kitsch. However, when it comes to embroidering something, I am a right lazy so and so - it takes a long period of time, is very repetitive, and is not particularly something I enjoy in large doses. Is anyone else the same? My antidote for this is buying other people's embroidery cast offs, which I can then use in my own way, even pretending that I did the embroidery myself (I am just so talented, you guys). This cushion is one way I've been using up my collection of embroidered fabric.

Tapering a Pair of Trousers

Get out the violins - I'm about to tell you a sad, tragic story that features a certain pair of Topshop trousers. I loved them - they were a light, cool, grey linen, tapered at the ankles, and had a paper-bag, pleated waist. They were simply my favourite pair of summer trousers, and I wore them bazillions of time. In fact, I wore them so often that eventually, they broke beyond repair. Insert your choice of heart-broken emoji here.

 At the time, I didn't realise how hard they would be to replace - I specifically wanted a light grey linen pair (hard to find, it seems), that were carrot shaped, and could be rolled up to ankle length (I love me some ankle grazing trousers). Fast forward a year, and I've only just got around to replacing them, however it wasn't quite so straightforward - I ended up buying a pair of straight leg trousers (which were perfect in every other way apart from the fit), and tapering them in. Here's how I did it...

How to: Sew a Zip Up Bag

I am a fabric hoarder through and through, and my main problem is that I have tiny, tiny remnants of lovely fabric that I struggle to use. Whether they are pieces left over from another project, or a whole bag of remnants found in the bargain bin of my local fabric shop, I simply cannot let them go. I am trying to find ways of using some of my favourite remnants, and here is one I recently came up with - making a zip up bag.

How To: Make a Pressed Flower Notebook

I love fresh flowers, but the problem with them is that they last no where near long enough. In a perfect world, there would be blooms all year round, unfortunately, it's simply not possible or natural. So I've decided to make the most of flowers whilst they are in season. The best way to do this? Press them and save them for a rainy day. This notebook makes use of some daisies I had pressed recently.

How To: Fabric Covered Headphones

Technology nowadays is pretty mandatory, and you wonder how we actually did stuff without all the modern day help we have. My one problem with this is that designers of technology rarely set out to make it look pretty, and technology usually falls into one of two camps: 1. Basic looking or 2. Plain fugly. Sure I love my technology, but why can't it be as cute as the rest of my wardrobe? These fabric covered headphones are part of my solution.

How To: Embroider a Watch Strap

I'm in a bit of an embroidery fix at the moment, which is odd, considering that embroidery is really not my thing. I find it tedious, repetitive, and more often than not have absolutely no idea of what to do with the end result. However, I've started thinking more outside the box. Sure, I might not enjoy embroidering a piece of canvas or fabric, but what about embroidery on other items? This thought process led me to try some simple embroidery onto a watch strap - an easy and quick project that led to a really pleasing result.