Hi friends! Have you ever wanted to elevate your snail mail? Are you perhaps a DIY bride (or groom)-to-be? Are you quite literally the most extra about everything (but you can't seem to help it? Then you've come to the right place! In this post I'm going to dive into alllll the details about how to make your own wax seals!
Wax seals may seem like they have one use and one use only, to ~quite literally~ seal your letters, however; there are so many uses I can think of! I work in the wedding industry so the first things I think of are seating chart cards, menu and place cards. Other than that though, they're perfect for extra touches on gift wrapping, wine bottles and business branding!
Alright, time to dive into what you're actually here for! How to make wax seals! There are a few different methods, wax beads, glue gun method, and the OG wax seal sticks.
WAX BEAD METHOD
Wax beads are super fun for creating a marble effect! With this method, you'll want a wax seal warming set, complete with a spoon. You'll need to place a lit tealight candle under your warming set (or just hold it, but who has the time?) and then the beads will begin to melt! Once your beads are fully melted, just pour it directly where you want the seal to live and then stamp with your stamping tool! This method is fun if you want to experiment with mixing colors. I personally don't love this method because I am a teensy bit afraid of fire (I think I was a witch in a past life idk) and one time my spoon caught on fire because I wasn't careful(!!!!!). So please just be super cautious and ~mindful~ if you opt to go this route.
HOT GLUE GUN METHOD
The next method, and by far the most superior option in my opinion, is the hot glue gun method. This is perfect if you don't need to mix colors and you don't have time to play around. You are here to work and start a factory line of wax seals. We are in fact, not here to mess around. This option is perfect for wedding stationery and bulk projects; it's easy enough to create an assembly line. All you need to do is squeeze out your wax/glue stick and then stamp!
The key for this is getting a low heat glue gun. If you go this method and switch colors there will be a marbling effect when you're switching out to the next color, which is always a fun little surprise. If you want to get crazy with it, like you want to start selling wax seals, I'd recommend getting a new glue gun for each color. Obviously totally optional but would save time on switching the colors and potentially not wasting the wax! Pro tip (and super cost effective): You can even use regular hot glue gun sticks - they'll be translucent but you can color the risen part of the seal to give it some dimension!
SEALING WAX STICKS METHOD (not my fav)
The last method is really only for those of you with hours of endless free time. For this one, you will use wax sticks with the wick inside (think of a birthday candle) and literally wait as the wax drips where you want to seal. Again, I do not recommend. Don't do it. I hate that I wasted your time even by writing that part but I'd feel bad leaving that part out.
TIPS AND TRICKS
-In between sealing, keep your seal in a cup of ice. This will prevent it getting stuck in the wax and you'll be able to remove it a bit faster!
-Color the raised parts of your wax seal for a fancier look! I like to use a deco color gold marker for this - it's shiny and always looks SO good!!!
-If you need a surface to create your wax seals, versus creating them directly on an envelope, you can use parchment paper or a silicone mat.
There you have it folks! It's truly that easy and requires little to no crafting experience. Also, I totally encourage you to shop around for the best deals, but if you do use any of the links provided, I do make a small commission, at no extra cost to you!
More of a visual learner and would rather see some videos? Check out my Tik Tok @tiny.crafts.by.bay! And feel free to follow along on my other calligraphy and crafting experiences! Also, if you read all that and really just don't want to make wax seals I do sell them in my Etsy shop, just sayin'.
Happy Crafting!
~Baylee
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