If you have a double boiler available, use that to heat the wax, if not, or since wax can be difficult to remove from the pan, you can get by by using a large coffee can inside a pot of hot water.

      Start by placing the clean coffee can into the boiling pot of water. Next begin to fill the coffee can with the paraffin wax and/or old candles. Do this by cutting the wax or old candles – minus the wicks – into large chunks. This will begin to melt and if you are using an orange juice container you should figure about 1/4th pound per container. Stir the wax with a wooden spoon or a Popsicle stick – wood works best here.

      If you want a colored candle, there is no need to go out and purchase fancy colors. Just use a crayon, one per 1/4th pound of wax will do the trick. If you use half a white crayon and half a color crayon, you will get a softer color candle. If you use the entire crayon, you will get a rich, dark color. Wait until the wax is nearly melted and then throw in the tiny broken pieces of crayon.

      If you want to make your own wicks, you will need to cut thick cotton strings longer than your container requires. Once the wax is melted, dip the strings into the wax, then hang the wax covered strings from a clothesline or place them on top of wax paper so they will be nice and straight when it comes time to insert them into the wax. You may want to scent your wicks by soaking them in a fragrance or perfume before dipping them in the wax to give your candle a scent.

      Next, you carefully remove the coffee can full of wax from the boiling pot of water and let it cool for a moment or two. Then you hold the container and tip it towards the coffee can and pour the wax into the container, leaving a little room at the top so it is easier to remove the candle.

      To insert the wick, you will need a pencil or pen to hold the wick in place while the candle dries and hardens around the wick. Make sure you measure the wick along the side of the container, leaving plenty of extra for the pen to wrap around the wick so that it will not fall to the side while it dries. If you have too much wick left at the top, you have not reached the bottom of the container. It is very important that the wick make it to the bottom of the container.