Interesting topic Wanda and thanks for the instructions on how to carve out a pillar. I've usually just let them burn enough to make a well to hold a real tealight then messed around with a knife but your way sounds much neater. :-) I burn real tealights, votives, tapers, then pillars in that order of frequency but tealights the most. I have a bazillion tealight holders (ys finds) and feel they are safer than tapers with the cats. I like the beeswax or soya the best altho have a lifetime supply of paraffin ones but mostly use them outdoors in the summer. Ikea has the best quality paraffin tealights for the lowest price IMO and sell in bags of 100 for about $3 on sale ($4-something regular) and I've also bot them at YS's for even less. I do have some battery ones I got a few years ago for the RV (for safety) but wasn't impressed with the appearance of the flame altho I've been told they have improved so should give them a try again. I like the idea of remote control pillars as I have the same accessibility problem on my mantel. I'd like to use them as there are convection currents because of the stove and my beeswax tapers dripped on the silk poinsettias at Christmas.

The wick you are using is likely not big enough, or you are not using enough wicks. There is a great wick suggestion chart on Natures Garden website that could help you. Here is a link that might be useful: Natures Garden

I should've posted to that i have bought from different places to make all 30 of these candles. Everything wasn't bought at just by nature. So it's not that there products arn't good its something that i am doing. I've had a varity of products from different sellers and still no result......Thanks

Crayons are fine for colorant. I advise against the glitter, because I do not know if is is safe, when exposed to heat & flame. As for "food essence", I have no idea what that is. There are fragrance oils, made specifically for candles. They should be safe & work the best.