She Added Crayons to Melted Wax, Then Poured the Mixture Into Mason Jars
Crayons became part of a Thanksgiving project when a mother decided to make candles with the kids in her art class. Instead of buying colored candle wax, she melted paraffin with crayons, added essential oils, and poured each batch into small canning jars.
Shared on her blog, the project started as a craft the kids could take part in and ended with candles made for the Thanksgiving table. Different crayon colors gave each jar its own shade, while pencils held the wicks in place as the wax set.
Cooling added an effect they didn’t have to create by hand. In some jars, the crayon color separated through the paraffin, forming darker bands at the bottom beneath lighter wax.
Wick Clips Anchor Each Wick Inside the Jar
Candle wick passes through the center of a metal wick clip, with a short section folded against the underside. Flat metal bases give each wick a stable point at the bottom of the jar.
Wicks were cut longer than the jar height so enough material remained above the rim for positioning.
Pencils Keep the Wicks in Position
Each wick wraps around a pencil resting across the jar opening. Tension from the pencil holds the wick upright while the wax goes in and sets.
Adjusting the wick before pouring keeps it near the center rather than letting it fall against the glass.
Wax and Crayons Go Into the Same Pot
Wax forms the candle base, while crayon pieces add color. About two crayons were used for each jar in this project, with separate batches melted for different colors.
Low heat melts both materials together before the mixture goes into the jars.
Essential Oil Adds Scent
Essential oil goes into the melted mixture before pouring. The original project used about 15 to 20 drops per batch.
Stirring combines the oil with the melted wax before the pot comes off the heat.
Melted Wax Changes From Solid Blocks to Liquid
Wax blocks lose their shape as they heat, while crayon color spreads through the liquid. Stirring continues until the mixture has melted and the color has dispersed.
Different batches can use separate crayon colors without changing the jar or wick setup.
Colored Wax Goes Into the Prepared Jars
Pencils stay across the openings during pouring, preventing the wicks from dropping into the hot wax. Wax fills the glass around each centered wick.
Space at the top leaves the wick exposed once the candle sets.
Cooling Creates More Than One Shade
Color doesn’t remain uniform in every jar. With the paraffin-and-crayon combination used here, pigment concentrated toward the bottom as the candles cooled, creating visible bands.
Green candles developed blue-green bases beneath pale upper sections, while the orange version formed a darker band along its bottom edge.
Three Colors Show the Effect Side by Side
Once set, the candles reveal how much the color shifted during cooling. Two green versions have darker bases, while the orange jar moves from a deeper bottom layer into amber wax above.
Wicks can then be trimmed before use. Keeping them short helps reduce excess smoke and an oversized flame.
One Jar Becomes Fall Table Decor
Raffia tied around the rim turns the small glass jar into a simple fall table accent. No label or covered container hides the wax, so its color remains part of the finished look.
Crayons started as the unexpected ingredient, but the color separation became one of the most noticeable parts of the finished candles. Do you prefer the layered effect, or would you want the wax to stay one solid color?
Image credits go to @treasureinanearthenvessel.