Wax Art – Rose

Instructions for creating roses out of wax.

So, has anyone ever tried wax art. We got a chance to try it at out last candle making class. We made a rose out of beeswax. The technique is fairly simple if anyone would like to try.

You will need:

• Wax at about 180-190 degrees
• a tablespoon
• some heavy gauge wire
• cotton ball
• a can with some dish washing liqiud and water mixed.

Instructions: 

1. Dip your spoon into the soapy water. This will keep the wax from sticking to the spoon.

2. Dip your spoon into the hot wax (holding it straight up and down). Let it cool a few seconds and re-dip. I dip a total of three times.

3. After the wax has cooled I use my thumb to push the wax off the inside surface of the spoon. Set this piece aside. I do not use the piece off the back side of the spoon. I didn’t care for the shape. Repeat this process until you have about 25 good pieces.

4. Very carefully trim each piece with scissors. You are just trying to round the edge and give it a petal shape.

5. Cut a straight piece of heavy wire and bend a loop in the top of it.

6. Take a small piece of cotton and stuff in side the loop. You are going to need to cut a small circle out of a sheet of wax to from the flowers bud. Don’t worry if you don’t have any sheet wax their is a simple way to make your own. If your melting pot is big enough you can dip a wet piece of wood into the wax two or three times. As the wax cools it should release from the woods surface and their you have a sheet of wax. If you pot is much smaller try a playing card that has been dipped in the soapy water solution.

7. Once you have your circle poke the stem through the center and push it up to where it is just underneath the cotton ball.

8. Fold the circle in half so it looks like a taco shell. You want to fold each end a different direction. So fold the left end to the right and the right end to the left. It should faintly resemble the inside of a flower.

– The remaining process is just a matter of attaching the petals one by one in an overlapping pattern until you are satisfied with the effect. If you find the petals hard to work with try softening them with a hair dryer to make them more pliable. Good Luck and have fun!

Editorial Note: While this technique does not produce a candle per-se, it provides a great means to embellish your candles. For instance, the hand-crafted roses could be used to decorate a pillar or the base of a taper and give it a truly unique appearance.
Wax Art – Rose
Contributed by: Mike & Brenda Blanton, Fancy Farm, Kentucky.