Beeswax products are a great addition to the home as well, ranging from decorative to completely useful. Ever since Man discovered beeswax, he has been using it to make his life better. He discovered that wax made surfaces more water resistant and more durable and it could be molded into a variety of shapes. It made wood nice and smooth and sealed it from the elements. It conditioned leather, making it more water resistant and supple. It strengthened thread and string, so items made with it lasted longer.
BEGINNER
Beeswax ornaments are a great way to scent and beautify any room, especially during the holidays. They are easy to make and last a long time.
1. If you are using metal candy molds, spray them with silicone mold release.
2. Melt the beeswax in the pouring pitcher using the double boiler. Once the wax is melted, check the temperature. If it’s hotter than 170°F (77°C), let it cool to 170°F (77°C). Add the fragrance in the amount suggested by the manufacturer, stir to incorporate, and pour into the candy molds.
NOTE: Other molds can be used, such as silicone muffin molds, which now come in a variety of seasonal shapes. Those work well, but I would suggest not filling them all the way. Half way is more than enough.
3. Take each 8–10 inch (20.5–25.5 cm) length of string and fold it in half. One end will be embedded into the wax. I like putting the looped end into the wax so I can tie the ornament onto tree branches or other locations, but either end will work.
4. Once the wax begins to skin over on the mold side (but not on top), add the string, pushing it into position with a toothpick to embed it in the wax. Make sure the string is centered and completely surrounded by wax, not just sitting on top of it.
5. Allow to cool in the mold. Once it is completely solid, invert the mold on the tabletop and tap gently to release. If any ornaments stick to the molds, place the mold in the freezer for 5–10 minutes and try again.
6. Clean up the ornaments on the backside by warming a butter knife over a flame and using it to melt away the rough edges.
7. Hang the ornaments and enjoy. If the ornaments get dusty, wipe them down with rubbing alcohol and a soft toothbrush. Allow to dry. To revive the scent, warm the ornament slightly with a blow dryer.
BEGINNER
I love fall. Here in Wisconsin we usually have a very colorful fall that is always more fleeting than I would like. This project is a perfect way to preserve some of that fall color to enjoy year round. For this small investment in beeswax, you can make a tree’s worth of leaves, if you desire.
1. First prepare the leaves. Sort through all the leaves and select the best ones for this project. They need to be dry, so put them in a warm oven (about 200°F [93°C] for about a half hour) to dry if necessary.
2. Melt the beeswax in the electric skillet, taking care not to overheat the wax. Once the wax is melted, add the fragrance in the amount suggested by the manufacturer and stir to incorporate. The wax level should be high enough to easily immerse the leaves into the hot wax.
3. Working with one leaf at a time, hold onto the stem and dip the leaf into the hot wax. Use a wooden chopstick or toothpick to push the entire leaf under the wax. Remove and set aside on the waxed paper to cool.
4. Place the finished leaves in a decorative bowl or string them on a fishing line to create a garland.
BEGINNER
Start a fire in style with these pinecone firestarters. They are stylish enough to beautify a space and fill the room with light, pleasant scent. They require quite a bit of wax but it doesn’t have to be the super high-quality wax used in candle making.
1. In the double boiler, heat the wax to approximately 190–200°F (88–93°C).
2. While the wax is heating, tie an 8–10" (20.5–25.5 cm) piece of wicking around the pinecone close to the top, leaving a long tail and cutting the other end close to the knot. Thread the long end up, close to the middle of the pinecone at the top. This will ultimately be the wick for lighting the pinecone, but it’s also useful for dipping the cone into the wax. Prepare all the pinecones the same way and set aside.
3. Once the wax is hot enough, add the scent, if desired, and give it a quick stir to mix. Holding the pinecone by the wick, dip it into the wax and leave it there until all the bubbles stop coming up—probably about 10 seconds or so. The idea is to get a thin coating on the pinecone. When it first goes into the wax, it will be cold and more wax will adhere, but as it warms up some of the wax will melt off again. At this point, pull the cone out of the wax and set it on the freezer paper to cool. Continue with the remaining pinecones.
4. To use, simply light the wick and place in the fire. Enjoy!
BEGINNER
These little gems are the perfect way to create mood lighting inside or in outdoor entertaining spaces—and they make use of handmade beeswax tealights or votive candles. This is a fun project to do with older children.
1. Melt the beeswax in the double boiler. Use a container that is large enough to be able to fit the balloons in with at least a little wiggle room.
2. Fill a balloon with cold water, paying attention to the shape that the water creates as it fills the balloon. Once the desired shape is attained, tie off the balloon. Make sure that the balloon is not stretched too much or it may burst when it comes in contact with the hot wax. When determining the size and shape of the votive, also consider the heat that will be given off by the candle. It is better to make the luminary slightly larger than needed rather than risking having it melt because it was made too small.
3. Holding the balloon by the tie-off knot, dip it part of the way into the melted beeswax and pull it back out. Set the balloon lightly on a table to create a flat spot on the bottom that will help to keep the luminary stable. The cold water in the balloon will harden the wax quickly but the shape established early on will determine the final shape, so work fast.
4. Dip the balloon and set it on the table to harden several more times until the luminary has the desired thickness. I like to do mine five to six times. Experiment with dipping the balloon at a different angle each time, keeping in mind that those variations will show once there is a candle inside.
5. Drain the water out of the balloon by either undoing the knot or by popping the balloon. The balloon will peel right off the wax. If desired, the luminary can be left like this. However, I like to clean up the luminary a bit more by using my hot plate to melt a flat area on the bottom and smoothing out the edges. Simply turn the luminary upside down and lightly run its top edge along the surface of the hot plate. Add a beeswax tealight and enjoy the ambience.
BEGINNER
Wooden cooking tools such as cutting boards, wooden spoons, and rolling pins need occasional care, and since they will be in contact with food, it’s necessary to use a food grade product. I like to use a food-grade mineral oil, since I know that it will last indefinitely and does not get gummy over time. For cutting boards that see a lot of use, walnut oil is an option as well.
1. Heat the beeswax and mineral oil together in a double boiler until melted. Mix well and pour into wide-mouth jars.
2. To use, simply scoop out some of the conditioner with a rag or your fingers and rub it all over the wood. Let it sit overnight and buff it with a soft cloth the next morning.
BEGINNER
Keep wood looking beautiful with this age-old recipe.
Combine all three ingredients in a double boiler, stirring occasionally. When it is all melted, transfer to a wide-mouth jar or tin and allow to cool.
BEGINNER
This recipe is perfect for nourishing the wood. It cleans and protects in one step.
1. Heat the wax in a double boiler until melted and remove from heat.
2. Stir in the turpentine. Mix well and pour into a wide-mouth jar.
BEGINNER
Beeswax furniture polish is considered the ultimate in wood care due in large part to the soft, satin shine it gives to the wood. The touch of carnauba wax in this polish results in a harder, shinier finish.
1. Melt the waxes in a double boiler.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the turpentine.
3. Once it is completely mixed, pour into wide-mouth jars.
4. Apply the polish with a clean cloth and rub in small circles. Turn the cloth as it becomes dirty. Allow the polish to dry, then buff with a clean cloth. If more than one coat is desired, wait two days between applications.
BEGINNER
Applying beeswax to fabric has long been a method of water-proofing something that normally is anything but waterproof.
Almost any smooth, natural-fiber fabric can be made more water resistant by applying a layer of beeswax, but some fabrics, such as corduroy, just don’t lend themselves as readily to this process. Canvas, twill, muslin, and numerous other fabrics work really well and can be turned into a multitude of useful, environmentally friendly tools.
How best to apply the wax is determined by the object you’d like to waterproof. If you are starting with a flat fabric, the best way is to soak the fabric in beeswax and then removing the excess. This process ensures that the wax penetrates the fibers and creates a film keeping water out. When working with objects that are already made, such as canvas sneakers, the wax will need to be applied to the finished item.
BEGINNER
Imagine sloshing through water puddles in sneakers and not getting wet feet. Sounds great, right? Well, I can’t promise that the end result will yield completely dry feet, but they will be significantly drier. Unlike plastic rain shoes, the beeswax still allows feet to breathe, and you’ll look a lot more stylish!
This technique can be employed for anything already made, not just sneakers.
1. Stuff each of the two kitchen garbage bags with a few sheets of newspaper then stuff the garbage bags inside the shoes. The plastic will keep whatever wax seeps through from sticking to the paper inside the shoe. The paper is there to help the shoe keep the proper shape.
2. Heat the electric skillet to around 200°F (93°C) and add the beeswax. When completely melted, dip the paint brush in the wax and let it warm up for about 30 seconds.
3. Paint the hot wax onto all canvas parts of the shoe, making sure that the critical areas, such as the interface of the sole to the top, is thoroughly soaked. Set the shoe aside and repeat the process with the other shoe.
4. Pull the bags out of the shoes and allow the shoes to cool a bit.
5. To clean off some of the excess wax, stuff a big wad of paper toweling in the shoe and use a heat gun to warm the sloppy section from the outside. The wax will quickly melt and appear to wick away. Move the paper toweling to another area of the shoe that needs work and repeat the same process, replacing the paper towels as needed.
6. Let the shoe cool and check for any missed spots. Touch up the missed sections and try on the shoes. They will feel a bit stiffer until the wax softens up a bit. To rejuvenate the wax coating, hit it quickly with a heat gun. Over time the waterproofing may wear off and require another application. This time only a little wax will be needed, but follow the same process as before.
BEGINNER
These wraps are perfect in this eco-conscious world we live in. They are simplicity at its finest. They keep a sandwich fresh, keep all the ingredients in place and can serve as a placemat/plate when eating the sandwich. How great is that! In a smaller size they can also be used as a replacement for plastic wrap. Just warm the wrap and mold around the top of the jar or bowl.
1. Measure the width of the fabric. Many times cotton fabric will come in a 45" (114.5 cm) width. Other times it will be 60" (152.5 cm) or more. My ideal size for sandwich wraps is a 12" (30.5 cm) square, but I wiggle those dimensions a bit to use the full width of the fabric. Sometimes that means making them 11" × 12" (28 cm × 30.5 cm). No worries; the sandwich will still fit.
2. Melt the beeswax in the electric skillet. Once it is melted, lay the wrap in the hot wax and wait for the bubbles to disappear, about ten seconds.
3. Using the tongs, pull the fabric out of the wax and let as much of the wax drip off as possible. As the wax cools, try to straighten out the fabric so that its not stuck together weirdly. There will still be quite a bit of wax on the fabric. Set it aside for now and repeat with another two or three pieces of fabric.
4. To remove some of the excess wax from the fabric pieces, place two or three layers of paper towels on a protected surface and then lay an unwaxed square of fabric on the paper towels with a waxed piece of fabric on top of it. Using the heat gun, start at one corner and melt the wax until it “disappears” (seeps into the layer below), dabbing with balled up paper towels to soak up any excess wax.
5. Continue running the heat gun over the rest of the top fabric piece. Lift off the top piece and check to see how thoroughly the lower piece is now waxed. Most times it just needs a little touch up to make sure it is all evenly waxed. Set these two aside and repeat with the remaining wraps.
6. While the wraps are still warm, make sure that they are completely square. If not, gently tug at the corners to pull them back into shape. Once the wraps are cool they are ready to use, but will be quite stiff. As they are used they will soften up and become more malleable.
7. To clean, wipe down with a damp cloth. If needed, wash wraps in cool water by hand.
The thread or string used in jewelry or other beading projects needs to be thin enough to go through the hole of tiny beads and strong enough to withstand all the abuse the wearer will put it through. The same goes for sewing. Beeswax helps strengthen and condition the thread. It prevents fraying and makes beading and sewing easier. It also reduces tangling and knotting, resulting in a nicer, more professional looking product.
BEGINNER
MATERIALS
4 oz (106 g) beeswax
double boiler or small electric skillet
Nonstick muffin tin or beeswax mold
1. Melt the wax in the double boiler, taking care not to overheat the wax.
2. Pour the wax into the mold. I usually fill them about 1/2–1" (1.3–2.5 cm) deep. The block can be a bit clunky if the wax is poured too deep.
3. Allow the wax to cool completely then pop the wax out of the mold.
4. One last thing I like to do before using the block of beeswax is cut a small groove into the edge of the block with a warm butter knife. Simply heat the edge of the knife briefly over a flame and run the knife along the edge of the wax block. The groove doesn’t need to be very deep, but it helps keep the thread in place the first couple times it is used.
5. To use the thread conditioner for beading, take the length of thread or string and lay one end over the notch. Place your thumb over the thread and gently pull the thread with the other hand. Run it through a couple more times, making sure that the whole thread is waxed.
6. Next, pinch one end of the thread between your thumb and forefinger and pull the thread, gently smoothing it. Do this a couple more times and then it is ready to use.
