Donita

Those look like fun. They have so much money to spend on advertising, that by the time people figure out that they don't burn long, they will have made a gazillion dollars. The rich get richer. Donita

What a combo of additives....didn't know that it would be rustic with all of that stuff....that is a beautiful candle!!!!!!! Donita

Everything is ok and it wasn't bad, but this is what happened: A couple of days ago I was heating some wax in a pot on direct heat for a sandcandle. I got to thinking about what would happen if it sprung a leak....a fire of course. Well it was ok. I put on a pot today with water to crackle candles and it sprung a leak....luckily it just had water in it. I have never had one leak. Sooooooo I put on a new pot and sat down at the computer to tell everyone about this. I looked over at the stove and it was on fire. My new burner overheated and caught the wax drippings in the drip pan on fire and flames were leaping up the pot. Luckily it was just water in the pan as the flames were up to the top. My DH came in and in his usual cool manner took the pan off of the stove. I told him to put it on the floor. Not wanting to ruin the floor he just held it and finally put it on a metal lid and then just blew out the fire. I was armed with the extinguisher. He told me that I am not very good in an emergency. My adrenalin was pumping. Sooooo I am going to buy a heavy duty pot to use when I am direct heating. Be careful. Donita

Those are soooooooooooooo cool.....I just couldn't get it right. Must try again. You inspire me. Donita

They look so perfect......love the sharp layers and creamy colors. Great candles. Donita

Yeah.....way too cute to burn. How creative. Donita

I don't see a thing wrong with them. Guess you had something else in mind...but those candles are georgeous....Donita

I have no idea how you did those. Those are some funky cool candles. Love what you do. I think you get new ideas daily....right? You are receiving messages from the "candle angel"......directing you to a new design constantly...hee hee hee and BTW...when I clicked on your pic, which is large, it just took me to Image Shack Hosting..????????? Donita

Oh these are managable.....if you have questions, ask. Try again....I just kept trying until I made it work....then it started making sense to me. I use an ICE cold towel and place it at the bottom all in one motion while holding the picture against the mold with the back of a flat wooden spoon....then start moving the towel upwards and moving the spoon back and forth...Don't rush it....let the embed stick to the mold.....then I turn the towel over to the cold side and hold it against the outside of the mold until I am sure that it is set......then water bath. I have not had one float....a couple of them tried to and a corner at the bottom came up a little....so now I make sure that the bottom is secure. Try again and don't get discouraged, it will eventually work...promise.

Well.....that's a tricky one. It depends on the FO. I have had some stay greasy for a long time while others are ready to go right from the begining. I can't remember which ones were which because I don't make a lot of them at the moment. I also think that you have to stir and stir and stir some FO's before they bind. There was a book published a little over 30 years ago titled "The Art and Science of Candlemaking"....is it out of print and you can't get a copy. I am trying. Bill Binder, the owner of Candlewic, said he is looking into getting it re-published as it is over 30 years. I offered to give him a thousand dollar deoposit to borrow it over a weekend. He said he had done that in the past but just couldn't do it anymore. I am still waiting to see it in print...guess I should email him and see how it is going. He said it is a great book. Explains a lot of stuff. Donita

Everyone seems to have their favorites....but I just can't decide. They are all so darn cute. I had to look real close to see that they were candles.....great job!!!!!!!! Donita

This one looks better, not that the other one was bad. I just can't believe how real it looks.....lot-o-calories. Donita

Can you tell that I am typing with wax covered glasses???????? Wonder where all of this wax came from...my glasses are always "waxy"

sorry http://candleandsoap.about.com/b/a/192436.htm

I just read this article on about.com....thought I would share. Donita http://candleandsoap.about.com/b/a/192436.htm

Thanks everyone...here's what I know......not a lot....but I'll share anyway hee hee hee...I use a straight cut parrafin with a mp of 155.....add 2% micro 180 to help with brittleness...it still stays very clear. A little mold release in the wax.....really clean molds....Put a dap of tacky glue on the back of leaves and flowers....don't overlap too many or the arragement will be too thick...let dry completely...then I melt some clear wax and brush it over the flowers...let dry....heat my mold, pour in wax, tap tap tap.....carefully dip your arrangement into the melt pot, hold by one corner...pull out slowly and turn over and dip the other side....pull out slowly and then put it into the mold....put in place with wooded spoon....tap tap tap tap tap tap tap...get those air bubbles out......smooth the back with the spoon and/or chopstick...tap again...then use a ice cold rag against the mold wall starting from the bottom and carefully move the wooden spoon back and forth pushing out all of the air and sealing the picture to the side.......water bath until it forms a little less than 1/2" side wall and pour out...heat the inside with heat gun and refrigerate until it comes out easily from the mold... Now....when I used a square mold, it isn't exactly square....they are made smaller at the bottom and larger at the top so candles will slide out...I just cut my sides straignt, but next time I may give it a little taper to fit better....I don't think it really matters. It is what it is.....a floral picture. Now I just scanned some water color washed paper and am going to cut them into circles with deckle edge sissors and build an arrangement on them then embed it....maybe an oval shape or square or whatever....should be interesting.....might like it, might not...but I am going to give it a try. Oh a heart shape would work too....try to make little nosegay designs....... Donita

How pretty are those? And first try.....wow. Donita

These are done on white paper...then embedded...all of them worked! Yeah.....Now I am going to try to cut some water color washed paper and put flowers on them. I am just a posessed woman on a mission. Now I need more bamboo....almost bought some plants a couple of years ago.....almost. Donita

Those are nice looking votives....nice tops and very creamy and delicious looking!

However the apples and cinnamon sticks are placed doesn't matter to me....I just want to eat one....yum.

Just because you don't like where you ended up dosen't mean that there is anything wrong with them....they do look "retro". Thank heaven everyone doesn't likek the same thing. Just keep on trying and when you get something that you just love.....someone else won't even like it....hee hee hee

Very nice pillars...I like them

I think it is a perfect Sandalwood candle......I live the way you staged it with the stones. Really pretty candle.

I think you followed instructions perfectly.....how else would it work? Looks nice to me.

Love the swirl and crackle......I love the crackle too...as you well know....a few years ago when we had a kiosk at the mall....a woman wanted to buy a candle....her boyfriend said "This one looks terrible, I think someone dropped it on the ground"...........see....I always say art is subjective.