DIY Candles with My Son Hunter – A Creative Afternoon

Blending nostalgia, beeswax, and a little mother–son creativity.

Can you believe I once owned a candle company? Back in 2015, Yours Truly, Me was my baby — a hobby that flickered into profit. I poured soy and paraffin wax candles, experimented with scents, and even created custom logo and photo candles. It was my first taste of blending creativity with business, and honestly, I loved every minute of it.

Inspiration Spotlight: With Love, Meghan

In her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, offers an intimate glimpse into hospitality, creativity, and connection. Episode 1, “Hello, Honey,” opens with her longtime friend — and makeup artist — Daniel Martin visiting. She prepares a thoughtful guest basket, then together they harvest honey from her beehives. Later, Meghan and Daniel turn the leftover beeswax into candles, melting the wax and infusing it with essential oils. One memorable moment is when they craft a special candle scented with mint and eucalyptus as a heartfelt gift for a friend.

Watching this all unfold felt like a reminder: candle-making is more than craft — it’s memory, ritual, and care. That inspiration nudged me back toward the craft I once loved, but this time, I decided not to do it alone.

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I invited my son Hunter to join me, and together we gave it a go.

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A Creative Afternoon

What started as a small project turned into an afternoon of discovery. I quickly realized I didn’t know what I was doing — beeswax works differently than soy or paraffin. Beeswax is hard, dense, and a little tricky. I had to pause and do some research to learn the right temperature for adding fragrance so the scent wouldn’t burn off.

We actually attempted these candles for Mother’s Day, but let’s just say they didn’t turn out quite as planned. Though they weren’t perfect — the fragrance didn’t fill the room the way I’d hoped — we did get an okay burn. The good news? I now know exactly what to fix. I used soy wicks, and that wax is hard as all get out. Next time, I’ll be reaching for wood wicks, which I believe would give us a much better result.

Hunter was happy to experiment alongside me, and while our candles didn’t turn out like high-end store versions, they were perfectly imperfect. More importantly, they were ours.

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My Fascination with Bees

My closest friends know I have a bit of a fascination with bees. I can get lost watching bee harvesting videos online, and lately I’ve been researching local places where I might actually try harvesting honey myself. Now, don’t get me wrong — the buzzing in my ears terrifies me, and the thought of being surrounded by bees is enough to make me sweat. But with the right protection, I’m excited to get close to them in real life.

Bees are considered the most important species in our ecosystem because of their role as pollinators. They pollinate about 70% of the crops humans eat — fruits, vegetables, nuts, and even the plants livestock rely on. Without bees, food production would shrink, biodiversity would decline, and ecosystems would struggle to survive. The simple act of a bee moving pollen from one flower to another sustains much of life as we know it.

So in a way, using beeswax candles felt like my own little tribute to these tiny but mighty creatures.

How to Make Your Own Beeswax Candles

If you’re ready to try it yourself, here’s a simple guide you can follow:

Ingredients

• 1 cup beeswax (or more, depending on container size)

• 1/4 cup coconut oil (optional, slows the burn)

• Essential oils (optional, for fragrance)

• Wicks (square-braided wicks are best for beeswax)

• Jar or container

• Pencil or wick holder

• Optional decorations (dried flowers, herbs, etc.)

Instructions

1. Prepare the container: Clean and dry your jar. Attach the wick to the center bottom using melted wax or a wick sticker.

2. Melt the wax: Use a double boiler (heat-safe bowl over simmering water). Add beeswax and coconut oil, and heat until melted.

3. Add fragrance: Remove from heat and stir in essential oils, if desired. Research the ideal temperature (around 150–160°F for beeswax) so the fragrance binds without evaporating.

4. Pour the wax: Carefully pour into your container, leaving a little space at the top. Secure the wick with a pencil or holder to keep it centered.

5. Cool and cure: Let the candle harden completely (4–5 hours or longer).

6. Trim the wick: Before burning, trim the wick to about 1/4 inch.

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Tips for Beeswax Candles:

• Wick Choice: Beeswax burns slower and denser, so pick the right wick for your container size.

• Fragrance: Beeswax has a natural honey scent, so you’ll need less essential oil than with other waxes.

• Cooling: Rapid cooling may cause cracks or frosting — it’s normal and doesn’t affect how the candle burns.

• Testing: Make a small test candle first to check burn quality and scent throw.

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The Takeaway

Our final creations smelled like vanilla, lavender, and (thanks to Hunter’s input) one that reminded me of cookies. They might not look like luxury candles, but every time I light one, I’ll remember the laughter, the teamwork, and the joy of creating together.

Candles eventually burn out, but memories like this? They glow long after the flame is gone.

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Your Turn: Have you ever made candles at home? Or do you have another DIY project that brings you joy (and maybe a little mess)? Share below — I’d love to hear.