my first attempts at rustic pillars

[jenkindred]

ok...i've read and researched and followed all ya'lls advice and finally attempted to make rustics. they came out OK..nothin i'd want to post in the gallery! but...i have 2 questions..

1. do you allow your rustics to cool on their own or do you speed up the cooling process in some water bath or fridge?

2. when i went to melt down 1 that i didn't like at all (i didn't use wick pins..had the wicks in them before) i assumed that i'd fish the wick out once the wax was melted. and the wick disappeared! melted down i guess. is this normal? should i have somehow gotten the wick out before melting it down?

this is so frustrating but so much fun!!

[topofmurrayhill]

Just let them cool normally and be patient (as patient as you think is necessary, and then a little more ). You can fish that old wick out with your stirring contraption when the candle melts. If you burned it, cut off the charred part of the wick before it goes in the pot. Good luck with the next round!

[eugenia]

The wick did not melt down or disappear. You need to go fishing. It's in there. Do not use the fridge or a water bath for these. Cool normally.

[jenkindred]

thanks....but i SWEAR it disappeared!! i even made another pillar with the wax....no wick appeared anywhere! that one came out just the same...just didn't seem to be very "rustic"