Sand Candles

We had a beautiful warm day yesterday and tried out a new project in the backyard - sand candles! (Melting and pouring the wax obviously required some adult assistance.)

Here's what you need:
Pail
Sand
Small shovel or spoon
Candle wax
Candle wick
Small pot

Here's what you do:
1. Fill a pail with damp sand.

2. Scoop out an area in which to pour the wax (the empty area becomes the candle mold).

3. Place the wick into the open area - make sure to leave some sticking out to light later (use a real wick - you can find it at the craft store - and not string or it won't burn right).

4. Melt the candle wax in a small pot. I tried lining the pot with aluminum foil to make the clean-up easier - but to be honest, it was easier to just melt it directly in the pot itself and then wipe it out with a paper towel while the wax was still melty. If your wax cools in the pot before you clean it, simply re-heat the pot for a few minutes so the wax gets warm again, and then wipe it out. Also, if you get wax somewhere you do not want it to be (like a counter or table) just pour some very hot/boiling water on it and wipe it away (obviously this is NOT a project to do on your heirloom kitchen table or somewhere else that is easily damaged). I highly recommend this as a BACKYARD project!

5. Pour the melted wax into the scooped-out area in the sand.

6. Let wax cool for at least 12 hours (we left ours overnight).

7. Remove candle from sand and admire it! You get a very unique, rustic-looking creation.

My 5-year-old was VERY proud of hers!