Archive for the ‘Candle Making’ Category
Millions of people throughout the world have hobbies to help them relax after a long day of work. One hobby that has risen in popularity is candle making. Candle making has become sort of an art form. Each person has their own ideas and designs for candles, and each candle has the potential of becoming a work of art, if only to its creator. Candle making is not difficult, however if you are creating something that will become a focal point of a room, you want it to be perfect. The great thing about candle making is that if you make a mistake, you can melt the candle and start all over again. Candle Making Kits Are Great Candle making kits are great for first timers to introduce yourself to candle making. Candle making kits will show you the basic steps and techniques when you have the basic knowledge of how to make candles, you will be able to create candles that are stunning. The first step in candle making is to protect your work surface from melted wax. Covering with newspaper or heavy plastic will insure that your workspace is kept clean. You do not need elaborate tools to create wonderful candles. A roasting pan and a thermometer will work just as well as all of the fancy equipment that can be quite expensive. Candle making kits can become a way to spend quality time with your children. However, it is very important that they are supervised at all times to avoid any accidents that may occur. Safety First Melting wax is relatively easy, however little fingers may try to test it. Make sure that you advise your children that although the melted wax may smell good, it is extremely hot and they could get serious injuries if they try to touch it. Dyes and fragrances for candles are available at craft stores throughout the country. It is important that you add the dye slowly to the melted wax and wait for it to dissolve completely. Adding colors one at a time will allow you to determine which colors work with each other the best. It is very important that you watch the wax very carefully when it is melting. If the heat is too high, it will burn the wax. If melting wax begins to smoke, remove it from the heat immediately, being very careful not to spill any on your skin. If this should happen, do not wipe it off. You could spread it cause more serious burns. Instead, run it under cold water until the wax hardens and it should fall right off. Once you have poured your wax into your molds, it will need twenty-four hours or more to cool and harden completely. Once the candle has set up, it is time to decorate. Add Personality To Your Candle Making Choosing the right pattern for your candle is the most creative part of candle making. If you want to add a splash of color, try melting your favorite colored crayon for a vibrant look to your candle. You can use just about anything from stencils to non-flammable beads to create works of art. You are limited only by your imagination. If you choose to create scented candles, adding crushed herbs will give a pleasant scent that will last as long as the candle itself. Candle making kits come with complete instructions on how to create the perfect candle. They are easy to follow and can be used in any setting. Candle Making Kits are great fun and also make for an interesting past time by yourself or with your family. Learn even more about candle making kits at. Types of Candles.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_J Technorati Tags: Candle Making, candle makingIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Sometimes, it is just a peice of plastic ribbon which is no use, but 9 times out of 10 it is real fabric ribbon and you can use it in many ways. You can use it in card making, scrapbooking, candle making and even knitting. Just cut them off the garment, they are very annoying anyway, and keep them in your craft box. The next time you need a peice of ribbon, use one of the peices you have saved. Technorati Tags: candle making, fabric ribbon, knitting, scrapbooking
By Criss White If you are looking for a fun gift to make for any occasion, then personalized candle making may be something you would like to consider. There are many ways to make personalized candles, depending on how much time and money you are willing to spend. With just a little extra time and effort, you can make a personalized candle out of an otherwise ordinary candle gift that the lucky recipient will love. 1. The simplest way to make a personalized candle is get a normal candle at your local candle store. Even general retail stores like Walmart sometimes have candles for sale. Candles come in all shapes and sizes, but almost any candle can be personalized. 2. Anything smaller than a tea light will be difficult to personalize. For tea light candles, you can normally purchase a big bag for a low price. These candles are great as favors for guests at a wedding or baby shower. The easiest way to personalize is to use either a graphics program on your computer or a word processor. We’ll stick with the Word processor since it is easier. First, draw a circle the same dimensions as the lid on the tea light, or better yet use a circular label sheet. Then select a nice font, like cursive script or Corsiva. You can enter then names and date of the event into the circle. Print out a sample on plain paper to make sure the look and size is right. Once you have the desired result, you can print your tea light label stickers. Finally, apply the sticker onto the top of the tea light. 3. For jar candles, you can create a square-shaped personalized label. Since you have more area to work with, you can download free graphics from the Internet. Search the web for “free clip art” and download the images you want. Once again print out a sample on plain paper and then print the label. If you don’t have a color printer, you can go to a local copier and they can make a nice label for you. Stick the label on the jar. Now you have created a unique gift personalized just for that special person. 4. For tall pillar candles, you can get those engraved at an engraving shop (look in the phone book under engravers). The artwork and text can come in different colors. If you are artistic, you can even buy candle-engraving kits online and do it yourself. 5. How about those 1oz votive candles? For a professional looking gift, get cellophane bags and colored ribbon. Wrap the candle in the cello bag and tie it up with the ribbon. Then attach a personalized tag to the ribbon. These candles can also be engraved. 6. If you can make candles, then there are limitless possibilities. You can use different fragrances oils to create scented candles. You can use embeds for decoration. Cookie cutters and molds are also useful for designing the right shape. In summary, you can take an ordinary store candle and make it a very special gift with just a little more effort. Your friends and loved ones will cherish these gifts for years to come.
By Lata Tokhi Making chunk candles is an and fun activity for all ages. A unique technique using wax chunks of different colors gives the finished candle a beautiful texture and look. Thay make a refreshing alternative to the usual pillar candles. Follow these step-by-instructions and make your own pretty chunk candles to gift or keep. ** It is assumed that the reader has a basic knowledge of preparing the candle mold by spraying oil and wicking it and also for setting and removing the finished candles from the mold. Anyone who has made a pillar candle before will find this project very easy to follow. What You Need Wick, To see the completed candle, visit http://www.ilovetocraft.com/candlemaking/chunk-candles.shtml Directions: 1. First you will need to prepare chunks. You can use leftover chunks from other candle projects. Or you make new ones by melting wax, adding color and allowing to set in a shallow pan. You can use either single-colored or multi-colored chunks. 2. Prepare the mold by spraying oil and wicking it. Then fill the mold with chunks. 3. Melt (un-dyed) wax and add to the mold. Allow to set completely. 4. When completely set, remove from mold. Note: You can make different types of candles by altering the number of colors and chunks used. You can choose all your chunks to be of the same color or different colors. The color of the ‘filler wax’ can also be white or any other color that you choose to have. You can also cut out all your chunks in similar shapes or keep mismatched ones.
By Lata Tokhi With candle making, there are hardly any limits. You can replicate lots of things with your creativity. Here are some delicious ‘Cupcakes’ that look very, very inviting. Complete with chopped crayon bits for nuts and decorations, many people will mistake them for edible, freshly-baked, icing-topped cupcakes coming from your kitchen! Materials Needed: Candle Making Supplies (Wax, Dyes, Boiler, Wicks etc.), Directions: 1.Place 2-3 paper cups into each other for strength. Now, place them into individual muffin molds or a muffin tray for a string base. Grease them lightly if you wish, but it is not necessary. 2. Melt Wax, mix a dark or earthy colored dye for the muffin base. We have used brown, but you can experiment. They are not real cakes after all! 3. Pour melted wax into the prepared ‘molds’. Allow to cool and set. You can use a wick at this point. We have have not used one because I made these ‘cupcakes’ just as a show-piece. 4. Meanwhile, prepare the ‘frosting’. Melt wax and dye it a soft, creamy color. We used used a pale, earthy brown again, but pinks, creams, blues, greens, yellows, peaches etc. look great for the icing. Be creative with your color combinations. 5. Cool the melted wax till you see a thin skin forming on it. Whip it with a whisk till it gets frothy. Quickly, spoon the froth over the cupcake. If the wax solidifies before you are able to spoon enough froth, repeat the melting, cooling and whipping process. 6. While the frosting is still warm, sprinkle pieces of old crayons.
Candle making has become an exciting hobby to many due to the simple process involved when using right candle making supplies. It can really be lots of fun. There is a long history when it comes to candles as it is believed that they were first used by Egyptians approximately five thousand years ago. Candles were mainly used for religious and everyday use unlike the way we use them for decoration and atmosphere. Okay, let’s get back to the present and discuss your plans to start candle making. One of the main things and of course the main ingredient is to find the wax you will be working with. There is inexpensive wax that has been recycled which you can find at most stores in your area. For specialty waxes you can find just about anything by doing a thorough search on the internet and even order your favorite wax to have it delivered to your front door. Make sure to decide wisely for the type of candle you will be making as there are several kinds of wax available for each candle type. Some of these waxes are soy, beeswax and vegetable which are all very well suited to add to your candle making supplies. Just don’t over do it when purchasing these waxes, just get what you will need for this project. Is There Anything Else Needed? Now that you have the wax required for your new hobby you’re probably wondering how to melt it. Well, to get standard wax to melt we have to raise its temperature to approximately one hundred and thirty degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to get the proper melting pot meant for wax or you may have some difficulty. The next candle making supply you are going to need is the wick. Wicks come in varying sizes and thicknesses which all determine the speed at which the candle will burn. Also, wicks are manufactured from different materials and you may not locate some of them at your neighborhood store but you should find them at either a specialty store or more likely on the internet where you can have it delivered. Another item to add to your candle making supplies is dye for the different colors you wish to have. Be careful because candle dye is a pigment and will be very difficult and some times not even possible to remove from your garments. The dye is actually a chemical that comes in small bottles like essential oils do. Most hobbyists include these dyes amongst their supplies. Always use caution when handling. Should I Know Anything Else? There is one other key element needed that without it we would just have blobs of wax, and of course, that would be the molds. Add many different type of molds to your candle making supplies so you will always have a wide variety to choose from. You can purchase all kinds but you can also use items from around the house such as cartons from milk containers. There are other very interesting items you can use; paints can make your candles very unique and one of a kind and there are sprays to make them shiny. We have just discussed the basics here for creating candles but it is enough to get you started. Do a little more research and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.
A new trend in candles came about recently that has caught the decorators eye. These new floating candles have gone over very well with the decoration market, customers have warmed up to the idea mostly due to the warm, tranquil environment they can create while watching them. Scents can also be added to floating candles to give off desired mood effects in the home or office. Floating Candles Are Easily Made Floating candles have gained great popularity with most people as they can provide a very serene and relaxed atmosphere especially when scented oils are infused with them, the end project can be one of a kind. The advice below will be very helpful if you truly enjoy candle making. In a double boiler or even a regular pot you will need to melt some wax. Try using wick tabs and make sure the wax and wicks are prepared before starting your first floating candle. Keep a watchful eye on the wax as it melts and when the time is right use a thermometer to see if the wax has reached a temperature of 180 F. Now that the wax has attained the correct temperature it is time to pour the colorant into the pot for the desired effect you are striving for. This is also the time to add any scents or special oils you wish to have. How much you add depends on several factors such as the size of the candle and where it will be used. If entertaining or you have that special area outside you definitely need to administer much more aroma due to slight breezes and the open air. You can drip the wax into the mold once you have added the scent or scents of choice, be very careful that the mold does not get filled to it’s capacity as it will not float. Then you will need to place the wick into the mold but not until a thin gel like surface has formed. Now the mold can be filled to it’s capacity and then start the boring process of waiting for it to cool. Pop the candle form the mold when it’s cool enough, trim the wick, place your floating candle into the water and see if it floats. Caution and Advice When It Comes To Floating Candles If you are a first timer trying to make candles really float you may have problems until you get the knack of it, not to worry, this happens to most new candle makers. Don’t get overly frustrated as the candles are still usable, they just don’t float, and if all else fails you can always buy them. Certainly not as enjoyable as making them yourself but you can at least end the issue and begin to enjoy your new floating candles. Remember that the only good home for your floating candles is a water home, please do not place them in any other liquid due to possible fire hazards and definitely do no use any type of oil. Also, keep you leftover wax away from any drainage areas because once the wax cools the drain pipes will plug up. Have fun and enjoy yourself.
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If you have purchased any t-shirts recently, you may have noticed those annoying peices of ribbon that the shops use to secure the t-shirt to the coat hanger.
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