Aromatherapy remains tremendously popular, and candles are of course natural components of this practice. Rhondda Cleary discusses the basics of essential oils and perfumed candles, including brief guidelines on what scents enhance what mood. But this is really not so much a book about fragrance (which it addresses almost glancingly) as it is about general candle making and decorating with candles, which it covers quite well. Cleary explains exactly how to make a molded candle and many variations thereof (striped, mosaic, ice, embedded, floating), as well as dipped and beeswax candles. The second portion of the book offers suggestions for using candles in the home and garden: for everyday decorating, holiday celebrations, table arrangements, and so on. Although the step-by-step instructions and photographs are adequate, they are not outstanding; where the book really shines is in its approach to making candles part of our daily lives and in encouraging us not simply to make candles but to use them.
--Amy Handy
