Alright, so I decided to mess around with making “cabernet burns” – you know, those fancy wine-infused candles. Figured it’d be a cool, unique thing to try. Here’s how it all went down, from start to finish:
Gathering My Stuff
First things first, I needed to grab all the materials. Here’s what my shopping list looked like:
- Some old wine bottles: I had a few empties lying around. Time to put them to good use!
- Soy wax flakes: I went with soy because I heard it burns cleaner.
- Wicks: Gotta have something to light, right?
- Wick stickers: To keep those wicks in place.
- Fragrance oil: This is where the “cabernet” part comes in. I found a scent that supposedly smelled like red wine.
- A double boiler (or a heat-safe bowl and a pot): For melting the wax.
- A thermometer: To make sure the wax doesn’t get too hot.
- Something to stir with: I used a wooden chopstick.
- Bottle cutter: I have cut glass before so have my own.
Prepping the Bottles
The wine bottles were the stars of the show, so I spent some time getting them ready. I started by soaking them in hot, soapy water to remove the labels. Some were stubborn, but I managed to scrape them off eventually. Then, the fun part – I used the cutter to cut the bottles, a bit scary but it came out well.
Melting the Wax
Next up, I melted the wax. I used my makeshift double boiler – basically, I put the wax flakes in a heat-safe bowl and set it over a pot of simmering water. I kept an eye on the thermometer, making sure the wax didn’t go above 185°F (around 85°C), like the instructions said. I stirred it occasionally with my chopstick until it was all smooth and liquid.
Adding the Fragrance
Once the wax was melted, I took it off the heat and let it cool down a bit. When it reached around 160°F (71°C), I poured in the cabernet fragrance oil. I didn’t measure it super precisely – I just added a good amount until it smelled strong enough. I gave it a good stir to make sure it was all mixed in.
Wicking and Pouring
Now, it was time to assemble the candles. I stuck the wick stickers to the bottom of the wicks and then placed them in the center of my cut wine bottles. Then, I carefully poured the scented wax into the bottles, leaving a little space at the top.
The Waiting Game
After pouring, I just had to wait. I left the candles to cool and harden completely. This took several hours, and I was itching to see the final product. I made sure not to move them around too much while they were setting.
The Final Result!
Finally, the candles were ready! They looked pretty cool, if I do say so myself. The wax had a nice, smooth finish, and the cabernet scent was definitely there. I lit one up, and it gave off a warm, cozy glow and a subtle wine-like aroma. It wasn’t exactly like a glass of cabernet, but it was definitely a unique and pleasant scent. Overall, I’m pretty happy with how my cabernet burns turned out! It was a fun project, and I ended up with some cool, handmade candles.
