Welcome to Fable Candles
A quick guide to enjoying your sculptural candle beautifully and safely.
Let’s Talk Sculptural vs Jar Candles
Fable candles are rather different from their sensible cousins in jars. We create our candles as sculptural objects, made to be admired, collected and displayed. Many begin life as real produce, shells and familiar objects, preserving the curves, textures and charming little imperfections that make them so irresistible to look at. They are not designed to behave like candles in jars or neat, sensible pillars. They can absolutely be burned, but once lit they will begin to transform. They may soften, lean, hollow, drip, pool or melt in ways that are entirely their own.
That is part of the pleasure of sculptural wax. It is also why every Fable candle needs a little more care if you choose to light it. Place yours on a generous, stable, level and heat resistant dish or tray, with enough room to catch every last drop. Keep it away from draughts, busy spaces and anything that may catch fire, and never leave it unattended.
Before You Light Things Up
Everything you need to know, should you decide to light your candle. Sculptural candles can change quickly once lit, so a little preparation goes a very long way.
Always place your candle on a large, stable, level and heat resistant dish or tray. Make sure it is deep and wide enough to contain all molten wax.
Trim the wick to approximately 6 millimetres before lighting.
Remove all labels, wrapping and decorative materials.
Keep your candle away from children, pets, draughts and anything that may catch fire.
Never leave a burning candle unattended. Stay close and keep an eye on how the wax is moving.
Never move your candle while it is lit or while the wax is still molten.
Extinguish the candle if the flame becomes unusually large, smoky or unstable, or if the wax is approaching the edge of the tray.
Allow the candle, wax and tray to cool completely before touching or moving them.
Sculptural wax has a mind of its own and can be a little dramatic. Give it space, stay nearby and enjoy the performance.
Choose Your Candle
Not all Fable candles behave in quite the same way. A tiny birthday candle has very different ambitions from a giant raspberry, so it is worth finding the guidance that suits yours.
Birthday Candles
Our birthday candles are made for wishes, cakes and small moments of celebration.
Secure each candle upright before lighting.
Keep the flame away from paper, flowers, decorations and anything else that may catch fire.
Light immediately before singing, then extinguish fully before serving.
Remove the candles and any loose wax before eating.
Birthday candles burn quickly, so keep a close eye on them from the moment they are lit.
Make the wish first. Cut the cake second.
Small Sculptural Candles
Small, but still capable of making quite an entrance.
Place your candle on a level, heat resistant dish with plenty of space around it to catch any melting wax.
Trim the wick to approximately 6 millimetres before lighting.
Burn for short periods and stay nearby throughout.
Extinguish the candle if the flame becomes unusually large, the candle begins to lean or become unstable, or the wax approaches the edge of the dish.
Allow everything to cool completely before moving or relighting.
Petite does not always mean predictable. Give your little sculpture room to perform.
Large Sculptural Candles
Large candles create more molten wax, more movement and, occasionally, more drama.
Always place yours on a generous, deep, level and heat resistant dish or tray that extends well beyond the candle.
Trim the wick to approximately 6 millimetres before lighting.
Keep away from draughts, direct heat and busy areas where the candle may be knocked.
Stay nearby and watch how the wax is moving. Extinguish the candle if the flame becomes unusually large or smoky, if the candle begins to lean or become unstable, or if molten wax approaches the edge of the tray.
Allow the candle, wax and tray to cool completely before touching or moving them.
A larger sculpture deserves a larger stage. Be generous with the tray and attentive with the flame.
The last word on sculptural candles…
Once lit, a Fable candle becomes something entirely new.
It may soften, hollow, lean, drip, pool or create a silhouette you were not expecting. No two candles will perform in exactly the same way, and even the same shape may burn differently depending on temperature, airflow and the surface beneath it.
This is not the neat, contained experience of a candle in a jar. It is a fleeting sculpture, an object in motion and a small piece of theatre.
There is something rather beautiful about wax changing shape. It carries the feeling of old rooms, ancient buildings and candles burned long before ours.
Give it a generous stage, stay close and enjoy what it becomes.
Caring for Your Fable
Keep your candle somewhere cool, dry and away from direct sunlight.
Heat can soften wax, and strong sunlight may alter its colour over time.
Display it upright on a stable, non porous surface and dust gently with a soft, dry cloth.
Deeply coloured wax may transfer onto delicate or porous surfaces, so we recommend placing your candle on a suitable dish or protective base, even when it is not being burned.
A Note About Beeswax Bloom
Every Fable candle is made using our own blend of natural soy wax and sustainable New Zealand beeswax. From time to time, a soft frosted finish may appear on the surface. This is called bloom. It is a natural characteristic of beeswax and not a flaw.
You can leave it exactly as it is or gently buff the surface with a soft cloth to restore its glow. Some of us rather like our wax a little wild.
BE FIRST TO SEE WHAT COMES NEXT
Join Fable for private previews of new collections, limited releases and stories from the studio.
