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Patriotic Gel Candles
These
patriotic gel candles look wonderful and festive for all the American
patriotic holidays, like Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day.
They look great being displayed all summer! These
patriotic gel candles
are made using gel wax. Do not be intimidated if you have
never worked with gel wax before, it is so easy to work with.
It is much easier to use than regular wax. The clean up is
easy, and the gel has a slow burn time and extra gel can be reused
again.
 Things Needed:
1. Begin the patriotic gel candles by washing your votive holders and allowing to dry completely. Tie the wicks around a bamboo skewer or pencil and cut to the proper length of the glass container, so they just touch the bottom of the glass. Then balance the bamboo skewer over the container, so the wicks hang down the middle.  2. Gel wax is very easy
to clean up, so you don't have to have a "dedicated" candle cooking
pot, although it does help. The gel, once cooled, will simply
peel off from the inside of the pot. Then the pot can be
washed with grease-fighting dish detergent. Cut the gel wax
with a knife, then use a spoon or your hands to pull out chunks of the
wax to put in the pot. Don't be afraid to use your
hands. Gel wax is very clean and using your hands is usually
the easiest way to get it out! Try to over-estimate rather
than under-estimate the amount of wax you need, since any extra is
re-usable.  3. Heat the
wax over the lowest heat setting on the stove until it begins
to melt. Never use a microwave! You can stir the
wax to speed up the process. NOTE: Usually when working with gel wax you should NOT stir it, since this introduces more bubbles. Once it is all melted, you are ready to move on to the next step. DO NOT let it sit long after it has melted, as it can get too hot. Follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly. They may suggest using a candy thermometer. Gel wax is highly flammable, so use caution. Never leave the pot and watch it constantly. If it does ignite, do not pour water on it. Instead, extinguish by covering with the lid or use baking soda.  4. Continue with the
patriotic gel candles by adding a small drop of
blue dye to the wax. I dipped a bamboo skewer into the dye
and then into the wax, to control how much I added. Once you
have the color looking like a good medium blue, it is ready.
Now is the time to add candle scent if you like too.  5.
Carefully pour the blue gel wax into the glass containers to
make your first layer. Give it about 30 minutes to set.   6. While you are waiting, you can clean out the pot. Add a little cool water and the rest of the gel will solidify quickly and should easy peel off from the sides of the pot. Clean the rest of the pot with some grease fighting dish soap and warm water. Then, get some more gel wax melting. This time the gel can remain clear. When it is melted, add the scent if you are using it. Then pour another layer of wax on top of the blue.  7. Allow the clear layer
to solidify (takes about 30 minutes). In the meantime, clean
out the pot once again and melt some more gel wax. This time,
when it is melted, tint the wax red and add your fragrance.
Gently pour the red wax on top of the clear wax to form the
last layer.   8. Once set, trim the wicks to 1/4 of an inch before burning. You will enjoy the patriotic gel candles with their long, clean burn time!
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