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Cozy Cabin Candle Mug DIY Winter Craft

You’ll enjoy this cozy cabin candle mug DIY winter craft for adults. Learn how to make a candle in a mug with the perfect cozy cabin candle scent recipe. 

The days are getting shorter, and the nights are becoming longer. It can feel a bit dismal at times. But, I like to use this seasonal shift for winter projects. What are good winter projects or easy winter crafts for adults? 

They can be as simple as bath salts or sugar scrubs. Or it can be more involved, like soap making and candle making. With the dwindling daylight hours, candle making takes the cake when it comes to an easy winter craft!  

Last winter, I made hot cocoa peppermint candles in bright red mini enamel mugs. They were a treat inspired by four generations of a love for homemade hot cocoa. And they are so popular that Holiday Somerset Magazine is featuring them in their latest issue! 

So, when I saw these little green enamel mugs at Hobby Lobby, I couldn’t resist filling them with candles again. This time I created a winter woods candle scent recipe for the mugs that will transport you to a cozy cabin in the woods. 

You can easily picture hiking through the woods in the crisp winter air beneath snowy juniper trees. And then returning to a cabin to light a fire in the wood stove with bundles of lavender and sage drying from the rafters above, filling the cabin with a grounding aroma. 

Yes, you can have a winter retreat for the senses with this easy winter craft idea to make a candle in a mug. 

For your convenience, this article contains some affiliate links to find the supplies needed easily; read the full disclosure policy for more information.

Are mugs safe for candles?

It might surprise you how many containers are not safe for candle making. If you’re new to candle crafts, you should definitely read this list of candle containers to avoid! 

Thankfully you can safely make a candle in a mug inside ordinary ceramic and enamel mugs. In fact, enamel mugs are perfectly made for it, considering that an enamel mug is made of – stainless steel, coated in a durable layer of enamel, and fired together at a temperature of 1,560 degrees Fahrenheit. 

How Much Wax Do You Need to Make A Candle in a Mug?

The first question everyone asks when learning to make candles is typically, “How much wax per candle do I need?”. And I must admit it’s not the easiest to figure out.

But the good news is, there’s a simple solution to how much wax you’ll need to make a candle in a mug.

The first thing you need to do is determine how much volume your mug holds. If the ounces aren’t listed on the bottom of the mug, fill it with water and pour the water into a glass measuring cup to measure the amount of volume it can hold. 

Next, use this candle math formula to determine the amount of wax you’ll need to make a candle mug. 

Number of candles you want to make (multiplied by) the volume of your container (minus) the total weight of additives (divided by) 20 (equals) how much wax per candle you need in pounds.

So, for example, 

• We’re making 4 candle mugs with a volume of 2 ounces and roughly .60 ounces of fragrance for a 7.5% fragrance load. 
• 4 (candle mugs) x 2 (ounces) – .60 (ounces of fragrance) / 20 = .37 pounds of wax 

All you need is this candle math formula to determine how much wax you’ll need for any candle container size you choose. You can also take a shortcut by using our Candle Wax Calculator! 

Turn to our printable charts to figure out how much candle wax you’ll need at a glance! Find each and countless more in the Simple Living Library. 

Related To: 25 Homemade Fall Candles

What does a cozy cabin candle smell like?

To create a cozy cabin candle, I turned to my winter woods candle scent recipe included in these printable Christmas candle scent mixing charts. It smells like a walk through the winter woods with a warm fire in the woodstove waiting for you in the cabin ahead. 

Soothing lavender, fresh clary sage, and woodsy notes of juniper intertwine with undertones of resin myrrh and frosted vanilla to create a refreshing yet cozy mountain air candle scent. 

Winter Woods

25% clary sage

10% myrrh

25% lavender

30% juniper

10% vanilla 

Prefer a ready-made candle fragrance? Try Bramble Berry’s Black Amber and Lavender Oil; it’s a sophisticated mix of black myrrh, lavender, amber, vanilla, clary sage, and tonka bean. 

How To Use A Candle Scent Recipe:

Divide the total amount of fragrance you need for your candles by each percentage included in the candle scent blend. 

For example,

We need a total of .60 ounces of fragrance to make 4 mini candle mugs with a 7.5% fragrance load. For the winter woods candle scent recipes, you’ll need the following: 

.15 ounces, roughly 5 ml of clary sage 

.06 ounces, nearly 2 ml of myrrh

.15 ounces, roughly 5 ml of lavender

.18 ounces, roughly 5 m of juniper

.06 ounces, nearly 2 ml of vanilla

Related To: 10 Christmas Handmade Candles

Creating A Cozy Cabin Candle Mug 

Creating a cozy cabin candle mug is an easy winter craft for adults. The enamel mugs lend an outdoor feel to the appearance of the candle. And with notes of lavender, clary sage, and juniper embracing an inkling of myrrh and rich vanilla, you have the perfect cozy cabin candle scent! Gather these candle supplies and follow the step-by-step instructions to get started. 

DIY Candle Supplies

4 enamel 2-ounce mugs

.37 pounds of soy wax flakes

.60 ounces fragrance – see the essential oil candle recipe above

4 pre-waxed cotton wicks

Instructions to Make Candle Mugs

1. Place a wick in the center of each mug with a large glue dot to secure it firmly.
2. Using a kitchen scale to measure .37 pounds of soy wax flakes to make four candle mugs. 
3. Safely melt the wax in a candle melting pitcher seated inside a large saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water. Using the double boiler method, heat on medium to low heat with a gentle simmer at most. 
4. Next, when the wax is melted and between 160°F to 175°F. (I use an infrared thermometer to monitor it.) 
5. Then remove the candle pitcher from the heat and allow the temperature of the wax to cool to between 155°F to 145°F before adding 5 ml of clary sage, 2 ml of myrrh, 5 ml of lavender, 5 m of juniper, and 2 ml of vanilla. Thoroughly incorporate the essential oils by constantly stirring for 2 minutes. 
6. Pour the scented wax into each prepped mug. Pouring slowly for accuracy.

Allow each candle to cool for 3 days before lighting for the best results. Trim the wicks to approximately ¼ inch above the wax each time before burning. 

Refresh your space with the mountain air scent of these cozy cabin candle mugs. Keep them all to yourself or make them as a gift for him. Slip each into a DIY candle bag hand-stamped with his initial for a personalized touch. 

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Save this tutorial on how to make a candle in a mug to your candle making Pinterest board, and while you’re there, be sure to follow Life-n-Reflection for more inspiring ideas.

Did you know you can Tag #lifenreflection on Instagram to share yours with me?