Donita

No it doesn't translate into hours....hee hee hee....really, just cut a piece of paper to fit the mold.....put a dab of glue on the background piece.....then start a simple design...too many flowers would be too thick and ruin the embed process.....then I brush hot wax over the flowers.... let cool completely....then pour my candle and take the floral arrangement and dip it into the melter holding it by a corner....then slowly remover it, let it drip off, then turn it over and do it again.....place it directly into the mold and proceed as usual to embed. I did three with simple designs yesterday...made a boo boo.....used 1/2 tsp gloss poly to see how the wax would look....wrong...too opaque....made a bunch of Chinese Symbol Candles that have to be redone...but learned something in the process too....because the wax was opaque, I notices that I wasn't getting the righthand side bottom edge of the pictures sealed as quickly as the left......with the wax clearer, it almost isn't noticable....then I repeated it with an empty mold and saw that the way that I was holding my cold towel on the mold, my thumb was upside down on the left with more pressure and my little finger was up just slightly so it wasn't getting pressed to the mold as well.......see, it is these little things that make such a huge difference....again...my mother said "practice makes perfect".......I got sick of hearing that so quit piano lessons when I discovered boys.....damn......

Thanks Shannon...and it didn't take much time....easier than putting them on the outside.....probably took about 10 minutes to do the flowers, then 2 minutes to make the candle....that's not bad. Donita

That looks like real froth!!!!!!! Yum.....very nice job. Donita

Now that's some cool imagination going on.....such a clever idea....I'm sure people will copy that one. Donita

One more thought that might be helpful....I have glued on thousands of pictures and flowers then overdipped them...it is a pain.....When you glue on a picture.....any brush strokes or missed spots will show up when lit.....ask me how I know.....then I brush mod podge over the front of the picture when it is completely dry....then wipe the edges around the picture carefully....let dry....Then hold it over a dipping pot of 200 degree overdip clear wax and dip it in...hold a few seconds then take out slowly.....I then roll over the picture with a brayer to make sure the air bubbles are out.....then overdip it very quickly and plunge it into cold water.....Sometimes I get little runs in the wax......so if you can learn to embed it will save you a whole lot of grief.....also, we have had people pick at the pictures and try to see how they are made....they pick at flowers too. If you read any of my post from the last two weeks you will see that I was going to give up embedding photos....it wasn't working....then I went thorough two years of archives here at CT and several people on this board talked me through it. Honestly, I can make one in about 2 minutes now......and they come out PERFECT....no air bubbles and just a thin film of wax over the photo. I keep getting better.....just because my mother was right "Practice makes perfect"....it really is just a matter of practice and using 24# bright white copy paper. Follow Alan's direction....I use the cheap wooden spoon because it is sorta flat and a chop stick....but the secret for me to get the air bubbles out is to first put your picture in your melt pot.....let the bubbles come out there instead of in your mold. Fish it out and put it into the wax in the mold and push it up against the mold wall...then proceed with the rest of it....I use a terrycloth dish towel soaking in very very icy water......take it out, squeeze out most of the water and fold it into fourths.....that seems to work for me to cover the picture....make sure that is is resting exactly on the bottom of the mold before you place the cold towel on the picture......I made two candles yesterday for my friend and sister.....they were perfect. The day before I noticed that for some reason I was letting the right side slip up just a little and it wasn't even....now I use the wooded spoon to push it down and hold down that bottom edge. I water bath them until just under a 1/2" edge forms....cut or pour it back into the melt pot....then I use a heat gun to smooth the edge and inside.....put in refrigerator for about 30 minutes...if it isn't ready to come out....wait.....and be sure to use silicone in your molds....then I clean mine with WD40 and Pam.....I want to make sure that they don't stick and come out shinny. I ordered new 5 x 6 1/2" molds but I see that I need brand new 4" molds too....mine are sooooooooo old, that I want perfect molds for this process. Little dents can scratch your candle when you unmold it....ask me how I know.......good luch and most of all, have fun. Donita Oh any one more thing......thin walled molds work better....then tin ones not the seamless aluminum....unless you can fine very thin aluminum.

Good morning Sharyl.....I belong to a Yahoo Group called pressed flowers. Kate Chu is the moderator of that group and is a wonderful person and very helpful. You can go to her website and see her work and she has a store. I buy some flowers from her too and we also trade flowers. She has dyed flowers that won't fade as well as many nautural ones....she also sells in larger quanities so I can get wholesale prices. As far as glue goes, I just used mod podge because that is what was sitting next to me....the other women on pressed flowers have their own favorites. Another member from this CT board joined pressed flowers recently...she wants to learn how to press too. I think I will use tacky glue....be sure to let it dry completely so you don't seal in any water. I put my picture under a lamp....but I was in a hurry so overnight would be better....In our archives there are files of our members work....many many many ideas for designs....you will love to see those....so if you are serious, just join. This is so much fun.....I really press thousands and thousands of flowers every year....I have had two women send me their Bee Balm just so I can make my "Rooster Candles".....I have some growing too. Makes perfect tail feathers. http://www.pressed-flowers.com/ Also check out my friend Haley's website. She is part of our co-op store Transient Crafters. Ed was working in the store yesterday and she sent home a large print for me entitled "My Mother's Heaven"......they are pressed flowers from her mothers funneral. Since we both lost our mother's she thought I should have it....Last week I tried to get it off of her website, but it came up this page cannot be displayed. I emailed her and told her to check her website....she has a different style than Kate....everyone is different....Haley's is very pretty and since she is also an excellent framer....she makes a ton of money...I mean a ton. http://haleyj.com/ Good luck....Donita I will pm you and you can see my album of how I made my own "special" flower presses.

Wellllllllllll as long as "someone" buys it who cares???????? I always check with my sources and they tell me that I am ok....but my sister who was raised in California with a mother who was prolific in English, Latin and German....now says things like "her and I are goin to the store"...and I am gonna carry this over to Virginia's house for supper".....hee hee hee......Kate Chu told me that just as in English....ther are many translations in Chinese and she said mine are ok.....I will just keep my finger and toes crossed.....in English! LOL Donita

The paper came from Michaels....except the pink...I made that in Coeur d'Alene about 12 years ago...has my own rose petals in it. Micaels has this textured stuff in the scrapbook section.....I am going to get more because I want to add to my Chinese Symbol Collection......."Baby Girl" "Baby Boy" and "Twins" and present this whole collection to hospital gift shops...along with "health" of course..... Donita

No air bubbles....guess I just got lucky....it is completely smooth...beginners luck again....This is easier for a "flat" design because I don't have to overdip it two times.....and people can't "pick" on the flowers to see if "they are real"........the overdip is a very clear film as this is a bit more, but soooooooooooooooooooooooo much easier....I will have to see what sells. Donita

This my first try at an arrangement. I glued the flowers onto 24# paper cut to the exact size of the mold. Then embedded it. Holy Cow! It worked....Now I will be experimenting.....can't use anything too thick. Bamboo leaves would be great for this. Actually any leaves and you could do a little overlapping.... In this picture, a couple of flower petals fell off....that was because I made a mistake....one I won't do next time.....I tried to iron it flat and the flowers tried to come off....no need to iron....just brushed some hot wax over the flowers, then dipped the whole thing into the melter...then placed it into the wax in the mold..... anyone want to try this? Just ask and I will try to help. Donita

I would also like to try IGI 1554. I may have used it years ago....I have been using Candlewics 5055....they have a higher mp, but I haven't tried it because this has been working for me....but I am always looking so I will try something new soon.

I also use the micro 180 for brittleness and it keeps the bubbles out. That is what made ALL of the difference in my canes. I have recently been adding 1 T per pound of steric too. It helps to give clear wax a little color and mold release. If I want to creamy up the color a little, I add gloss poly, about 1/2 tsp. per pound. Everyone has their onw receipt......I like Cilantro, my sister doesn't. Donita

That's just plain stupid and very bad business. When I tell someone that my candle is 4 inches tall, it isn't 3 Duh!!!!!!! It doens't matter what their importer told them....they are wrong....and as far as shipping in a used box....what are they thinking? You say they are a large supplier? Hmmmmmm wonder who they are? First initial? I haven't had that kind of problem....however when Pourette makes the wrong kind of mold for me, they re-ship the right ones and let me keep the wrong ones.....they do make a lot of mistakes....but I have ended up with a lot of extra molds.....that is good business for them because I have been buying from them for over 10 years. One time a seashell supplier was in a hurry because they were moving to a new location and accidently sent me my order in a "Shell Horizon" labeled box. Wellllllll I called Shell Horizons and asked if I could order directly from they, they said yes.....that has saved me thousands of dollars....so the box does matter for many reasons. Glad that you have a place to vent. We all understand. Have a good weekend. Donita

Those look perfect......now I will have to try again....so far mine didn't work....you really have got it down.....very pretty candles. Donita

Hi Scented....I am so lucky to have Kate Chu as the moderator of my pressed flower group and she told me this morning that my symbols are good and so is my name. I was worried that I might get it wrong.....

Here is the symbol for my name. I am using it on the cards that will be in the candles....we are working on the design now. Donita

If anyone wants to see the meanings of the symbols you can visit my Yahoo Photos and they are there. Donita http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/thecandlequeen44/my_photos

Thanks Paulette.....here is the address....check it out and see if you want to install it...it is free. Donita http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/

Finally....it came together....Thanks to everyone who helped my when I was going to give up. This looks so simple, but Ed and put in several days of getting it to this point. Thanks to Robin for the Gimp program....it allowed Ed to make my painted symbols transparent to be placed on the colored paper background. We bought two programs that didn't work. We have a computer geek coming over....seriously he is a computer geek. He has his apartment set up like an after hours club....calls it "Club Woo" and in the main room, painted cement floors....he build a DJ booth out of identical old computer towers....he spins records and if you don't like his choice he will ask you to leave. He gave my grandson, Van, one of his vintage Lava Lamps....he really is a nice guy and friend of my son's. They live in the Pink Warehouse. (Dave Matthews old home).....I want to buy that building and call my business "The Pink Warehouse Candle Company" and have a restaurant there called "Pink".....everyone I know can pick a job and I will live on the top 4th floor....the owner has lived up there for years. I used to have her for a customer when I worked in a salon. She is a well published author and a really crazy fun lady and antique dealer, but it time for her to retire and me to win the lottery and offer her twice the value of the downtown property...hee hee hee......I love that dream. It even has a roof top patio. Now.....I am going to try to make a flower arrangement and embed it today......I will probably be pulling my hair out again. Donita http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/7839/chinesefortunecandles3lx.jpg

Thanks Ducky....wish we lived closer. I have a private craft store here. My friends and my daughter's love to come over and have a "craft" day. We of course do candles, but we do jewelry, painting, soapmaking, and papermaking. I took a class from a master paper maker that studied at Berkely.....she was a fantastic artist. I went to her house and she showed me how to pound the fibers and make paper. I played with the recycled stuff too.....I had a table saw in my living room for awhile when I was making my own frames for pulling paper.....This is on my mind because I just was upstairs sorting thorugh stuff for the backgrounds on me new line of "Good Fortune" candles that I am trying to do......we bought two programs for the computer yesterday......and took one back....now the new photo impact 10 might just do the trick....I keep melting my wax and getting ready to pour the Chinese symbol candles....I am doing 7 colors ....they should look really cool....I want to get them made and show everyone and put them on my website and put them in my store......times is a wasting and I need those pictures so Ed is trying but keeps running into problems......wish me luck! Oh Ed just came into the studio and asked me what color I want "Peace" on....it will go on a piece of my handmade paper, of course.......

Nice work......really nice.....beautiful candles!!!!!!

I finally realized that I have to put the photo on the bottom of the mold for it to work for me....I tried to attach a little piece of clear stuff at the bottom, but it messed up the whole thing and you could see it....then poured a half inch of wax and let it set up and then placed the photo on top of that....nope...didn't work either...still came out lopsided......so now I am just going to go for a larger border and let it rest on the bottom of the mold...they always come out fine that way......this will be an ongoing experiment and I am sure that I will learn new things along the way.....I have some great ideas.....just need to get my computer to work....having lots of problems.....when it is fixed, I will post the pictures...hopefully LOL...Donita

What can I say.....they are just beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First try??????? Can't wait to see your second. Beautiful candles!

Can you smell other things? LOL......Robin is right.....you have to hold your tongue in a certain way and maybe close your eyes would help. Don't try to do too much in one day or you won't be able to smell anything.....I can't....sometimes I have to take my heat gun and zap the bottom of a candle to tell what it smells like. I get so used to them, that they all smell alike, except cinnamon things. Good luck....hapy experimenting. Donita