Old Crow's Ritual Ice Candles

Needed:

  • Paper milk carton
  • Ice cubes or crushed ice
  • Paraffin
  • Wax coloring (crayons would work fine)
  • Candle wicking
  • A small piece of sturdy tape
  • Ice pick (or scissors point)
  • Scissors or knife (to cut the wick)
  • A stick or pencil (to wrap the candle wick around during setting)
  • Old can (to melt the wax in)
  • Sauce pan (filled about an inch or two with water)
  • Hot pads or oven mitts

Start by puncturing the bottom of the carton, and feeding the wick through the hole.

Fold the end of the wick against the carton's bottom, and tape it down. Pour in a tiny bit of water. Place the carton in the freezer until the water turns to ice. This is to be sure the hole is sealed tightly around the wick.

Wrap the free end of the wick around a pencil or stick. Knot or tape it, so that there is very little slack.

Fill the carton with ice cubes, or crushed ice. Adjust the wick, as needed.
Replace the carton in the freezer.

In an old can, place the chopped up paraffin, along with the chopped up wax coloring or crayon. Place the can into the saucepan. Add water into the sauce pan, until it reaches up the sides of the can about an inch or two. Carefully lift the can a little, to allow water to get under the can. Over a low flame, melt the wax. Don't try to rush this! Add hot water as needed to the saucepan, to maintain the 'water bath'. Stir it gently several times as the wax melts, to evenly distribute the coloring matter.

When all of the wax has melted, turn off the flame.

Place the ice filled carton onto a couple of newspapers onto a work table.

Carefully pick up the can of hot wax, using the hot pads. Pour the wax carefully into the ice filled milk carton. Pour it around the wick.

Allow the candle to harden completely; then pour out the melted ice and water.

Snip the candlewick from the pencil.

To remove the candle from the container, tear down the sides of the carton.

Allow the candle to cure for several days before using.

Some ideas:

  • Decoct some specific herbs (fire herbs for fire ritual candles)
  • Strain the decoction, allow it to cool, then pour the liquid into ice cube trays and freeze for using.
  • Crush the ice before using it, and molding a 'tunnel' in it for the candle to be formed in.
Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License