Soy Candle Workshop

This weekend saw me participating in a soy candle workshop.  A generous Christmas gift from Jessie from Rabidlittlehippy.  Can i tell you upfront that i didn't think that there would be much in this. Do you really need to do a workshop? Melt a little wax, couple of drop of oil  and pour it into a mould with a wick.  Easy Peasy!  How arrogant and ignorant was I?   I felt a little foolish but also very grateful for the detailed information that Kim from Little Green Workshops provided.  She covered all the safety and creative information with such a relaxed friendly manner.

Each workstation was provided with all the tools that we would need throughout the workshop.  It must take forever to set this all up.  We had detailed notes giving us quantities and measurements of wax and fragrances for easy reference as well as being provided with a detailed instruction booklet to take home.  We didn't even have to clean up in between our different candles.  No sooner had we finished with a jug we had melted the wax in than it was whisked away to the kitchen by Gavin to clean-up for the next round. EcoSoya wax is water soluble and easy to clean up.  They are certainly a well oiled machine when it comes to customer service these two.

Apart from our workstations, there were other tables with fragrances and colour chips that we could select to personalise each of our candles.  Here is a nifty trick used - in between smelling the essential blends of oil we were given a tea bag to sniff to clear our nasal passages.  It really worked. Another table was loaded with all the utensils and supplies you would need to start creating your own candles at home.  I bought a full kit with my birthday money so all my friends had better expect candles for Christmas this year.  I picked up a lovely Christmas fragrance of Blackcurrant and Plum, a fresh Wild Mint and Lime and a sumptuous Ralph Lauren Blue.

Each of us made a large fragranced coloured square candle and four tea lights.  We also made a plain candle inside a lovely mosaic mould which looks stunning when lit and a packet of fragranced melts that go into burners.  All of these supplies were included in the $72 cost and we got to take what we had made home at the end of the workshop.  Its amazing what you can learn and create in just a few hours.  I found the workshop very good value for money (even though i didn't pay for it).

I don't want to go into my usually huge post on the workshop.  I want all of you to book in and experience a few hours of creative fun yourself.  I did learn heaps.   If you are in another state then you can go on line to gather information and buy your supplies.   Gav accepts PayPal, EFT and Credit Card payments.

Little Green Workshops - Soy Candles

So here is just a few facts to wet your appetite:

Gav & Kim use EcoSoya Wax which after much research they have had to import from the US.  All soy wax in Australia comes from GMO crops.  Parafin from oil is cheap (and toxic) and is often added to some soy candle products to make it cheaper.  Many "Soy" candles found in $2 shops are more paraffin than soy. So either spend a lot of time researching where something comes from (don't trust the labels) or buy direct from Gav and Kim.

Wicks come in different thicknesses to allow for a wider spread of burning.  If a wick is too small you will end up with a small radius of burning and unburnt wax on the outside.  If you have a large mould, use a thick wick or several smaller wicks to cover the entire radius.  Wicks should be trimmed to no shorter than 6mm to avoid the wick being drowned in wax when it expands as it melts. Trims wicks when hard and cool.

Another reasons this happens is Candle Memory.  Ever noticed how you end up with a big whole in the middle?  I guess its because we are so rushed that we light a candle for a few hours and then blow it out.  In order for a candle to burn across the whole width (and if your wick is the right size) then you must allow it to burn long enough to melt the wax all the way across.  A candle will remember where it burnt to last time (this wax will be softer) and do it again.  See How to burn a candle properly

Did i just say above, "blow a candle out"? Not only can this be dangerous but it also can dry the wick out and it can snap.  I've had this problem myself.   You should always use a "Wick Dipper" to lower the wick into the melted wax (which will extinguish it immediately) but then lift it out straight with a nice coating of wax ready for lighting next time.

I bought one similar from Gav for just a few dollars.  Or, you could make a simple one yourself from wire.  

Essential oils have a low flashpoint and as such are usually blended with a carrier oil for candle making eg. grape-seed oil.   Still this blend must never be added when the melted wax is above 57 degrees.   It may (depending on the essential oil) ignite.   A candy thermometer in the melted wax will tell you when you can safely add the oil.  Stir for at least 2 minutes to thoroughly mix the oil through the wax.

There you have it.  An invitation to book into a few hours of fun with some friends or just go yourself.  Kim is such a darling you want to take her home with you.  Now if she would just supply her famous Cornish Pasties for lunch i would be over there every Sunday.  Gav could add some home-made ginger beer into the mix.

On leaving the Melton South Community Centre i noted across the cricket oval a pathway up a small hill. Wearing my FitBit i took a photo and phoned a friend to ask if she thought i could do it (remember my crazy feet).  She told me to go for it and since i was wearing a brace on my worst ankle I took off at a pace.  It was easy and wasn't i surprised when on reaching the top (great 360 view) to receive a few little buzzes on my wrist letting me know that i had reached my first 5,000 steps for the day.  Being elevated i also recorded 5 flights of stairs and all before lunch time.  I think I'm going to have to reassess my daily targets to 10,000. Slowly, Slowly.......

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