Wax and Bubbles

Using a tall or short glass container and a candle and a bit of creativity you can create festive holiday luminaries to use on your table or to line your walkway or stairs.

If you head to your local craft store or even you local florist there is a huge selection of different shapes, wide-mouth, and glass containers. You can purchase tall or short containers without lids that can be used for luminaries. If you purchase them in even numbers you can stagger them down stairs or even use them to light or line a walkway leading to you front door.

If you use seasonal items such as cranberries or holly leaves, or even peppermint candies you can create a luminary setting with tea lights or even small fat pillar candles. Here’s how it’s done.

First choose glass containers that are more wide than tall. These work best because you can fill them with more items and they won’t over-take the candle inside the container. Wash and dry the container thoroughly. You may want to also use bigger candles than a tea light, possibly a fat candle that is about 3 to 4 inches tall. This will allow the candle to burn without catching the stuff on fire that is around the candle.

Place the candle inside the container and layer the seasonal items around the bottom. For example, if you are using cranberries or peppermints rounds, place the around the bottom around the candle and do not layer them above half way up the candle.

Place the pillar luminaries on your holiday table or on the stirs leading up to your front door to give a festive, yet inexpensive glow to your holidays. You can even use items such as grapes or Hershey’s Kiss and blow the candle out when serving the meal, so your guests can pick from the items as well.

Almost any candle, or any potpourri mix can have any scent you want it to. The only thing you need to do is experiment with different scents. Here is a list of a few you can try when you do your next craft project. Try these scents with a mixture of beeswax when you make your next candle. The scent is amazing.

1. Awaken Scent: Eucalyptus essential oil mixed with lemon essential oil, corn mint essential oil and pure lemon extract.

2. Relaxing Scent: Lavender essential oil and chamomile essential oil mixed with sandalwood essential oil and neroli essential oil.

3. Clarity Scent: Cedar wood essential oil mixed with ylang ylang essential oil and cinnamon essential oil, cinnamon leaf, canaga essentail oil, oil of pepper, patchouli essential oil, pure lemon extract and guaiacwood essential oil.

4. Harmony Scent: Lavender essential oil mixed with pure vanilla extract.

5. Invigorating Scent: Juniper essential oil mixed with lime essential oil and fir needle essential oil, camphor, geranium essential oil and petit grain essential oil.

6. Refreshing Scent: Spearmint essential oil mixed with rosemary essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil and a touch of peppermint essential oil.

7. Romanic Scent: Rose essential oil mixed with violet essential oil, jasmine essential oil, mimosa essential oil and petit grain essential oil.

8. Sensual Scent: Sandalwood Essential oil mixed with ylang ylang essential oil and jasmine essential oil.

9. Serenity Scent: Geranium essential oils mixed with pure orange extract, clove leaf essential oil, cedar wood essential oils and canaga essential oil.

10. Almond Joy Scent: Pure almond extract mixed with vanilla essential oil, olive oil, and cedar wood essential oil.

Build your essential oil collection by visiting The Essential Oil Company.

As I was surfing though Yahoo Answers a few days ago, I stumbled upon a dilemma that a Yahoo user by the name of Feiscool was having. He wants to know, from the Yahoo users that were willing to answer his question, which is better, Glade candles or Febreze candles? And three out of four stated that the Febreze candle was better. But is it really? I decided to figure it out on my own.

I purchased 5 different, random scented Glade candles, the regular Glade candle as well as five random, different Febreze candles and lit one in one part of my house, and lit the other in the completely opposite end of my home. And waited.

I waited about 20 minutes and went to observe the scent and how far it had traveled. The Febreze candle was placed in my back bedroom and it was only obvious right around the candle itself. I did not smell it in the outer part of the room near the door or even a few feet away from the candle even. But, once I lit another one of the same scent, the smell was very noticeable throughout my home.

I then went and smelled for the Glade candle, which I placed in my upstairs back room, where odors tend to linger. Immediately upon hitting the first step to go upstairs I smelled the candle. As I continued up the stairs the scent was stronger and stronger, and once I got inside where the candle actually was, the smell was amazing.

I tried this process for a week straight when the different scents I had purchased and even though with Febreze, as certain scents were strong than others, the Glade candle took the win. I tried this test at a few friends homes and every time was the same outcome.

So in Wax and Bubbles option, your money is best spent on a Glade candle. They are less expensive and give you more scent for your buck. But, of course, it’s all about which scent is more pleasing to the smeller.

They carry 100% beeswax candles that are all naturel, clean and long burning, crafted by real beeskeepers, they are hypo-allergenic and have an all-cotton wick inside. They carry tapers, pillars, votives, decorative styles and even beeswax lanterns which make a great unique gift. And part of their proceeds are donated to charity.

Candle Bee Farm™ began as a brick and stone cottage nestled high on a rural ridge. The gentle rolling acres are teaming with wildlife and natural beauty perfect for a healthy, spiritual and more natural lifestyle.

Family history is rich with beekeepers and the tradition continues on this beautiful farm. Here the bees enjoy good health without the use of chemicals or refined sugars in the hives. This is in keeping with our simple lifestyle. In fact, we have found that this way of beekeeping actually yields higher honey and wax production in the long run. The bees develop a natural resistance to disease and pests resulting in health benefits and less work for the beekeeper.

Candle Bee Farm™ products are available through this website or at fine retail shops across the U.S.A. Demand for candles of a non-toxic nature is growing as consumers become more health conscious and awaken to the dangers of inhaled chemical components. Even natural essential oils are not meant to be burned and inhaled! Thank you for supporting our ‘commerce with a conscience’ ideal. As the candle business continues to grow, we are able to provide value added income to select farmers for their wax. Only 100% bee products are used from approved domestic sources. We are happy to be involved with promoting natural beekeeping, enhancing the environment and supporting organic horticultural efforts. Together we can repair the earth and ourselves.

Candle Bee Farms. For them……. “IT’S A LIFESTYLE”

Shaker Style furniture is a distinctive style of furniture designed and developed in the late 18th century/early 19th Century. Not only was the furniture well made but so was most everythings else that was built or developed in that time period including candles. Here is a recipe to making your own shaker-style candles.

You Will Need:

Felt-tip marker
3/4″-thick sponge
Crafts knife
Old baking pan
Waxed paper
Parraffin wax
Double boiler
Deep-red wax dye
Spoon or Stirrer
Small heart-shaped cookie cutter
Aquamarine water-based paint
Plate
Dishwashing Liquid
Candle
Wax glue
Fine paintbrush

Draw 1 square on the spnge; draw cross in center to divide the square into 4 small squares. Using a knife, cut away half the sponge’s depth in 2 diagonally opposite squares to form the checkerboard design.

Line the pan with waxed poaper. Melt a small amount of the wax in top of double boiler; add the dye. Stir until well blended. Pour the wax into the pan; tilt the pan to spread the wax into a thin even layer. While the wax is soft, cut out the hearts with the cookie cutter. You can use any shape you want really. It is your choice, just don’t choose a large design that is bigger than you candle.

Pour small amount of paint onto the plate; add dishwashing liquid so mixture is the consistency of a thick cream. Dip the sponge into the paint; press onto the candle to make the broder. Let dry. Gently press the hearts against the candle so they mold to the candle shape. Melt the wax glue; brush glue onto the wrong side of the heart mole and press onto the candle once more. Attach remaining hearts in teh same way all around the candle.

You will need:

-Premium candle wax (about 2 pounds per candle)
-Double boiler
-Candle or candy thermometer
-Packages of candle dye and scent
-Package of metal-core wick with screw (wick size depends on the mold diameter)
-Metal mold in desired shape
-Thin dowel
-Mold sealer
-Pouring container with spout
-Skewer
-Candle-gloss spray

To begin:

Melting was by breaking wax into small pieces , place the pieces into a pot of double boiler. Fill lower pit with water, place on the stove. Place the thermometer in wax, heat to 190°F, stirring constantly. Add the dye and scent to the wax at this point. Be sure and follow the manufacture’s suggested amounts.

Thread wick through the bottom hole in the mold. Place dowel across top of mold; tie wick to the dowel. Turn mold over and trim the wick to 1”. Wind wick around screw head; secure bottom with mold sealer. Heat the mold by running warm water over outside of the mil.

Pour the wax into pouring container. Tilt the mold; slowly pour in wax to desired candle height. Reserve about 1 cup of wax for fill indentation, which will form in center of candle as it sets. Let candle set up for 1 hour. Poke skewer into the candle next to the wick to remove pressure, which builds up as the candle begins to set.

Reheat reserved was in the microwave; pour into indentation. Do not pout wax higher than level of previous pour. Let candle ser overnight. Remove sealer and screw and untie knot. Turn the mold over upside down so candle will slip out. Use a low-melt hot glue gun to attach dried fruits or flowers to the side of the candle. Melt additional wax; dip embellished candle into the wax to seal. Let set. Finish the candle by spraying with candle-gloss spray.

Making the Gold Leaf Candles:

What you will need:

-Felt tip marker
-Tracing paper
-Masking tape
-Sheets of gold leaf
-Pillar candle
-Ballpoint pen, pencil or skewer

Using marker, draw desired motifs on the tracing paper. Tape gold leaf, with the gold side down to the candle. Tape the motif over the gold leaf paper. Using a pen, draw over motif to transfer the gold leaf to the candle on the outside. Peel back the gold leaf to insure entire motif has been transferred onto the entire section you are wanting on your candle. Remove motif and gold leaf as well. Using a fresh sheet of gold leaf, repeat taping and transferring motifs to cover the entire candle, if you choose. Do not place tape over the areas where the gold leaf has been applied.

Making the Stenciled Pillars:

What you will need:

-Candle
-Ruler
-Stenciled plastic
-Pencil
-Crafts
-Knife
-Spray Stencil Adhesive
-Nontoxic spray paint

Measure height and circumference of candle; mark the dimensions on stencil plastic. Draw design on the plastic to fit inside the outlines. Cut out parts of design to make the stencil.

Spray back of stencil with adhesive; press onto candle. Spray candle with paint; let dry. Remove the stencil once the paint is dry. To finish the candle spray finished candle with the stencil dried completely with candle gloss spray. If you stick to smaller stencils they will show up and be seen easier than larger stencils. So choose wisely. This an other tools needed to make these are available at any hobby or craft store worldwide,

Carved wedding candles are becoming more and more popular with every vow taken and every ring slide on the finger, but what is the perfect wedding candle for your function. Here is a simple list to help you choose the right one.

For a traditional wedding you will want to stick with the basic candles. The smooth, low color, possibly pastel candles. Nothing says, unorganized like a traditional wedding decor with some loud candles with a Harley Davidson logo on them. There are several basic candles available almost anywhere from your local grocery store to the local candle maker himself, but what exactly are your trying to achieve? Is it look, is it scent, or is it a soft light, such as the candles placed on the reception tables? This is the step that come first before choosing any candle for a traditional wedding.

For a beach themed wedding you will want to look for soft blues maybe a subtle carving, nothing extravagant and keep it low key as far as the length of the candle. If you are standing on a beach given you vows to a head of 250+ the last thing you want to do is look over and see your long-stemmed candle taller than you. If you do go with a long-stemmed variety, try to keep the candles shorter than you or your groom.

For a celestial themed wedding I say, pull out all the stops on the carved candles. Go all out on the carvings as well. This is the chance to really bring to life some of those ideas you have been holding back on, as far as the candles go. Nothing speaks volume more than having large pillars and carved candles beside you as you and your soon-to-be-spouse exchange those loving devotions.

For a spring, summer, fall, winter, cultural, outdoor or whatever the occasion or the theme, candles set the mood for everything. It has been told to me many, many times, how important the candles are and most couples, when planning their own wedding over look the basic candle. There is nothing wrong with a small tea light candle and a few pillars, but to keep the eye on you and your love, keep it simple for a simple them, nothing over-the-top. Mainly because you want your guest to look at you, not you and your love carved out on a candle beside the alter.

Congratulations!

Here are a few websites to check out for your next function or even you own wedding.

1. Wed Themes

2. 100 Candles

3. Yankee Candles

4. Lume Candles

A blessed candle represents the human being, with the wick (soul) encased in the wax (body) as a source of light (grace) that spreads forth from the spiritual depths outward to the world. The candle also represents the living. The flame symbolizing movement of the living body.

Vigil candles, those that we light in memory of loved ones, stand as a reminder to others of the light of faith that shines forth from their souls. They are not in the darkness of death but in the light of heaven with their glowing spirit When a candle is lit in memory of a loved one or a sick loved one that is going to die, it is thought to help the person pass on to a better life and that light is joined with the other lit candles from previous lighters and the prayers are together as one to help them.

Candles are symbolic — sacramental’s in a way that most people that practice this religious belief, regularly feel it is a must when a person dies. So basically the candle represents the person’s prayer. The flame is the light of life, charity and devotion, dwelling in the person praying, the smoke is the prayer rising to God’s throne in heaven. Candles are like incense, which is referred to 89 times in the bible in connection with divine worship (liturgy) — or in some cases, idolatrous worship; see Psalm 66:15 and 141:2 and again in Revelations. So the tradition of candles, lamps and incense goes back to the Jewish usage, far beyond the catacombs of early Christian times.

Most religious candles can be seen outside many homes of passed loved ones and even Hollywood stars passing. Some candles are lit if the passer or deceased died in a tragic way, or young or even after long periods of suffering. This was particularly seen during the death of Princess Diana and even the sudden and tragic death of Heath Ledger. If you are Catholic or even of a different religion and you feel a candle must be lit in lue of being present in a death of someone you know or even of a Hollywood Celebrities, lit away. If it makes you feel more at peace, it will only add to the prayers of others, in hopes the spirit passes on without hesitation. (Source: Some information pulled from Green Spun)