Thrift Store Transformation: How To Make A Fall Candle

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I love candles. There is something about having a candle lit in the background that instantly makes a space more cozy, scented and overall, pleasant. In a season that beckons us to nestle in and cozy up, fall seems to just scream for them. In recent years though, it feels like candles went from being the sweet little, $5 shopping treat to a full $15 or $20 gift. So, it got me thinking, why not make my own where I can determine exactly the scent and style while being less of an investment? After a bit of research and antique thrift store scavenging, I found the perfect pieces to repurpose into, not one but TWO, fall candles perfect for our home for less than $10.  If you are up for a little DIY-ing this fall, try this thrift store transformation and learn how to make your own fall candles. 

Candle Supplies

• Old/ used candles and/or wax beads
• Double boiler (or two pots for a makeshift version – I decided to go this route since I already had a double boiler back in the States and did not want to buy another)
• Coconut oil
• Vessel 
• Scents (essential oils or natural materials (cinnamon, vanilla, coffee etc.) – I used essential oils, Pumpkin Spice and Hygge, and ground cinnamon) 
• Candle wick set 

Thrift Store Transformations

One of my favorite aspects of this DIY is how customizable and resourceful it is! Unlike a candle you might purchase at a store, this project allows you to select your vessel, wax and scents to make it fully what you are looking for. As I have a few favorite antique/ thrift “flohmarkts” (fleamarkets) here in Germany, I was thrilled to be able to combine fall candles with unique finds (like this lovely amber colored floral dish and small blue/whiteish pottery piece) through this thrift store transformation.

Similarly, while you certainly could use a thrifted vessel and then purchase wax beads / melts to create your candle, I find that melting down old candles (either that you already have onhand or have thrifted) can help cut down on cost and waste. If a candle has a wick that doesn’t work, is dirty, cracked or for some reason is unusable, melting it down to create a new candle is a perfect way to prevent it from going to waste. 

In preparation for this project, I thrifted two cracked red heart shaped candles and three used pillar candles (a white, red and yellow) that I purchased to melt down. I ended up using only one of the large heart candles and the one yellow pillar candle (which, with the cinnamon, blended to make a gorgeous, earthy terracotta color), so I have candles left over for another time, but once melted together, these two candles alone allowed me to fill both a large and small thrifted vessel. If you are wondering how many candles you will need to fill your container, Armatage Candle Company has a great guide that helps break down the technical equations, weights, measurements and math side of candle making, however I took a much more simplified approach for this project and primarily eyeballed it. 

Finally, since I didn’t want any of the wax to potentially damage my cooking pots and silverware, I also thrifted a basic cooking pot and spoon that I placed inside my normal pot to act as a double boiler. 

Establishing Your Scent

If you know anything about candle making, you know there are hundreds of scent combinations that can be created for your candle (this Oily Chic post has some awesome “oil recipes” for inspiration). Largely connected to memory, scent preferences can be extremely personal and can help to evoke emotions, create calm or gently fade into the background. If the candle or candle melts you are using do not already have a scent, I found from my research, that for every 8 oz. of melted wax, you will need around 200 to 300 drops of essential oils (or about 2 or 3 teaspoons) for a medium to strong scented candle. You can have each of these oil measurements be all one scent, or divide the total amount to include several scents for a more complex candle. Since I wanted a more subtle candle and was also using ground cinnamon, I opted for 75 drops each of the Hygge and Pumpkin Spice essential oils (for 150 drops total) and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Like the wax measurements though, there are many factors that can influence the final scent of your candle, including essential oil concentrations, flash points, wick types etc., so if you want to read more on those, this Hello Nest article can be very helpful as well. 

Steps

Step 1: The first step to creating your fall candles is to begin collecting your materials. In prep for your thrift store transformation, find a vessel, candles and anything else you might need (a pot, spoon…) from your favorite second hand store, Good Will, flea market, antique store etc. The wicks and essential oils likely won’t be found second hand, but TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby, Amazon, Walmart and other places online can be great resources for these finds.

Step 2: If the candles / candle beads you are using do not have a scent, proceed with selecting the natural materials and/or essential oils that you want to work with for scenting your candle. 

Step 3: After your materials are in hand and your scent is selected, wash your candle vessels and dry well. Using the stickers included in your wick kit, attach your wicks to the base of your candle vessel to help prevent them from floating up in the hot wax. Using the wick holders (or a kitchen utensil), straighten the wick and attach in place to ensure the wick does not fall down into the candle while the candle is hardening. For me, the wick holder worked perfectly for my smaller candle which only had one wick, but for my larger three wick candle, I used both the wick holder and a meat thermometer for stabilization. This allowed me to secure all three of my wicks to ensure that they stayed straight in the hot wax. 

Step 4: After your vessels have been prepared, roughly chop your wax / old candles and add them to a double boiler (or to a pot if using a makeshift double boiler). To create a makeshift version, fill a slightly larger pot with water and begin bringing it to a low simmer. Place your smaller pot with wax on top of the larger pot to act as a double boiler and be sure that the water is not touching the bottom of the top pot. This process allows the steam from the simmering water below to heat and melt the wax in the pot above without ever allowing the water and wax to touch. Stir the wax frequently as the old candles are melting. Likewise, as the candles are melting, be sure to pull out any old wicks that might start to reveal themselves in the melted wax.

Step 5: While the max is melting, prepare your fragrance slurry. To do so, melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and then add your desired amount of fragrance. This will allow your fragrance to disperse evenly throughout your wax. 

Step 6: When the wax is completely melted and has reached 180 to 185 degrees, stir in your scent blend. Next, pour the candle wax into your vessels. Be sure not to fill too full to prevent touching your wick holders. If you have any wax left over, pour into a small container to melt later to top off your candles. Occasionally, when curing the center of your candles will dip down, so adding this additional wax on top can give you a perfectly smooth and flat surface.

Step 7: Let the candles sit and cool for a minimum of 12 hours before lighting, although preferably let them sit for 3 or 4 days to allow them to fully cure. Enjoy!

Final Thoughts 

I am so excited about the final results of my thrifted candle transformations! From unique vessels to delightful scents, these candles are perfect for enjoying fall this season without breaking the bank. Once paired with a few coffee table books, colorful dahlias and decorative match accessories, our coffee table feels ready to embrace this transition to fall. As I still have a few old candles and supplies left over, I am looking forward to exploring more candle making endeavors in the future, perhaps even for the upcoming holidays. So, what do you think? Have you ever had a thrift store transformation like this or tried your hand at making fall candles? If so, I would love to know any thoughts, comments or tips for future candle adventures!

Happy DIYing!

Chloe

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