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You are here: Home / Craft Basics / How to Make Gel Candles: Ocean Themed

07.23.15 By Laura 11 Comments

How to Make Gel Candles: Ocean Themed

I love all things summer and love finding new ways to preserve my summer memories.  An easy way to do that is by making an ocean gel candle! The cool thing about gel candles is that you can see right through them, so unlike traditional candle wax, you can see items that are put inside the wax. Follow along as I show you how to make gel candles!

How-to-make-gel-candles-Darice-1Gel candles are very easy to make, and look great!  You can make them for yourself, or give them away as party favors or even wedding favors.

How to make gel candles supplies:

  • Darice Blue Glass Chips
  • David Tutera Hinged Lid Glass Jars
  • Darice Small Seashells, Sand, and/or Nautical Items (optional)
  • Clear Candle Gel Wax
  • Wicks
  • Adhesive

How-to-make-gel-candles-Darice-5How to make gel candles instructions:

Step 1.  Add a small amount of glue to the bottom of a metal wick holder and place inside a small glass jar.  Add some blue glass chips to the jar, then add in any small shells, sand, or other nautical items.

How-to-make-gel-candles-Darice-11Step 2.  Using an old pot (that you no longer use to cook food in), melt some of the gel wax over the stove top on low heat until melted.

Step 3.  Remove the wax from heat, and carefully spoon the wax into the candle with a plastic spoon.  Keep adding more gel wax until it reaches the top of the jar.  Work quickly because the wax cools quickly.

Step 4.  You can use two pencils or pens to hold the wick in place as the gel cools.  The gel might get air bubbles in it, which I think adds to the ocean look that I was going for.

How-to-make-gel-candles-Darice-8Once the wax is cool, trim the wick on the candle.  Wicks should be trimmed down to 1/4″ before lighting to ensure even wax melting.

How-to-make-gel-candles-Darice-3These can be used as small travel candles, given in a set as a gift, or as party favors.  They are so cute and fun!

I hope you enjoyed this how to make gel candles tutorial and have fun making them as much as I did! Happy crafting!

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  • Step 5. Add more crayon to create a darker color, and allow crayon to melt. Turn stove heat on for a minute if needed. Stir with disposable fork, then repeat the dipping process for other candles.Dip Dyed Candle DIY Project with Crayon Wax
Laura

Laura is a wife, mom of four, and the owner and creator of Make Life Lovely, a creative blog filled with creative craft tutorials, DIY projects, party tips, holiday ideas, home decor, and more. A former elementary school teacher, Laura loves getting crafty, planning parties, going on adventures with her family, and eating frozen yogurt.

http://www.makelifelovely.com

Filed Under: Craft Basics, Summer Tagged With: beach, candles, gel candle, shells, summer

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. PB says

    08.15.19 at 12:43 pm

    Would the 25oz container of gel wax be enough wax to fill all 4pc on the hinged jars?

    Reply
  2. Josie says

    06.13.18 at 10:34 pm

    Thank you for tutorial. I concord the shell candle.. My question is I would like to add foliage, maybe even flowers. Every time I add flowers they look horrible, what am I doing wrong..

    Help!!!

    Josie

    Reply
    • Darice says

      06.15.18 at 9:15 am

      Here are some great instructions on adding flowers to your gel candles. Hopefully there’s some tips that will help!
      https://prestigeflowers.wordpress.com/2014/11/11/263/
      https://pioneerthinking.com/gel-candle-making-with-pressed-flowers

      Reply
  3. KristyAnn Koehn says

    08.02.16 at 4:59 pm

    How do i know how much wax to use??

    Reply
    • Darice says

      08.03.16 at 10:51 am

      Hi KristyAnn, You can eyeball how much wax to use depending on what size jar you use. You can always melt more if it does not look like enough to fill the jars.

      Reply
      • Ki says

        10.07.17 at 5:04 pm

        So you only sell your products in the US?

        Reply
        • Darice says

          10.10.17 at 10:25 am

          Hi Ki, No we do welcome international customers! Here is a link to more information about becoming an international customer: https://www.darice.com/Content/Images/Media/InternationalApplication.pdf

          Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Shell Project for the Home: Painted Seashell Stand Decor - Darice says:
    07.07.17 at 10:44 am

    […] If you’re looking for another shell project to try, check out this ocean themed tutorial on how to make gel candles. […]

    Reply
  2. 24 +Exotic Ways to Make Gel Candles | Guide Patterns says:
    05.15.17 at 6:30 am

    […] 18. DIY to Make Seashell Gel Candle […]

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  3. 24 +Innovative Ways to Make Gel Candles | Guide Patterns says:
    05.15.17 at 6:18 am

    […] 18. DIY to Make Seashell Gel Candle […]

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  4. Candle DIY Project: Crayon Wax Dip Dye Technique - Darice says:
    02.16.16 at 10:30 am

    […] this candle DIY project was up your alley, you may be interested in checking out our post on how to make gel candles. This specific tutorial shows you how to create ocean themed gel […]

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Darice was founded in 1954, by Pat Catan, an entrepreneur from humble beginnings who valued hard work and dedication. Today, Darice Inc. is a premier manufacturer and wholesale distributor in the craft industry.

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