PLEASE NEVER LEAVE A BURNING CANDLE UNATTENDED

Hello! Jennifer from Satsuma Designs here and very excited to be back at Just Us Four blog – thank you Shannah! At Satsuma Designs, I create Seattle-made baby products and content that help make caring for kids as easy as child’s play. At my blog, you’ll find crafts, organizing tips, recipes, holiday and everyday treats to delight you and your kiddos. Come by for a visit!

Did you celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day at school this year? We did and there just aren’t enough ways to thank our teachers for all they do for our kiddos and our families. We try to find little ways to say thanks with little bouquets stealthily picked on the walk to school or a coffee card once in a while. So as the year winds to a close, I wanted to present a homemade gift that sends a fun message. Here’s my Teacher Appreciation Gift of a DIY Soy Candle. I’ve added a fun little message related to light to really drive it home!

Here are some punny phrases to get your creative juice flowing or use one of these. Enjoy! Oh, and be sure to have the kids write the note so it’s authentic. 🙂

• Thank you for lighting up my year!
• Thanks for making school so bright!
• You light up our school!
• Thanks for striking up my love of learning!

Here’s what you need to make your Teacher Appreciation Gift of a Soy Candle

• Glass jam jar(s) with coordinating tops
• Soy wax flakes available at your craft store or online
• Glass mixing bowl
• Wick(s), these should be sized to the container you’re using. I use medium size for versatility.
• Candle putty or craft putty
• Pencil or chopstick
• Double boiler with glass bowl for wax OR glass bowl for microwaving wax
• Wooden spoon
• Candy thermometer (wax is ready when it’s 170-180 degrees)
• Scissors
• Essential oils (optional)

Here’s how to make your Teacher Appreciation Gift of a Soy Candle

To begin, choose a vessel for your candle. I used an old jam jar from our family’s favorite Bonne Maman. I love their signature red gingham tin tops and buy the jam to enjoy, but to use for crafts and flower bouquets. I’ll even take my little jam jar to the grocery store and have the florist fill it with fresh blooms for a hostess gift.

When you have your jam or mason jar nice and clean add your wick to the bottom of your jar with a little of your candle or floral putty. 

To keep your wick standing up, wrap the end of you wick around a pencil or flat sided chopstick and lay on top of your jar. Consider adding a little washi tape to hold the pencil in place.

Next you’ll melt your wax in your double boiler until it’s melted and easy to pour. You can easily do this in a glass bowl in the microwave too. Consider melting your wax in a pourable glass measuring cup to make pouring the hot wax into your jar a breeze.

Let your wax cool a bit.

If you’re adding essential oil for a fragrant candle, now’s the time to do it. For teacher appreciation see if you can find out your teacher’s favorite citrus fruit or flower to match their favorite scent to your DIY Soy Candle.

Now pour your wax into your prepared jar making sure you leave about 1/2″ of empty space on top for your wick and to add your top.

Place candle(s) on a wire rack to cool overnight.

Trim your wick to 1/3″.

Last step is to add a little warning sticker that you can copy from this photo or purchase as a sticker.

Now hand craft a note and bow tie it to your perfect teacher appreciation gift.

PLEASE NEVER LEAVE A BURNING CANDLE UNATTENDED