I am going to start this guide with the premiss that you already know what candle making accessories you need and you have a knowledge of the proceedures needed to melt candle wax and all safety issues and precautions needed, (added this bit so if your house burns down then it isn't my fault) there are many sources of information on the web and I have included the links at the bottom of the webpage.

You need stearin added to your paraffin wax or better still use a blended wax with the stearin already added, this is needed as it makes the wax expand further which helps mould release when it sets and contracts (shrinks) plus it improves the colour of the candle whether it is dyed or not; it also makes the wax burn considerably better.

Use any mould you like with glass moulds giving a very mirror like finish, aluminium and plastic molds are nearly as good as the glass ones and you have the added bonus of being able to drop them and still use them again. I have used a polycarbonate mould so the images are slightly better than just looking at a metal mold.

With your wax up to the recommended temperature do your first pour as you can see in the image i have not poured all the way to the top of the mould. The image shows two different ways of wicking your finished candle by using a wick pin to hold the wick central in the mold and also a 2.5mm knitting needle inserted to leave the necessary bore for inserting a waxed wick after the candle is made. Do not pour the wax in a cold room or into a cold mould the best way to see that you are working in and around the best temperatures is to check that the wax at the bottom of the mould stays clear for at least 90 seconds before starting to set. If the candle starts to set immediately at this early stage you will get small bubble marks on the finished candle. As soon as the candle starts to skin over at the top move it to a colder area to set.

When the first pour has cooled and shrunk down do a second pour (make the wax a few degrees hotter than the first pour) up to within 5mm of the top of the first pour. Just as the second pour hardens you can insert a rod at a 45 degree angle to leave a key for the third pour. After around 20-30 minutes you will be ready for the final pour to cap off the bottom of the candle, just pour the wax until it is evenly covering the top of the mold (you can shave off any little bits that are uneven when the candle is set). Now when the candle is set just pop it out and your done.

Many years ago i was made redundant this happened completely unexpectedly and was a huge blow at the time which had a lot of knock on issues which caused me to get very depressed. During a period of around two years i became a bit of a hermit and just ate food and slept (when i could be bothered i made a few candles which when done gave me a little respite from the gloom), this led to me becoming very out of shape and adding around 50% more body weight.

Now to the losing the weight bit; i started to get quite a collection of made candles that were just not going to get used so i decided to give some away starting with the neighbours. I found i enjoyed the walk and fresh air and the little chats with the suprised neighbours who took the candles with a lot of gratitude (at this time i did not know if they were pleased to see me out or were genuinely happy to have a candle given). The walks became further and further away from my home and i began to enjoy them more and more, i was now walking for many hours and even when i was not presenting a friend with a scented candle i still went for the walk.

Within a couple of months i and others noticed that i was starting to look a lot better and had a certain glow; it was obvious it was down to the walks and i now began to walk faster than before to see if i could burn off the rest. I found the most comfortable way was to start walking slowly then build up the pace with a brisk pace for around 10 minutes then back to a steady pace for 10 minutes then really step it up for 10 minutes as if you are late for something but do not run then back to steady. You will be amazed at how fast this burns away the fat (as long as you are not filling your face with chocolate bars while you are doing it)

This ends the story of how i lost weight and gained some stronger friendships; yes thats right i feel that the offering of my hobby (the candles) did cement some stronger friendships though i think there may well have been a few (who dont really like candles) who got a bit sick of the pratt with the candles.