Look after your stack

Build it first

Thread the shapes onto the centre candle, the plain piece in the middle. Build the whole stack before you light it, and never rearrange it while it is lit or still warm.

Before you light it

Stand the stack level on a heat resistant plate: wax will melt and run. Check it is stable, keep it clear of draughts and anything that can catch fire, and trim the wick to 5 mm.

Light the centre candle only. The stacking pieces have no wick of their own.

While it burns

Never leave a burning candle unattended, and keep it away from children and pets. Do not move the stack while it is lit or warm, and keep checking it is stable through the burn.

The pieces soften, melt and may fuse together. That is normal, that is the stack doing its job. Put the flame out while 2 cm of the centre candle remains, and snuff it rather than blowing it out.

Once it is out

Wax and plate get hot. Let everything cool fully before you handle the stack or separate any pieces. Trim the wick to 5 mm before you light it again, and store spare blocks flat, out of direct sun.

Handmade wax

Every piece is poured in small batches, so fingerprints, small marks and slight shape and colour shifts are part of it, not flaws. Colours can also read differently on screen.

A soft white bloom may appear on the surface after a few weeks. That is the wax being natural, not going off. Buff it with a soft cloth and the colour comes back.