For birthdays and parties and occasions of all sorts, my daughters treasure a homemade cake of exactly their favorite flavor, and handmade candles on top. We love the sweet scent of burning beeswax, and I especially love the fact that I made their special candles by hand of natural ingredients.

Let me make your special candles, too! Each candle in this birthday set of seven rainbow colors is approximately 4" tall by a little more than 1/4" wide. The colors in your set of seven follow the order of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. If you'd like to order a different number of candles, please start a Conversation.

Each candle has an approximate burning time of 35 minutes, which makes them perfect as birthday candles and for all the little ceremonies and gatherings that young lives require. After a child has blown out her birthday candles, I enjoy carefully saving them until the next occasion--I love the thought that the same candles add continuity to our family's varied celebrations.

Children often play happy imaginative games with my unlit handmade fairy candles, but these birthday candles are thinner, and so a little too delicate for enthusiastic pretend play. For fairy ceremonies and other child's play, check out my rainbow fairy candles at http://www.etsy.com/listing/71636371/a-rainbow-of-rolled-beeswax-fairy

The set of candles will come to you in a hand-sewn drawstring bag, hand-stamped with my hand-carved candle stamp. Each drawstring bag is unique, and you won't receive the one in the photograph--your exact fabric print will be a surprise! Use the bag for gift-giving or for storage--I like the things that I create to be as sturdy and useful as they are pretty.

Shipping is absolutely free with this candle set!

Want to know what else we do with melted wax and fire? Check out our encaustic art tutorial at http://craftknife.blogspot.com/2011/02/crayola-crayon-encaustic-art.html. It's homeschooling in science AND art!

Interested in other natural playthings? Check out my entire section on natural playthings at http://www.etsy.com/shop/pumpkinbear?section_id=8115399

Natural playthings are a child's birthright. But beautiful, imaginative, purposeful things? Well, we all deserve those.

I use primarily upcycled and repurposed materials for shipping. Your packing slip will almost definitely be printed on the back of some of my kids' schoolwork, and your business card will always be stamped onto some interesting something that wasn't originally a business card. I often rebuild old cardboard boxes and re-use bubble wrap and other packing supplies to lessen both the environmental impact that you and I have AND the money that I spend on mailing materials! If you have allergies or sensitivities, however, and need me to use brand-new shipping supplies, please just let me know in the Special Instructions section, and I'll use a new box or envelope for your shipping and new crumpled white paper for your packing.

Shipping charges are my best estimates. If I overcharge your shipping by more than a dollar, I'll refund the excess.

Want your item gift-wrapped and sent directly to your recipient? No problem! Just mark it as a gift when you order, and I'll make it happen.

For more on my handmade life, check out my blog at http://http://www.craftknife.blogspot.com/