Making Lavender Candles

I used to make candles regularly - I made 100 of them for our wedding favors.  I stopped some time ago because they tend to consume a full afternoon, and they are costly when using 100% beeswax.  However, a friend of mine recently gave me a large quantity of beeswax (our bees haven't yet produced enough), so I figured I'd dedicate a rainy afternoon to candle making.

Materials Needed:
Wax (beeswax smells amazing)
Candle mold(s), any size
Wicking
Mold sealer
Dowel(s), one per mold
Candle dye (optional)
Lavender scent (optional; I use drops of homemade lavender essential oil)
Dried lavender petals
Ladle

Directions:
- Begin by melting wax in double boiler, with sufficient water (always) between pots.  I use an old tin can for the inside pot.
- Cut wick down to 2" longer than candle mold.  Insert wick into the candle mold wick holes, leaving 1/2" of wick outside of the wick holes. 

- Coil the wicking around the wick hole, then cover the wicking and wick hole with mold sealer.  Make sure you don't leave any caps around the mold sealer or the hot wax will seep out.

- Flip the mold over and wrap the wick around the dowel.

- Melt wax until it reaches 190 degrees (F).

- Add candle dye (optional) and stir.
- Remove wax from heat.
- Add several drops of lavender scent and stir.
- Ladle wax into mold cavities.  Let cool.

- A crater will form in the center of the candle - sprinkle lavender petals into crater.  NOTE: Do not use dried lavender in top 2/3 of the candle or it will burn and smoke. 

- Insert dowel (or skewer) into the candle along the wick.  Fill crater with melted wax.  Do NOT fill the crater if the wax is still liquid inside; wait until the wax has started to stiffen throughout.
- Allow the candle to cool completely.
- When molds are cold to the touch, remove the dowels and turn the mold over to remove the mold sealer.
- Release candles from molds.
- Trim the wick at the top of the mold to 1/4" and trim the wick at the bottom of the candle flush with the candle surface.
- Light and enjoy!