With a set of graduated cookie cutters, you can make stars or other shapes in many sizes. Arrange the candles on a platter, or place them in shallow dishes of water.
Tools and Materials
Metal cookie cutters
Masking tape
Scissors
Aluminum foil
Petroleum jelly
Double boiler
Craft sticks (for stirring)
Candy thermometer
Metal-tabbed tea-light wicks
Beeswax
How-To
1. To turn a cutter into a mold, run masking tape along the edge, snip at the corners, and fold the tape outward so the cutter sits flat on the foil.
2. Coat molds with petroleum jelly; set aside. Place beeswax in double boiler over barely simmering water. Stir wax as it melts with craft sticks.
3. When wax reaches pouring temperature (150 degrees for paraffin, 160 degrees for beeswax, or as soon as a film forms at the edge of the pan, pour into molds. Carefully lower in the tea-light wicks. After candles harden (1/2 hour to 2 hours), lift them out by their wicks. If they resist, freeze until they pop out easily. Wipe candles clean with paper towels. Trim wicks, if necessary, to 1/4 inch before lighting.
We melted down old scented candles from the Pottery Barn that only burned a small amount of wax before they sputtered out. The directions are unclear. Taping aluminum foil to cookie cutters = leaky mess. We ended up setting the cutters on a metal cookie sheet that was very flat and holding the edges of the mold very firmly against the sheet for a few minutes after pouring. It wasn't easy to get the candles out of the molds either. Freezing worked.
They make non-stick aluminum foil, which may work better for this craft. Also it would be worth the investment to use a soy based wax mix as parafin, and beeswax candles will soot, and can damage ceilings, draperies, and table wear.
Just a thought. :)