DIY Ice Candles Tutorial!

Center your taper in the middle of your container and fill around it with crushed ice. (Crushed ice gives a better look than cubed). Fill the container with crushed ice up to 1″ from the top.

Now pour your melted wax over the ice, filling the container all the way to the top.

Patience, my dear. We now have to wait for the wax to get solid. Give it about an hour so that there will not be any “incidences”.

Hold your candle over the sink and gently peel the cardboard container off of the candle. Ice candles are fragile, so hold it gently as you peel. The melted water will run off into the sink.

At this point, you should already have a pretty awesome looking candles. But wait! There’s more! But again, we have to be patient. There is still ice inside your candle that needs time to melt. Sit it on some paper towels and let it stand overnight before you go to the next step.

Now we are ready to decorate it. Cut a scrap of cardboard for your candle base. I cut mine about 2 inches wider than the diameter of the candle. This leaves about an inch of cardboard showing on all sides. At this point, set the decorations that you would like to use near your work station.

Using your double boiler method, melt 1/2 box of wax. Once it has melted, pour the wax in a small bowl and using your mixer, beat the wax just like you would beat egg whites. (Start off slowly at first so as not to splash hot wax on yourself). As the wax starts to cool, it becomes white and frothy. When it has reached the point where it is just beginning to hold its shape, spoon the wax around the base of the candle.

Mound it like snow. We also added some to the top to look like drifts. Working quickly, while the wax is still not set, push your decorations in. If the wax sets before you get them all in, add more melted wax to the decoration and re-apply. Believe me, it sets quickly. Clean up Tips:  Be sure to scrape off as much wax as possible before running under hot water.  This could clog your sink!!  You may want to consider cleaning your utensils in boiling water and then pouring the hot water outside.

These candles make wonderful gifts. When you burn them, they will burn from the inside, pulling from the taper in the center. As they burn, you will be able to see all the variations of light through the holes in the candle. It is actually quite beautiful.

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