RichardLOZ Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Ok, so after our initial experiments we have played a little further. Here are some pics of the results.Various scents. We were working on the forevers, but the 2 that we did we didnt like so they are going to get melted and remade in this style.Comments, suggestions more than welcome.CheersRichard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaG Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Wow I love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc26 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 wow! those are beautiful. I bet they are buggers to get out of the molds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardLOZ Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Thanks to both of you for the lovely comments, and no they slipped out pretty easy really. I still think they look a bit messy, but she who tells me what to do likes them that way, nice and rustic Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ring of Fire Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Those are beautiful. Love the labels too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 They're very pretty. I'm curious about the areas that look like there is an airbubble underneath the surface. Would hate for that to grow, if it is air, and bulge or overtake the look of the candle. That's about the only thing I see. I think the colors are a great combination and the candles look fantastic. How are the burns?And just on your comment, I wouldn't put hippies and rustic fans together in the same category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Richards wife here Thanks for the comments!At first I scraped all the excess spill of wax that had run down (as the layers shrunk) and the result was a much "neater" tilted layered candle but after seeing a set looking "messy" as Richard put it , I thought it looked much more ...well, "free and random".To be honest it's a good way for me to release the inner hippy in me playing with all these vibrant colours, LOL!I love the anticipation of seeing how each one is going to come out!In fact I got into SERIOUS trouble from dh for unmolding a candle before it was ready (I just couldn't wait!) and ruining it. My only concern (and it may be nothing worth worrying about - but I thought I'd ask anyway), but because I am pouring the palm wax significantly cooler than normal to reduce the feathering I'm noticing now that the candles are getting this slight cracking effect. Just surface cracking it seems, which I rather like, but since I've never done this before I'm wondering whether pouring it really cool like that can actually make the candle REALLY crack? I hope not!Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Scented....It was me who dubbed them "hippy" candles and I think you're right...I wouldn't call them "rustic" as such. I think they're just so different from what we've done thus far that Richard just doesn't know WHAT to call them, lol!Richard is the principal "wicker" here so I'm sure he will comment about that but so far, whatever he's been doing has worked out fine. The small air bubbles you mentioned seem to be confined to the very outer layers....where each pour has run down the side of the candle as the previous tilted layer has shrunk back a bit from the side of the mold.We have been dutifully releasing any possible trapped air bubbles by using a knife to poke the wax as the layers set.So far there's been no problem with "inner" air bubbles but I'm curious to see what happens as Richard burns the candle I ruined by unmolding it too early because we're positive it must now have an air pocket inside it due to me pulling the wick pin out too soon and the unset wax dripped out.Just on that point too - regarding possible air bubbles , I had to learn to be VERY patient making these as I really felt I had to let each layer completely set before re tilting and pouring the next layer. (took forever!)I found that the one time where I grew impatient and tried to pour the next layer when the previous had only formed a hard surface (I could see that inside that the wax was still liquid) that this was when there was a real possibility - no probability I'd guess, of an air bubble forming as when I tilted it...well, gravity went to work!This is why there is so much "spill" because each layer had shrunk back from the side of the mold completely, therefore the next pour spilled over.I'm not sure whether this kind of "spill" lets call it, is desirable or not. I'm guessing probably NOT, but I dont know....I kinda like the effect, especially on a really colourful candle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luci Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Those are jaw dropping beautiful. I love that style and your color combinations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenancy Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 I LOVE THOSE!!!!!!I think they are BEAUTIFUL!I think you have a great eye for color! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 VERY HIP, Richard!! Good job!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meredith_D Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Those are some of the coolest looking pillars that I've seen in a long time!! Love 'em!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Desertrose -- I think they look fantastic, but it was those air holes I was worried about. I get them in the wax I work with and have seen them grow and misshape a candle. Glad they aren't doing that for you and mine were probably a little deeper. My only concern would be the layers splitting, but that's for you guys to test lol. I gave up on palm. You might be able to pour the layers a little sooner, but if this works (and by appearance it does) ... what's there to fix ya know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniiB Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 VERY NIIICE !!! LOVE THE COLORS !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CathyinME Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Great job guys! Just beautiful!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mparadise Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Tracy, you are inspiring me to pull out my molds and play again!! I think I know what I will be doing tomorrow. Good thing I just bought a new bag of palm pillar wax for tarts! I might need to pour a pillar from each batch and make the rest tarts so I don't get yelled at TOO badly by DH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbuddy Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 WOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Hello Richard, I have to tell you that those are some of the most gorgeous pillars I've ever seen! They are just drop dead gorgeous and so so very different...I don't make pillars and know nothing about air pockets, etc and don't even see the pockets, but like I said I don't make them.......Sure wished I did...I'm just in such awe over them...They are simply to die for...What ever you are doing just keep doing! They sure would look absolutely beautiful in some of the homes that I decorate here in the mountains and I would say they definite have a rustic flair to them...I can't decide which colorway I like best as each one is just as beautiful as the next! You sure are talented!!!Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardLOZ Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 Thanks to all of you for your kind comments. We took them to market today and the 4 purple ones sold in the first 2 hours. The rest we still have, however this market is really more of a trash & treasure market with a bit of everything, rather than a craft market so I am pretty pleased with the results.Trappeur, you may not make pillars, but the melts and prim stuff that you do just blows my mind. I have looked at so many of your photos over on the BC board and the things that you do with your melts and stuff are just amazing. In part it was looking at some of your product that has me wanting to go down the bakery & prim (that would be rustic here in Australia as they just wouldnt get prim here at all) lines for some of our melts.Our only issue is obtaining the right molds to start with, which as they have to be sourced frmo the States makes them very expensive with both shipping and the exchange rate. Currently I have sitting here 1.1 kg (about 2lbs 4oz) of silicone so that we can have a go at creating our own unique molds. This along with the pillars will set us apart from every other chandler over here, who are doing basically the same things, jars / tins and some plain pillars.That is also the reason we have gone with the 4" apothecary jars as no one else here is doing those. I know they can be a PITA to wick properly and I have some fragrances single wicked and some double and many many many hours of testing under my belt. Most people here do the standard honey pot or bulb / candalina jars so you can see those everywhere.We also took quite a risk on our fragrace selection, going with maily food type fragrances, including some of the typical American ones such as maple pumpkin bread, caramel apple cider and creme caramel. Surprisingly those three have been some of our best sellers in the jars and the melts.At I have to give most of the credit to Tracy fro those pillars. She did all but the teal ones which were mine. It is her who has the eye for colour and the determination to attempt things that we dont even know are possible Once again thanks to all of you for your comments. Gives us confidence that we are heading down the right track.CheersRichard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skydreamer Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Absolutely beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 My only concern (and it may be nothing worth worrying about - but I thought I'd ask anyway), but because I am pouring the palm wax significantly cooler than normal to reduce the feathering I'm noticing now that the candles are getting this slight cracking effect. Just surface cracking it seems, which I rather like, but since I've never done this before I'm wondering whether pouring it really cool like that can actually make the candle REALLY crack?Tracy, we make "tilty" palm wax pillars like these (I call 'em the "argyle socks" style) and the cracking you are seeing is characteristic of hard palm wax poured at a cool temp. We have had a couple of votives crack up, but never the larger pillars.The loose wax areas where the later layers seeped into the area below are not harmful - the worse that happens is that they can sometimes make the candle a bitch to remove from the mold, but hot water or refrigerator (or both!) encourages the stubborn ones. I "neaten" up the areas that look too flakey, but leave the others in place - I like the way they look. You can also polish these after about a week to a hard shine with a soft tee shirt or old sock. Doing the "relief work" to mitigate the air pockets in tilted or layered candles is soooo much easier than for a regular pillar. Each successive layer hides the relief work already done. Palm wax is soooo much fun!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie73 Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Those are the most gorgeous candles. I am happy to see that you can do different things with palm wax, as this is the only wax I work with. Again, congrats on your beautiful candles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daves'sHomemade Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I absolutely love them! Truly works orf art and you should be very proud of your efforts! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Those are gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!! That is something I will probably never attempt. Not patient enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I'm NOT a patient person so this is frustrating waiting for layers to set.....but I'm finding that inbetween pours I'm getting caught up with the washing and general housework....which I oh so "love" doing.Stella, yes this IS so much fun. I'm really enjoying seeing how each one turns out. (Like opening presents, lol!)We've not have any problems with the candles being difficult to get out of the molds so far. It's getting cooler here so maybe that's helping or something.Thanks to everyone for taking a look and commenting and I hope those that do feel inspired to play have just as much fun as I'm having! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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