Get ready for cosy season with Nancy Birtwhistle’s candle masterclass
It’s time to get your candles ready for cosy season. Nancy Birtwhistle’s here with a candle masterclass - with tips for making your burner last longer to upcycle your candle jars, using the wax waterproof your boots, and even create firelighters.
1) REMOVING CANDLE WAX OUT OF JARS
Required: Candles and round bladed knife
Method: Place the spent candle jar in the freezer overnight.
After freezing, take the jar out of the freezer and use a round-bladed knife to carefully slide between the wax and the jar.
Gently pop the wax out of the jar.
The freezing process will minimise wax residue and stains.
REPURPOSE THE CANDLE JAR, Use the cleaned jar for various purposes, such as: Storing spices, as a drinking glass,holding bath salts & jewellery pot.
2) HOMEMADE FIRELIGHTERS:
Required: scrap paper, burnt down or spent candles (5-6 tbsp grated wax), potato peeler,aluminium can,small saucepan, boiling water, used egg box, chopping board & airtight bag or tin.
Method: Lay a piece of paper on a work surface and work at a spent candle with a potato peeler to remove small shards or gratings.
Take the used, washed and dried aluminium can and give it a squeeze to become an oval shape - this will provide a perfect 'pourer' for the melted wax.
Scoop up the piece of wax-filled paper to form a funnel and transfer to the oval-shaped tin. Stand the tin in a small saucepan, pour boiling water around the side and leave to stand for several minutes until the wax melts. If it fails to melt completely, place the pan over a low heat on the hob until the wax melts and is clear and runny.
Tightly scrunch up some small pieces of scrap paper or newspaper and force it into the cups of the egg box as tightly as you can. Then take the tin of melted wax from the pan of water and - using the oval-shaped tin - pour the wax from cup to cup in the egg box.
Leave the wax to set completely then place the very hard egg box onto a chopping board and cut into six pieces.
Wrap each piece in a parcel using newspaper, store in an airtight bag to keep dry.
3) HOW TO WAX YOUR JEANS FOR THE OUTDOORS or OTHER ITEMS YOU CAN WAX
Required: Used candle, hairdryer, spray bottle
Method: get your used candle, and rub it all over your jacket front to back, till a white coating appears then use your hairdryer to dry the jacket or boots. Once dry it will look like new and test it but spraying with water.
4) CANDLE MAKEOVER
Required: Used candle
Method: Remove wick, then trim and tidy candle, use a 2cm metal cutter, which needs to be heated for 5 minutes. Then place onto trimmed candle and push into the wax. Then scoop out the softened middle, then discard and remove the ring, remove the wick from the centre, decorate, add a tea light to the centre and light again and again.