Donita

Cool idea!!!!!!!! clips never thought of that. Donita

Thanks Ducky......she's right. The middle of the candle will be liquid....the sides will set up very quickly becauce of the chunks. Espceially if you water bath which is what I do. Any plastic container that will bend and crease will work. I will think up some new ideas I'm sure by the end of the day. I love to figure these things out. I just learned something new today. I love these questions....keeps my old brain working.....kinda....lol....Donita

While in the shower I just thought of this. It isn't even cut straight....I just wanted to try it to show you how this can work. I made the insert with a plastic Crystal Lite container....just bent it to shape. Also you could use little hearts for the chunks.....I would do them the same colors as the cane wax so as not to distract from the embedded petals. Donita

Dee.....the candle is a very good rustic. I like the colors you chose. Nice job.......Donita

Back in the old days of Pourette Mfg.....I would just call Jeff with my dimensions and he would have them make one for me. Darn. I really miss them. There might be some other ideas, but the first one that comes to mind is to use a round mold as an insert and turn the hurricane into a chunk hurricane. Make little diamond shaped chunks...then use them to hold the petals in place. The insert will hold the chunks in place. Or you could put the petals on the outside and then overdip it. Tell me your thoughts and I will see if I can think of any other ideas. I have done it this way before. Donita

Those flip flops are just tooooooooooooo darn cute. You have been a busy girl. The unity candle looks beautiful. You are just being a little critical because you made it. Everyone else will ooooh and aaaah.....have a safe trip and enjoy the weather. I am looking out at snow right now....ugh.....Donita

When I was doing a lot of hurricanes...in different colors....I had 8... 30 lb melters. I could pour that same color back in....no fragrance. When I need to scent and color it is easier to scoop it out and put it in the 4 lb. pitchers, color and fragrance as needed. Better control. However.....I was a small company....if I were a huge operation, I would do it it 500 pound batches. How much are you doing? Just depends on your operation. Donita

That's why I crackle them (smile).....if it were just a tester for me I wouldn't care, but I have saved many candles and made them pretty enough to sell. That is important if you are doing it for a living (smile again) Donita

Now I can see it....lol....great job! Donita

Scented.....I have poured rainbow layers that were about 1/4 inch.....had to stand there and watch them......only made one batch.....never again :rolleyes2 ...lol....they were pretty but not worth the effort....Donita Dee....I am putting in some square braid wicks today. I wax them first and make sure that they are completely cool and hard and slip them in. If I run into any problems....I heat a thin knitting needle and run it through the hole in the candle. I am working on some little scrap wax candles that I will post sometime soon. FYI I have used toothpicks for wick pins in tiny candles.

I pour my rustic layers at the same temp. Just be sure to keep an eye on them and don't wait too long to pour the next layer. You can see the edge of the wax and it will be hard, but the center will be very soft. Takes time to judge when to pour. It depends on so many factors.....like how large is the layer....if you are pouring tiny little layers you have to stand there and practically watch it cool.....a large layer will take longer. I like 150 degrees ...however....I like to mix it up sometimes and alternate mottling with rustic..........no reason other than artistic. I have never chilled my molds either......just when they are completely.....completely cooled....the few minutes in the refrigerator seems to help them slip out of the mold and the frost comes out with the candle. In the winter it is different. They tend to unmold better in cooler weather like any other candle. What works for one person may not work for another. If you live in Alaska you will have challenges that someone living in South America doesn't. Weather does play an important part when it comes to candle making. And Ducky is right about condensation......that will mess up a candle for sure. Post as you practice and show us what you are learning, because we who have been making candles longer still keep on learning from everyone who makes candles. We learn how to do things better or how to not make the same mistakes. Don't you just love Candletech?????? Donita

I like to mix it up too. That looks like fun. Never thought about using palm for a chunk candle...........probably will be making one this year.....lol...Donita ps....and the forever thing is great. No need to ruin your artistic work!!!!!!

Looks very cool Pam. I love that fragrance. How do you like that wax? Where do you get it? Donita

I have tried many many many wicks......and each wax likes a different wick. A lot of people swear by flat braid, but for Candlewic's waxes, the square braids have always worked almost perfectly. I use 5/0 SB for 2" pillars, #1 for a little larger candles, like the square ones, then for the 3" pillars, mottles, rustics or chunks the SB #2 has worked like a charm. Maybe it doesn't for some people, but that is what I liked best WHEN I COULD AFFORD THE SHIPPING from Candlewic. It would cost me more to ship a case then the cost of the wax. Bill says he would like to warehouse his wax on the west coast but so far no news. I got ok burns with 27 ply....but not the best. Donita

.............and then we ask ourselves......why do we do all of this and customers think we are too expensive....let them try to make a good candle.......lol.....Donita

I think you are being too hard on yourself. It looks beautiful. I only put it in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes THE NEXT DAY......just to help with the unmolding. This is your first attempt. It is great!!!!!!! Now just experiment and you will get the hang of it. It is art. And subjective. I like your candle. Don't rush the cooling in the refrigerator.......let it cool all by itself. Then the fridge justs helps me unmold without removing the frost. Sometimes they just slip out of the molds all on their own. You are being a hovering mother....lol..... Donita

Very nice work. I love the designs you have created. Unique!!!!!! Donita

Tracey....glad you like it. I was going to mail it today but it has been snowing and the post office is closed now. I will ship it on Monday. In real life the flowers are more "pink"......Some of the flowers I grew in Virginia, some here in Lake Tahoe, and the pink ones are wild roses that grow on our street. Next year I will press about a thousand of them. I didn't know how they would press so I only picked a few. They only bloom for about two weeks so I will have to be prepared with empty presses and pick and press for a couple of hours a day. And....I did put a little decoration on she sides of the cane too. Just for a little added interest. Donita

When I was a little girl, back in 1863.....lol.....the only wax available that we knew of was the paraffin from Safeway. My mom used it for the occasional jelly or jam she made but we did the ice cube candles in a milk carton with it. It actually burned. As I remember. Of course in a test with what we have now it wouldn't hold up......but at least we did make candles. It is a low mp wax so you could use it in a container. But why? We can now buy the kinds of wax that we want.....but in an emergency, and if the power is out, I would use it.....that is if the store were open and I could get out of the house and buy it. (smile).....it is fuel. Donita ps......I have made lots of jam. But just to be sure I freeze mine. I only make a few jars or one at a time. When I get a "hankering" for some apricot jam I have been known to cook up one jar. No need to buy pectin and fancy stuff for jam and jelly. If it is a low pectin fruit just add a piece of apple and some sugar. If you cook any fruit with sugar long enough, it will turn into jam. Just a little bit of trivia for those of you that might have the need for one jar of jam (smile).... Last week I made blueberry syrup for Belgium waffles......I cooked it long enough that when I put it in the refrigerator the next day I had blueberry jam. Yum. My DH bought me a waffle maker for Christmas. I told him I wanted one as I left mine in Virginia and my daughter now has it. Well.....he bought me a commercial one. It makes two at a time and the darn thing weighs about 30 pounds. I was hoping for one from Target...the $20 kind but he wanted to buy the best Kitchen Aid on the market. It is pretty but now I feel obligated to make waffles. I have them in the freezer, in the refrigerator and the cat likes them....even the birds are eating them...... They are coming out of my ears. I could have bought several cases of wax. Or maybe now I should open a waffle shop.....lol....

Your light box is great!!!!!!!!! And your candles are very very pretty. Donita

Not familiar with this wax, but if Candlewic is selling it I would take a chance. If you have any problem....call them. They say it is good for many applications. I would tend to believe them. I have always been a Candlewic fan. Donita

Thanks you two "groovy chicks".....nope...not going your way....it's going "down under" Donita

Well.....I just took this picture of the cane I made tonight. You can see little wax crumbs in the foreground......I was going to retake the pic but my battery needs to be recharged and I am packing up this candle to be shipped. I am liking this light box thing and will make a real one......someday. This is made of half paraffin and half bleached beeswax. Donita Oh...and I see that it looks like a chunk of wax is missing from the bottom edge...not so....just my wrinkled fabric. lol

I was jealous of your light box so I had to make one. I think it took me two minutes....lol......I am really surprised that it worked without me having to mess around with it. After seeing your tide pool in the black light box, I had to copy you (smile)......Now when I go to make a real one it probably won't work....you know how those things go. lol.....Donita Thanks for the nice complilments everyone.

I save all of my yogurt cups. I use them to test wax color. They don't melt like some plastic cups do. I also use them to pour small amounts of wax. I just pour in a little then pinch the cup just a little to make a spout. Donita