It is always fun to try a new experience. We had never been to a DIY candle store. This candle making sounded like a good thing.

The Penn & Beech Candle Company in Carmel, Indiana has a lovely store with everything you need to make your own custom scented candle. When you first walk in you are greeted with a marvelously clean scent in the air. Once you register your first task is to figure out what fragrances you want your candle to have. There are shelves of candles with single scents for you to unscrew the lid and take a whiff.

The staff recommends that you pick four scents that you want to start experimenting with. Once you have that, four squeeze bottles are brought to your workspace. Holding the bottles under your chin, squeeeeeze and smell. Two at a time will give you the future candle fragrance. Mix and match, determine of the scents which may require more than another. You are guided through the process.

Once your fragrance choices are made, the fun really begins! You have already decided which glass you will make your candle in. There are shot jiggers on a tray and a stirring spoon. In my case, I had decided on a ratio of 2 parts Hops scent and 1 part Earth scent. You fill the jigger up with that ratio, and fill it to overflowing. No worry, you’ll dump the overflow from the tray to candle wax.

Next step, a pouring cup of hot molten soy wax is brought to your table. This is where you pour in the fragrance oils you have measured out then stir the wax and fragrances together.   This is then poured into the candle glass the you have picked out.  It takes two hours for the candle to set up, so we went for brunch and then returned to pick up our creations.

Fruits of our labors

Our entire party truly enjoyed this fun experience. Every aspect of the candle making process was an adventure. So many fragrances to try, lots of different candle glasses and containers to pick from, and most of all a wonderful experience we could enjoy with family.