Lighting the creative fuse

Scented candles bring a warm glow and alluring aroma into the home, evoking everything from autumn leaves to salty sea air. Gayle signs up for candle school

There’s nothing quite like a bath, a glass of wine and a scented candle to soothe away the stresses of the day.

But burn the wrong candle and you could end up with an aroma which is cloying rather than comforting. Not what the doctor ordered.

With the onset of cold, dark autumn nights and (whisper it) the approach of the festive season, I decided it might be nice to make my own, so I signed up for Jo Macfarlane’s candle school.

Heading to “Candle Towers” in Anstruther, I’m immediately at ease, with the most glorious mix of scents mingling together in the crisp, white room.

Jo, a former air stewardess, set up her luxury candles business five years ago, working with luxury hotels, event managers and wedding planners to provide bespoke products.

Her candle making workshops are a fantastic idea, with people from all walks of life signing up.

Jo started off running the workshops from home but things got too cramped, hence the shiny new premises.

Rather than alienate participants by using industrial equipment, she scales things down, using pots, pans and Pyrex jugs.

“People don’t relate to a huge boiler and I want them to feel as comfortable as possible and be able to take the skills home with them,” she says.

The first step is to choose a scent, and Jo wafts nine pre-blended fragrances in front of me, ranging from vanilla to fresh linen, saffron and “peach splash”.

She hides the labels so I don’t make any prejudgments.

“Often, when you know what it is you’re smelling, it will influence your choice,” she explains. “Better to nose it blind!”

My favourites are black orchid, raspberry and lemon; it’s simply lush.

“Smell is connected to memory,” says Jo, and perhaps I link this particular scent to a month spent in Costa Rica.

The next step is to put the wick in the centre of a glass vessel using wax glue. I do this with a wooden skewer, which keeps it in place.

Then I fill a steel pan with a third of water and put it on a low heat.

Jo then instructs me to measure out the wax – she uses natural, eco-friendly soy wax – by filling the vessel twice and weighing it.

I pour the wax into a Pyrex jug and then pop it into the pan.

There’s a wee bit of maths involved at this point and I need to work out the right amount of fragrance to use, in tandem with the wax.

Get it wrong and your candle could be a disaster!

It’s important to use a thermometer and only add the fragrance to the wax when it’s at the right temperature.

Job done, I hand pour it into the glass vessel and leave it to set while we enjoy tea, scones and gossip.

Candle lover and artist Jo decided to start making her own products after becoming frustrated with the inferior products she was buying.

“It was everything I didn’t want a candle to be,” she says.

“I did my research and found a fab company offering high class fragrances and opted to use soy wax, which is renewable, creates a longer burning time, and unlike paraffin, doesn’t increase the carbon dioxide level and produces less soot.”

What Jo loves most about her workshops is that they build morale and self-esteem among participants.

“They’re therapeutic; a place of relaxation where people can park their worries and focus on creativity,” she says.

“But what I like most about candles is the bringing of light to people’s homes.”

Having turned up with a head full of stress – I was worried about the volcano erupting in Bali, with an impending fortnight’s holiday to the island planned in less than 48 hours – I spend the morning chilled, thrilled and very relaxed indeed.

I’m even happier when my candle turns out perfectly – and it smells like a dream.