Making Scented Candles at Home
December 1st, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
A great many of my friends have been asking me to share the secret of making a scented candle at home, though I tell them repeatedly that it is no great secret. Any web site or on the internet manual can teach you the basics of making scented candles at home, and once you’ve mastered those, the rest is up to your imagination and creativity. Both these qualities, I have found, increase with experience, and never mind what they state about inborn creativity and genius.
However, since it does appear that plenty of people want to know just what it is that causes my candles to smell so good, I will start by saying that the process of making a candle with the aroma of your choice is a easy one. As I have said before, the increasing demand for scented candles has caused a lot of enterprising folks to come up with books, magazines and web sites dedicated to the art of candle making.
To begin with, you need the right equipment, though that may seem obvious. I always stress this point because, despite its simplicity, candle making is easy only when you follow instructions correctly. Otherwise, you’ll find that it can be darned tricky as well!
So, depending on whether you’re making a wax or gel candle, you will need enough of it, plus the ‘cooking equipment’, or the equipment needed to melt the wax and mould it. And obviously, you will need the essential oils that’ll give you the aroma of your choice. In my experience, I’ve always found it best to combine at least a couple of aromas, though beginners might find it easier to stick to one fragrance initially.
What a beginner definitely should not do is pack the candle with as much fragrance as possible. Most ordinary scented candles contain about 0.5 oz of essential oil, though if you want to intensify the fragrance, you might increase it to one whole ounce. However, any more and the scent that your candle gives will be unbearable, probably making you sick!
A lot of people confess to being intrigued by the scents that I use for my candles. ‘I just can’t place it, but it smells so good,’ is something that I hear all the time. Shall I tell you why? Well, I tend to experiment with the most unlikely combinations, most often based purely on instinct, and end up with a fragrance that is marvelous yet unidentifiable! For instance, the first time I used rose and cinnamon together, I was convinced I was headed for disaster. As it turned out, it became my most popular aroma! Similarly, I combined clove and iris to produce another well-appreciated fragrance. The point is, dear reader, it is largely up to you what fragrance you produce.
Finally, though I stuck to wax candles for a long time, I do believe that soy candles hold the scent much better than wax, and they also burn longer. The process of melting the soy wax is similar to that of ordinary wax, though you will probably need a double boiler. You add the color and scent as usual, and pour it into the mold of your choice. As you probably know, a staggering variety of molds are available in the market this day. Once your candle is complete, do send me a sample!
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Using Candle Making Jars
November 30th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
You can easily save jars suitable for candle making that will create beautiful candle displays for your home decor for every day use or special occasions. You can use any type of jar that you have on hand to create a container candle. You will be able to create a rustic display of jar candles when you have a nice collection of several candle making jars in different sizes. If you recycle your own glass jars for candle making, you can make a cardboard insert in the top of the recycled jar lid so that the lid will fit tightly again. The lid helps to preserve the fragrance of scented candles.
Jelly Jars
You can use jelly jars for your container candles. You can find these types of jar candles filled with a gel wax to resemble the jelly that can usually be found in a jelly jar. A jelly jar can be simply decorated with an embellished label and jar lid and you can also add gingham and raffia to the lid for a country fair look.
Mason Jars
Another suitable jar for container candles is the Mason jar. Mason jars look nice filled with candle wax that has been colored to match the home interior or exterior. The Mason jar candles are great when they are scented with home style and woodsy scents that create an accent for the room in which the candle is placed.
Mayonnaise or Larger Jars
You can also use the large mayonnaise jar for a container candle. You can also consider the extra large glass food jars that can be recycled and used for a container candle with more than one wick. Large is not always the way to go so remember to collect baby food jars as well for your different candle making jar projects.
Variety Of Suitable Jars For Candle Making
You can find jars for candle making that will enhance and brighten your home. There are many types of glass jars that can be recycled for candle making projects so look around the next time you are in your grocery store for appropriate jars. You might find yourself adding new foods to your diet just to get the jar for your candle making projects.
If you do not have an available supply of glass jars from your home, it is possible to find suppliers of glass jars in different sizes for your candle making jar needs. Glass jars make beautiful container jars that can evoke an earlier and simpler period of time. Glass jars can also add a surprisingly modern look to your home as well.
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How To Landscape A Model Railroad
November 29th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
One of the more fun aspects of model railroading is planning and executing the scenery and landscaping that your track and engines will meander through ” for some it is almost like playing God in that you can decide and create on any scene you desire.
From fanciful hobbit themes, alien worlds or realistic recreations there is nothing that you cannot create and display, all it takes is a plan, some materials, a little skill and some time.
First and foremost you need a plan or at least a concept.
- Do you want to duplicate an existing landscape? - Do you want a faithful historical recreation of a place now lost in time? - Are you more inclined to creating a never-before seen or unlikely scenario to wow the masses?
Making a choice on one theme for your layout and staying true to that theme is perhaps the most important keys to success. If you change your methods and style in the middle of your landscape the result will be inconsistencies that will detract from the overall impression you are trying to form.
Ideally those you invite to view your work will see a delightful scene and the harder they look the more detail enforcing that scene they will find. Nothing is more enjoyable then hearing those delighted squeals as a viewer notices ever more subtle details as they come closer and closer and the key to that is consistency.
Once you have a plan for the theme you need to decide on track placement and terrain. Many modelers create the terrain and then try to force the track to follow through that, just as occurs in real life ” but one of the advantages of modeling vs. real life is that you can consider all aspects and requirements up front. If you know you will have a bend or a switch at certain points why design rough terrain that you will then try to overcome with ‘grading’ in your models at those points?
Next you should collect your materials ” some items you can find around the house, others you may wish to purchase from dealers such as www.oakridgehobbies.com and www.jttmicroscale.com or your local hobby shop but always stay true to your plan. Just because you find an amazing little miniature you long to use doesn’t mean it belongs in this model! Common materials you will need include:
1. Tables or Stands
2. Plywood (preferably outdoor grade) for base if using stands or building model train tables
3. Glues
4. Twigs, ‘dirt’ gravel, crushed or powdered stones, herbs etc. for plants and groundcover
5. Paints of various kinds for touch-up, covering the base and backgrounds, creating model railroad water areas, etc.
6. Poster board, wax paper, aluminum foil, tissues etc. for texturing and shaping
7. Styrofoam blocks and sheets for shaping
Optional items you may wish to use include:
8. Plaster of Paris and / or fiberglass
9. Talcum powder, pepper and salt, cayenne pepper ” for texturing and colorants
10. Corkboard and cork ‘paper’
11. Roof repair tar (for road surfaces etc.)
12. Paintable caulks and adhesives for securing items in place
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A Guide to Making a Scented Candle
November 28th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Scented candles are a million dollar market, and so you can make a quite lucrative business for yourself if you take the time to learn how to make candles and it is actually quite easy to do. A scented candle is a candle made with fragrant oils mixed into the wax, and which is used to release a pleasant and often relaxing aroma when lit.
Scented candles make for a nice touch all around the home, and can create an ambiance and sense of wellbeing and healthfulness. There are so many different options that you have when it comes to making a scented candle, namely the size and scent of the candle, and it makes for a great gift.
Scented candles come in many varieties but most are either tea candles or jar candles. A few of the most popular scents are apple pie, bayberry, cinnamon spice, ocean mist, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, and caramel, but the options are almost limitless.
Getting Started
If you are interested in making a scented candle, the first thing you are going to have to do is gather the necessary materials. You will need some wax firstly, and you will also need a pouring pot. You want to have a wax and candy thermometer ready, and candle wicking. You now want to choose a mold to shape the candle which you can find at any basic hobby store. Finally you will need the actual scent for the candle, and the scent comes in different forms including liquid scent and solid scent.
The next step involved in making a scented candle is to choose your design. If you are a beginner to the craft then the best idea is to select a design that has already been created whereas if you know a bit more about what you doing you can even create your very own design.
Candles can be in just about any shape and size you desire, from ball candles to long and skinny tapers. Now you want to find a heat source to use for making your candle, and remember that this heat source is almost definitely going to end up with wax on it so you want to use one that is going to be easy to clean.
Melt the appropriate amount of wax, then place the wax in the pouring pot, clip the thermometer on the side to keep track of the temperature, color the wax by adding the color to the liquid wax and stirring, and finally the most fun part of all – add the scent. You should have decided on a scent beforehand but you can really use whatever you like. Remember that if you are adding a liquid scent you want to add about one ounce for a strong scent and less for a more subtle aroma.
Making a scented candle above all else can be a lot of fun, and it is important that you make sure that you enjoy yourself in the process.
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Birdwatching Or Birding Which One Is A Hobby With A Cause?
November 27th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Birder’s have long contested birdwatching as a hobby, by saying the two are completely different. Birdwatching is a hobby that is done as an activity during recreation, but birder’s are more intense and dedicated to there cause.
The Birder’s
Whether it be in the United States or any where else in the world, what birder’s are saying is what they do so is far removed from just a pastime or a relaxation thing. For them they do it to study not only the species of birds but also their patterns of migration. they do not base there research on just observations, and they always invest in the most modern up to date optical equipment to strengthen their claims.
They no not normally visit popular birdwatching sites, what birder’s are looking for is new and unexplored sites, this way they hope to find more new information. They budget for there travel and it does matter how far it may take them to gain fresh new knowledge about there passion birds.
The Birdwatchers
These people go birdwatching only to observe with there eyes or a pair of binoculars and are not normally in to the technology side of things. It would not bother them if the equipment they use is the most modern or up to date available to them on the market. What is important to birdwatchers is the sense of fulfillment they get from what they are doing. There main aim is to relax, see the birds and enjoy the sights.
For birdwatchers it will not matter to them where they observe birds. To them there own garden is good enough for them, or they even may travel to a nature reserve close to them. These people have a love for birds but do not wish to go any further with there study of birds than just watching them
The Right Time
Birdwatching in country’s that have four season is normally most active in the spring and fall migrations. During this time, there are a large amount of birds to be seen. This is because the birds are relocating northbound or southbound in trying to find nesting sites.
The best time to do any observing is early morning when the birds are looking for food. Starting early in the morning also gives you a longer day to do to any observing.
Sea watching
Birdwatching of this type is all about people who go near coastal areas to do there observing. It can also be done when one is aboard a seagoing vessel. The birds that can be observed from such are called the pelagic kind. The pelagic species of birds are normally just observed in coastal areas.
The Proper Etiquette
Wether you be a bird watcher or a birder, it should always be your main priority to look out for the wellbeing of the birds, also it is good practice to take some form of notes on your observations. You you always protect the environment so any natural habitat will not be harmed. Also when you use any of the latest technology that is available too you, then you will need to make sure it will not affect the birds in a negative manner.
Birdwatching may just be a hobby to some people, but to most it is a hobby that must be done with passion and concern about the birds and their welfare.
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You Can Enjoy Candle Making
November 26th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Candle making is a craft that has pre-historical and worldwide roots and this craft grew out of the necessity for light when the evening has come. The candle is simply a burnable wick surrounded by a medium that allows for a longer burning time than if the wick were made to burn alone. Animal fat, also called tallow, was used at one time for candle type burning lights because tallow was widely available although in time beeswax came to be used in the manufacture of candles. The beeswax offered a much sweeter fragrance and less smoke than the tallow, which produced a heavy odor and black smoke.
Candle Making For The Whole Family
Candle making is an easy to do and relaxing craft that produces candles ranging from simple and functional to a customized and artist designed candle product. Most candle making techniques require heat to melt the wax to be poured into a mold or used as a dip for dipped candles. Two simple candle making techniques are the rolled beeswax candle and the bead wax candle technique. Neither technique requires heat during the making of the candle. You can find a candle making technique and project to match your skill level and budget.
Even a beginner can create candles that are suitable for gift giving or home decor. You will gain practice and familiarity with basic candle making techniques by trying simple projects at first. When you feel ready, you can move on to the project of your choice. It is important that you read any project directions thoroughly before you start the project so that you will be aware of the necessary supplies, tools and techniques that you will be using to complete the project.
Different Skill Levels For Candle making Projects
You can use different mediums for embedding the wick and this variety gives you a great potential for beautiful candles. Besides the rolled beeswax sheets and wax beads, you can also create molded, dipped, container and candles with embedded objects and the wax can be scented, colored, painted and embellished with different finishes. A variety of wax types can be used in candle making including paraffin, soy, vegetable and floral waxes.
As you master candle making skills, you will feel more confident taking on more complex projects and even designing your own customized works of candle art. You can feel proud giving and using candles for creating atmosphere, evoking moods and for spiritual purposes. Candles are useful for the different seasons and holidays and by making your own candles, you can join in a long tradition of candle making.
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