I use to make everything from dolls to candles. One of my biggest sellers, when I did craft boutiques were my grubby candles. After tons of experimenting and wondering just how to get them to have that old grubby, and chunky look, I finally figured it out! I bought candle molds, that I spent tons of money on, and I found the best results by not using a mold at all. Here are some pictures of some of my candles. I am going to explain and share my trick, so you can easily make them yourself with nothing more than a stove, 2 melting pots, water, a pitcher, a pill bottle, a couple of old wooden spoons, and some old candles. Oh, and you can add scented oil if you want to. Along with some cinnamon and cream of wheat. Most of these ingredients and supplies you probably have just laying around your house. I bought a bunch of old candles at thrift shops for around $.50 to $1.00 a piece, which is cheaper than buying a 5 or 10 pound block of wax at your local craft store!
Beautiful electric grubby candles. So fun and easy to make! This ones main shape was created using a simple round pitcher.
My beautiful little bunt pan grubby electric candle. I made the main candle with a small bunt pan to get the basic form. Then I melted my chunky wax to stick over my main shape.
A bunch of grubby electric candles.
Hand dipped grubby candle sticks. These are simple. You simply need to buy boxes of emergency candles. I bought a box of ten at the dollar store. Then you take your old chuck candles, melt them down, in a double boiler. So you need a big pot of boiling water, then you put the chunked wax in a separate pan, which you put in the pan of boiling water, so essentially you are double boiling to melt the wax. Note: you never want to melt the wax directly in a pan over a burner because it can catch on fire. You must always double up your pans, the water will boil and melt the wax. Do not ever leave your wax melting unattended. You will also need a pan of cold water, a deep pitcher works well too. Then you want to dip your emergency candle in the wax, then the water, then the wax, then the water, repeat this until the candle is the size you want, do this and have a plate full of cinnamon, sugar, and even oatmeal or cream of wheat. When you get it to the size and shape you want, immediately after the wax before the water roll your candle in your plate mixture, the mixture will stick to your candle, then you can dip it a couple more times in the wax then water. You should soon notice the candle looking very grubby, chunky and dirty! There you have it grubby candle sticks! I use to sell these in a bundle of 3.
A round pitcher was used to create the main shape of this candle.
Below is a simple candle, that I created using my melting, and caking technique. It was a votive candle originally. Then I simply caked on the chunky wax to achieve this look.
Okay, so do you like my candles, are you wondering how I made them. Well they are not as hard as they seem. What you need is a bunch of old wax. I had odds and ends of unused candles, you can mix colors. or combine colors to make a set of red, or blue, or whatever. If you mix all of what you have that will work as well. Then you need two pans. One large pan for boiling the water, then a smaller plan which you will place the wax in, like a double boiler system. You never want to melt wax directly on the burner. You will also want a couple of pans, pitchers or small bowls for your main mold. What you want to do is place water about a quarter of the way up in your bigger pan, place on the stove to start heating up the water, you want it very hot, almost to a boil or boiling. (You will need to keep putting water in as it evaporates) Then you want to put all pieces of your melting wax in the smaller pan. Place wax pan in pan of boiling water, keep stirring until the wax melts completely down. Then you will use the bottom of your pitcher to pour the wax into. You can use a pill bottle, or some type of round salt and pepper shaker to place in the middle of the melted wax in the pitcher. This is so you will have a hollowed space for your electric light. Let the wax get hard. I found if you place it in the fridge it will get hard faster. Then when the wax is completely hardened you should easily be able to pop it out. Then you have to turn whatever you used in the middle until you can get it out. SO basically this will leave you with the first and hardest step done. What you do next, is melt more wax, this time you don't want the wax melted to a complete liquid, you can melt it down so its not as hot, as wax cools it will start getting chunky. Keep stirring the wax as it is cooling, and you will soon notice the wax looking chunky. If it gets to hard, turn it on hotter, and stir so its in between melting and hardening. Place your original candle form on a piece of wax paper. Then start to spoon the chunky wax onto the top of your candle. Keep spooning on to where you want it, and when you have achieved the look you want, stop and let it get hard! You can usually purchase the electric pieces around Christmas time at Walmart. many craft stores will have them throughout the year. You can also make the non electric candles by using the exact technique, but do it to an already made candle instead of doing the first step where you have to create your form! There you have it, CHUNKY GRUBBY CANDLES! Have fun!!!
