Friday, May 27, 2011

Shoo Bugs Shoo!!!

In Florida spring and summer means GINORMOUS bugs!!!

Typically I would run to Target and immediately buy lots of raid citronella candles or sprays. Or else perish to the wrath of the GIANT Florida mosquitos!!! No fun!!!

This year, I decided on a something a little more fun than the basic citronella candle.

I began saving all our pasta, greek pepper or pickle jars. 

I spray painted them with this:

I painted several coats and though they did not come out as perfect as the tutorial, well, I thought they were still cute! Let them dry over night.

I created a "R" template on thicker cardstock by free hand. Then I traced my template on scrapbook paper and glued them to the painted jars.
 NOTE: You can find special glue for glass surfaces.
I bought soy wax (buy the big bag for more than one candle...YOU'LL NEED IT!!!), citronella essential oil from local health foods store, and candle wicks from Michael's. 

To get your color, just shave some crayons and add till you get the color you want. 
Take an old coffee can tin, fill with wax shreds, crayola shavings, and place in boiling water. I found that stirring frequently helped melt faster. 
Once your wax is completely melted add just 3-4 drops of your citronella oil.

IMPORTANT: If you add too much oil, it will separate from your wax...NO BUENO!!!

I poured my wax outside on sidewalk into my jars with a wick held in place. The tutorial I used had something more "candle professional" to hold the wicks in place, but I didn't have that so I used my nursing hemostats!!! LOL

Yep, that's the ER nurse in me coming out...IMPROVISE!!!

I placed the candles in the fridge to cool off and solidify over night.

VOILA!!


Homemade citronella candle!!!


The other colors are cooling now.

I will show those once done!

Done!

Sigh....the green one at far right is way TOOOOO light green.

Do you want to try too???

Swing over to 

Hers are WAY better, but I had fun making my very first citronella candles at 

the REINER CASA!!!

xoxo
fler

1 comment:

  1. OH MY GRACIOUS!!!! I WILL BE MAKING THESE!!!! HOW STINKIN' CUTE ARE THESE!!! I haven't visited her site but I think yours are pretty great!! Isn't it fun to make your own stuff AND turn out so cute!!

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