Candle Making Crafts for Beginners
Candles are a great addition to any home. Of course the glow of candle light is charming, but candles can also be attractive even when they’re not lit. I’ve found some ideas for candle projects at Candle Making Crafts. Here’s a project you can use to create decorative candles from ordinary materials.
This project has several things to recommend it. One good point is that it is highly adaptable. By changing the type of decorations you use you can create candles appropriate for any season or occasion.
Another good point is that it is inexpensive. The raw material is canning jars and votive candles. Canning jars are very affordable even if you buy them new. Better yet, you probably have some jars at home that you can use for free.
Many jams come in very decorative jars that you can repurpose for this project. Garage sales are another source of inexpensive canning jars.
The other part of the project is a votive candle and a plain glass holder for it that you can purchase inexpensively at a discount store.
The basic idea with this project is to partially fill the canning jar with decorative material and then placing a votive candle on top of the decorations. The outside of the canning jar can be a decorated as well. For example, you could glue on decorations, use paint to create patterns or simply wrap it with a bow.
Any number of materials can be used to fill the bottom of the canning jar. Some ideas include sand, marbles, hard candy, potpourri, river stones, polished coins…. This is not only visually attractive, but it adds the scent of the potpourri as well.
Since you may be using somewhat flammable material as decoration, it is essential that the votive is inside its own glass holder. Do not use a votive candle or a tea candle without a glass holder.
It is a good idea to not let the decorative material come up above the bottom of the votive holder and to extinguish the candle before it burns completely to the bottom. And always remember the general safety principle of never leaving the room where a candle is burning.
The candle for this project is one that you buy. You’ll undoubtedly want to craft your own candles sooner rather than later. A good place to get basic instructions is: How to Make Your Own Candles. Not only will you find great instructions right on that page but you can sign up for a free candle making mini course that’s very informative and helpful.
And if your wondering what equipment might be involved in the hobby of candle making, you’ll find answers at Candle Making Equipment.
I’m sure you’ll find candle making to be a fun and rewarding hobby. I encourage you to give it a try.
Crafts for Christmas Do Not Have to be Difficult: 2 Simple Crafts for Kids
Christmas is a holiday where all kinds of kids crafts are created at home and in the school environment.
Crafts for kids, however should be an activity that should bring fun and excitement to children’s activities aside from adding a bonding to the adults that are doing the projects with them.
Educational arts and crafts is a way of doing crafts with children where they are not blindly copying the adults model but are creating things that they are capable of creating at their own developmental level.
When children create at their own level a number of things occur.
It creates a great feeling about themselves, as who can feel good about crafts projects that are copycat models of someone else’s. Crafts creations done by children that they know is their own makes their self image soar.
Another wonderful advantage to educational arts and crafts over tradtional arts and crafts is the creativity it allows.
A real stifling of creativity is when an adult makes a project and expects the child to copy it.
There are a few varied kinds of art activites that are part of educational art.
There is the cafeteria style that allows children to choose materials to work with, there is process only art where the process is what counts along with a few more.
The point of it is that all of the crafts under educational arts and crafts should be age appropriate, and allow for freedom of creation and expression.
Below you will find two very economical, and easy to make Christmas craft ornaments for your tree.
The first one uses plastic throwaway cups:
Using permanent markers the children can make all kinds of designs all over the cups. Have them cover the cup so that there are more designs showing them cup.
When they are done, take a cookie sheet and put the cups upside down on it and put in the over at around 350 degrees. Keep them for a few minutes as they melt slowly. You need to make sure that they are watched carefully in the oven or they will totally burn down. Remember that the cups and tray will be very hot and kids must be kept away from the activity until cool.
When they are cool, make a hole in the center and use colorful ribbon to hang as an ornament for your tree.
An innovative way of using cd’s as ornaments is the next craft.
Next thing: Add decorations and string them up.
There are many, many methods that can be used to decorate the cd’s.
You can color with permanent markers, glue and glitter them, collage over them, decoupage over them, and decorate them with whatever shiny, decorative materials you can find.
Once they are done, get some pretty ribbon and hang them from your tree.
If you want to see what a crafts acitivity done in the cafeteria style is like then check out this Hanukkah Crafts collage
Home Candle Making for Beginners
Things seem to go in cycles, and what was once old becomes new again. That seems to be the case with home candle making. I recently visited a page (Home Candle Making) that made it pretty clear.
It used to be that people had to make candles at home if they wanted to be able to have light in their home after the sunset. Home candle making in the past was a hot, smelly laborious affair. It involved first rendering animal fat into tallow(rendering is heating it and perhaps treating it with lye to drive out moisture and separate the fat from any other material). were very poor candles compared to today’s candles, but they were the standard for the longest time because tallow was the most affordable candle making material.
That changed with the almost simultaneous arrival of paraffin and the Industrial Revolution. Once people could get cheap commercially made candles, home candle making fell by the wayside.
As you well know, incandescent electric lights have become the preferred way to light our homes, but that doesn’t mean we no longer use candles. However, most people no longer make their own.
Candles are used is today in rituals, such as religious services, weddings, and of course birthday parties. Homemakers use candles to crate an inviting atmosphere in their home, especially when entertaining. And of course candle light is always associated with the romantic dinner, whether at home or out at a fancy restaurant.
So even though we no longer need candles, we continue to enjoy using them. For a long time, almost everyone bought candles rather than make them. Now the cycle is moving full circle and candle making is moving back into the home. This terrific great is increasing in popularity and hobbyist candle makers are producing marvelous candles that are every bit as good or better than commercially made candles.
In fact, being able to customize a homemade candle often makes them better, especially when you’re giving one as a gift.
A very simple way to make your own candle is to use the sheet wax and a prepared wick. This is a good way to start because it is so simple and you don’t even need to melt the wax. The sheets are so pliable that you can form a candle from one by rolling around a wick.
After that you can move on to other forms of candles. A good place to find out how is: How to Make Your Own Candles. While you’re there, be sure to sign up for their free candle making mini-course.
If you think you’re interested in trying candle making, probably the best resource I can point you to is Home Candle Making Made Easy. That ebook tells you everything you need to know to start making all kinds of candles.
Candle Making Equipment For Beginners
Candle making is a great craft that easy to get started with. All that is required is a few simple candle making equipment and some easily obtained supplies. Many people find that once they start making their own candles, they prefer them to the ones they by. You may find your own favorite scents, colors and designs. You can choose your own custom colors and custom scents that work perfectly in your home.
To get started making candles, you’ll need a few basic supplies. These include: dowel rods, paraffin, wicks, scissors, molds, candle scents and containers. It’s very important that you use a double boiler to melt the wax.
If you decide to make candle making a regular hobby you may want to purchase a double boiler specifically for your craft. However, if your are just trying, you’re probably better off using an old pot in an empty coffee can. Bend the edge of the coffee to form a pouring spout.
The molds for your first candle can be something disposable such as an empty milk carton or yogurt container. Even heavy paper cups will work to make candles.
Melt the wax using a double boiler. Place paraffin in the coffee can. Set inside the larger can and add water so that it is low enough that is twill not overflow into the smaller can. Carefully heat the wax until it is melted. Once it has melted, you can add any scent you desire.
Tape one end of the wick to the bottom of the mold and tie the other end to a pencil or skewer across the top of the mold. Pour in the wax, let it cool and you’ve finished your first candle.
I think you can see that it doesn’t take much equipment to get started. Of course there’s lot of other equipment that can be used. You can find out more details at Candle Making Equipment.
One of the things that surprised me when I first got started with the craft is just how many varieties of wax that one has to choose from. Take a look at Candle Making Wax. I bet you’ll find some waxes you never heard of before.
When you’re on that site make sure you sign up for their free candle making mini course. That course is and easy way to get some good advice as a beginner.
If you want even more information on candle making, then my best recommendation for you is Home Candle Making Made Easy. it’s a easy to understand e-book that covers all aspects of making a wide variety of candles. Using that book, you’ll avoid all the mistakes most beginners make and be guaranteed success from the start. I recommend it highly.
So bad the equipment, get some wax and make your first candle!
Soy Candle Wax – What Is It?
Candles have been used for hundreds of years. They’re old technology, but that doesn’t mean they can’t continue to improve. One of the recent changes in the world of candle making has been the development of soy candle wax.
In the past, tallow (rendered from various animal fats) was used to make candles, but candles made from tallow are pretty poor candles. They create a lot of smoke when they burn and they smell badly. For these reasons, paraffin rapidly became much more popular than tallow once it was developed.
These days, however, some people object to using paraffin because it is a petroleum product. Because of this, there’s been so much interest in developing a “green” alternative to paraffin. Soy candle wax is the result.
Soy beans have a high fat content and soybean oil is derived from them. However, soybean oil isn’t solid so won’t work for making candles. But if you change the chemistry of an oil you can change its consistency.
Hydrogen atoms are part of oil molecules. How many hydrogen atoms an oil contains determines when it becomes a liquid or solid. If you add hydrogen to a liquid oil, it becomes solid.
Of course I’m not a chemist so I can’t really explain how it’s done, and various soy wax manufacturers treat the soybean oil in different ways, but the end result is a candle wax from a renewable resource.
Pure soy wax is soft. It works great in container candles, but isn’t very good for making some other sorts of candles. Candle makers can adjust the rigidity of the soil wax by blending in paraffin and additives. If you do that, the resultant wax can be used for making freestanding candles such as taper candles and pillar candles.
But many people want to use 100% soy wax, in which case they will probably get the best results if they stick to container candles. I’m sure you’ve seen and probably even have used container candles. These are candles in which the melted wax is poured into a nonflammable container with the wick positioned in the center. The candles never remove from the container, but rather is burned within it.
Of course there is a lot more to know about best ways to use soy candle wax. One the best places I’ve found to get more information is:
And of course if you’re looking into soy candle wax you’ll probably be interested in how to use it. You can learn about the insiders techniques at: How to Make Soy Candles.
Better yet, I suggest you take a look at the e-book Home Candle Making Made Easy.
That book covers all aspects of candle making from selecting what type of wax to use for specific situations, what additives to use and when, the best way to scent candles, and so much more… Getting the information this book will make you an expert candle maker in the shortest possible time.
Candle making is a wonderful hobby. Get Home Candle Making Made Easy today and get started.
Basic Candle Making Equipment
If you want to begin a new hobby, try candle making. The basic equipment is very simple and readily available. Once you begin making your own candles, you may find that the you enjoy these candles much more than anything that is available commercially. You may find your own favorite scents, colors and designs. You can choose your own custom colors and custom scents that work perfectly in your home.
To get started making candles, you’ll need a few basic supplies. These include: dowel rods, paraffin, wicks, scissors, molds, candle scents and containers. It’s very important that you use a double boiler to melt the wax.
If you enjoy the craft you may want to purchase a candle making double boiler. However, if your are just trying, you’re probably better off using an old pot in an empty coffee can. Bend the edge of the coffee into a pouring spout.
Molds can be as simple as a pint milk carton or votive cups. heavy paper or plastic cups will also work. Just be sure the edges are smooth so the candle will slide out.
In order to pour the wax, it must be melted. Place paraffin in the coffee can. Set inside the larger can and add water so that it is low enough that is twill not overflow into the smaller can. Carefully heat the wax until it is melted. Once it has melted, you can add scent or coloring if you would like.
The wicks can be suspended from the dowel rods and centered over the tops of the molds. Pour in the wax, let it cool and you’ve finished your first candle.
As you can see, it doesn’t take much equipment to get started. However there’s lot of other equipment that can be used. You can find out more details at Candle Making Equipment.
When I first started making candles I was surprised (and even a little confused) by just how many different kinds of candle wax that one has to choose from. Take a look at Candle Making Wax. I bet you’ll find some waxes you never heard of before.
By the way, when you visit that site make sure you sign up for their free candle making mini course. That course is and easy way to get some free guidance starting out.
If you want even more information on candle making, then my best recommendation for you is Home Candle Making Made Easy. it’s a easy to understand e-book that covers all aspects of making a wide variety of candles. Using that book, you’ll be an expert candle maker no time. I highly recommend it.
The main thing is to get started making your first candle so you can see just how easy and enjoyable it is.
Soy Candle Wax Is This the Best Wax Yet?
Candles have been used for hundreds of years. They’re old technology, but even technology as old as this can continue to grow. Just to prove that there’s always something new under the sun, there’s a new candle wax on the scene.
For centuries, the main fuel for candles was tallow. While tallow did burn, tallow doesn’t make a good candle. They create a lot of smoke when they burn and they also give off a stench . That is why paraffin took over once it became available.
These days, however, some people object to using paraffin because it is a petroleum product. Because of this, there’s been so much interest in developing a good alternative to paraffin. Soy candle wax is the result.
Soy beans are a good source of oil. However, soybean oil isn’t solid so it’s not suitable for making candles. But if you change the chemistry of an oil you can change its consistency.
Hydrogen atoms are part of oil molecules. How many hydrogen atoms an oil contains determines when it becomes a liquid or solid. If you add hydrogen to a liquid oil, it becomes solid.
Of course I’m not a chemist so I can’t really explain how it’s done, and various soy wax manufacturers treat the soybean oil in different ways, but the only thing important to us is the outcome: soy candle wax.
Pure soy wax is soft. It works great in container candles, but isn’t very good for making tapers or pillar candles. You can adjust the rigidity of the soil wax by blending in paraffin and additives. doing that greatly increases the range of candles that can be made.
But many people want to use 100% soy wax for environmental reasons, in which case they will probably get the best results if they stick to container candles. I’m sure you’ve seen and probably even have used container candles. The most common ones are jars such as canning jars or apothecary jars filled with wax. Other styles of candles are removed from the mold when the wax hardens. With container candles, the candle remains in its “mold”.
There’s a lot more to learn about soy wax and how to use it. One the best sites I’ve found to get more information is:
And of course if you’re curious about soy candle wax you’ll probably be interested in how to make a candle with. You can pick up some soy candle making tips at: How to Make Soy Candles.
Better yet, I suggest you take a look at the e-book Home Candle Making Made Easy.
That book reveals insider secrets on all aspects of candle making from selecting what type of wax to use for specific situations, what additives to use and when, the best way to scent candles, and so much more… Getting the information this book will guarantee your success.
Candle making is a wonderful hobby. Get Home Candle Making Made Easy today and get started.
How Glass Blowers Make Glass
We use glass in countless household and industrial items, and most of the time we don’t even realise it’s there. We use it in our cars, buildings, light bulbs and wine glasses, but few people know exactly how glass transforms from raw materials into the functional molded end products. Lets take a look at the required procedures for making glass.
1.) Sand is well known to be the main ingredient in glass, although other materials are needed. The most common form of sand used is called Silica, and this is combined with specific amounts of soda ash and limestone. The amount of each component used has quite a big impact on how the glass turns out, and additional elements are often used to alter density and colour etc. For example, a glass blower might add a small amount of red dye to the mix to make pink champagne glasses.
2.) Around 1700oC is the temperature that the mixture is heated to. When it reaches this temperature it forms a fluid liquid and all the added elements blend into one. This heat is very difficult to achieve and requires powerful specialized furnaces. Traditionally the glass mix was heated in coal-powered furnaces, however electric furnaces are increasing in number all the time. When the glass mix is in a molten state, it can easily be manipulated and sculpted or blown in to specific shapes. This is a skill that takes years to master and is very easy to get wrong.
3.) After the glassblower has shaped the piece, it is then allowed to cool down. This is a very important step as the rate at which the glass cools has a large influence on the refractive index of the glass and the density of the glass. For example, whisky glasses are often cooled slowly as this makes them less susceptible to scratches, although the refractive index is slightly lower than other types of glass
Did you Know that Doing A Fall Craft with Children can Add Many Side Benefits?
Crafts as in generally done, or crafts with kids has never been touted as an activity that is supposed to do more than keep kids busy, give them some fun and as some say add creativity to a child’s life.
Kids crafts however should do more than that, much more, actually.
Kids crafts, done well, in an educational crafts approach, adds 4 benefits to the activity.
It can take them into the academic realm by allowing them to think through problems.
It can make them take initiative really make them creative and raise their self esteem.
I can show you how to get kids to make a crafts, in this case a fall crafts that will encompass all of the benefits above.
If you take a look online, the majority of the crafts for kids are made up by adults.
Adults think of a cute idea, create it, get the materials, and have the children follow in step by step fashion.This creates what we call “copycat crafts”.
Remember though, in order for the children to indeed benefit from the skills above, they need to be involved in actually doing the projects themselves without the adults constant supervision.
Since we don’t want to give the children total freedom which leads to chaos, we give them a happy medium.
As you are setting up a crafts project for kids, the first thing you should have in mind is what is the basic goal of this crafts. Will it be a fall scene, winter scene? Etc. Then, start thinking of the materials you can give the children that will suggest Fall. Imagine a basket full of fall vegetables. Stunning, rural fall foliage.
Two very important or helpful things in this equation are Number one:To gather a lot of different pictures to hang up so that the children can get inspiration from these pictures and pick parts of the pictures that they want use in their craft.
As most crafts projects do well with a focal point, it would be a good idea for you to prepare some choices that the kids can use for their focal points.
Choosing many widths and lengths of tree trunks as the focal point for a fall picture would make lot of sense in this case.
If you look at this Fall craft collage I give step by sep instruction on how to do a fall craft like this.
What happens is, children are free to think on their own without adult interference.
Just because kids are given the freedom to begin projects with minimal restriction is exactly what teaches them initiative taking
Their creativity, of course blooms because they are being allowed to create what they like.
Imagine how much of a self esteem booster this is.
If you are an early childhood teacher you may find another interesting crafts project in this style called Fall projects for the preschool classroom.
The difference in what this type of crafts, or as I call it educational arts and crafts does for children is indescribable.
How To Make A Tutu Guide
I have written this brief piece to offer you a few plain tips on how to make a tutu. If you have ever observed a Ballet dancer then the wide fluffy looking skirt is the type of tutu skirt I am talking about here. You can either make it stiff simply like the Ballet dancer or supple and bouncy which would be more apt for a small person or as an add-on to an outfit.
As with any undertaking of this nature you will be required to unearth the base materials. Depending on what fashion, colour or type of Tutu you wish to make you will have to to get hold of the proper amount of tulle. You can in all probability discover the material in the community craft shop or anywhere else that sells materials. You may well even do a search on the net to discover what it is you need and get it delivered directly to your house.
Evidently if you own a pattern you will get hold of this much simpler if not it is time to start taking a quantity of dimensions. To work out how much textile you want the first thing you will have to do is calculate from the widest section of the waist through to the knees. This provides you the span of your tutu and is additionally best measured if the beneficiary is at complete stride out. The subsequent amount is around the widest quantity of the waist itself.
To make your tutu lightweight and fluffy I invariably prefer to use three times the waist measurement in material. You’ll be able to either tie your material around your chosen waist band or sew it together. Double or triple it up to offer it the body and you can even layer the tutu down the legs as well.
Making your waist band ought to be just as ton of] fun as it’s to make a tutu itself. You’ll be able to add all sorts of things to the waistband itself like ribbons and bows. Use a bow to cover the join or leave enough material so that you’ll be able to use the actual waist band itself to form a pleasant bow at the rear. In fact this could prove a little troublesome to put on yourself.
That was just some short recommendations on how to make a tutu. If you really want to find out how to make a tutu then with a little effort and practice you’ll be able to be making many of them each day. What you do with them is up to you however you’ll obviously provide them away as presents or maybe sell them at the local markets.
There is nothing more fun than to sit and do things with the children. One factor I love to try and do is teach them How To Make A Tutu. Other than spending time with the children you can also smarten up your own clothes and add a little bling to those older done in outfits or do what James does and turn your passion into a small business once you learn How To Make A Tutu.