How to Make a Lavender Candles

Learn how to make candles with flowers inside and scented with essential oils. A beautiful look for your home or a special unique gift.

I noticed that some of my lavender already bloomed, so I needed to get out and harvest what was still in the bud, to dry for projects. However, I can use last season's lavender to decorate some candles. These candles have the flowers on the inside of the mason jar as opposed to this pressed flower candle post with the plant material on the outside of a pillar candle.

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Making Candles with Flowers Inside Mason Jars

Melt the wax in a clean empty tin can or candle pitcher in a pot of water on the stove.

Using an old paintbrush, coat one side of the flowers with wax.

Set the mason jar on its side and slide the flowers into place.

You can use a wooden skewer or pencil to help place the flowers.

Once you have all the flowers in place you can set your wick. I tried using some wax but it did not stay put, so I used a little hot glue. I've used hot glue to secure wicks before with no problems.

Using Wooden Wicks

Next, you need to go back and add more wax around the flowers, to help them stay in place.

This wooden wick is a new item for me and I love the way it looks. It did have some problems staying lit. After googling this problem, I found that it helps to dip the wicks in the wax first. What I did was paint additional wax around the top of the wicks and cut them short and that seemed to help. Keeping the wooden wick trimmed short is another tip.  If you are concerned use standard candle wicks or a cotton candle wick.

Using Cotton Wicks

When using cotton wicks, after you glue the base, wrap the top of the wick around a pencil, and lay the pencil across the top of the jar to help keep it in place. You can trim the excess wick once the candles have hardened.

Adding Essential Oils

Add the essential oils to the candle pitcher or tin can. I used about 100 drops of lavender oil. You can adjust these to suit your preference. The recommended amount of essential oil is all over the place, anywhere from 30 drops to as much as 300 drops per 16 oz candle. I was hoping they would be strong enough to help repel the bugs. However, it's really up to you. These candles are pretty enough to leave unscented.

At first, I did not add extra wax. And as you can see here, the flowers are starting to float away from the side and up to the top.

Adding the additional wax helped with this problem.  By the way, I tried using hot glue to adhere the flowers to the side but it didn't help.

I wonder if the temperature of the wax would make a difference. I also spray-painted the lids with gray spray paint, just because I liked the contrast with the white wax.

Candles with flowers inside. Don't they make a nice homemade gift?

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How to Make Candles with Flowers Inside

Make some candles with flowers inside mason jars that not only look pretty, but may also help to deter pests.

Active Time30 minutes mins

Additional Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: DIY Projects

Yield: 1 Candle

Author: Patti Estep

Cost: $10

Equipment

• Candle wax pouring pitcher
• Old pot
• Paintbrush
• Hot glue gun and sticks

Materials

• Pint sized mason jars
• Soy candle wax
• Wooden wicks
• Lavender essential oil
• Pressed flowers
• Dried lavender flowers
• Hot glue or glue dots

Instructions

• Melt the wax over low heat in a clean empty tin can or candle pitcher in a saucepan of shallow water on the stove.
• Using an old paintbrush, coat one side of the flowers with the melted wax.
• Set the mason jar on its side and slide the flowers into place.
• Use a wooden skewer or pencil to help place the flowers.
• Soak your wood wick in wax to help it stay lit.
• Once all the flowers are in place, you can set your wick with a little hot glue or use a glue dot.
• Go back and add more wax around the flowers, to help them stay in place.
• Remove the candle pitcher from the heat and add the essential oils to the candle pitcher or tin can. I used about 100 drops per candle.
• Pour the scented wax into the mason jars.
• Let the wax cool and trim the wicks to about 1/8 to 3/16 inches.

Notes

1. Keep the wooden wick trimmed to about 1/8 inch for better burning.
2. You can substitute beeswax for soy wax but it might cost more.
3. Spray paint the lids with gray spray paint, if desired.