Desertrose Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie73 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Tracey, everything looks wonderful! You do such beautiful work and I do love your creativity! ________________Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blest2BAmerican Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Wow! Your candles, labels and presentation are absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I would buy your candles in a heartbeat. (I might have to find out where you live in Australia and have my friends pick me up some next time they visit their family.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenScentU Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I really like your presentation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ring of Fire Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Outstanding! I would buy them too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaD Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 That is gorgeous!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MELandLUKE Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Here are some pillars and layered votives I've been working on.Some of them are a bit "out there" but oh well.......I like different, lol!I am OBSESSED with your pillars that have an almost tie-dye effect... any hints on how I could make one for myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 It seems I don't have priveleges that enable me to create a tutorial on how to make these "hippy pillars" as I call them.Someone else pm'd me and asked too.I'll write it again here... Basically they are just tilted pillars that I make with palm wax - don't know how they would turn out in any other wax though.The process involves putting your pillar mold into a tray of sand or kitty litter (this is what I use because I have cats...clean litter of course )You make up three bowls of different coloured wax. Think carefully about which colours you choose because each colour will blend with the next and you could get some horrid colour mixes!An easy and safe way to start is to mix up three shades of one colour. Make the shades really obviously different!Then you simply start pouring layers one by one into your mold which is set tilted on an angle in the tray of sand, or whatever you are using to prop it up in.Each layer must be left to cool to the point where with palm wax, it is set enough that you can press your finger on it and not get liquid wax spurting out at you. If you want a non crystalized effect with the palm wax you pour the layers at a temp which is much cooler than normal.I can't tell you what that IS because I do these now mainly by instinct and I don't actually use a thermometer (shhh...don't tell anyone! lol!)You can however pour them at a hotter temp which will still give you the feathered look. I just don't because I want the nice vivid colours and the feathering tends to cut those back a few shades.The idea is that as each layer sets it will pull away slightly from the side of the mold and when it does this you pour the next layer which will spill down over the sides of the first layer giving you that "spill" effect.Remember that if you leave a layer to set for TOO long then you will get a LOT of spill as the wax would have shrunk back quite a bit.You don't really want that.Each layer should be smallish for a more interesting look. If you get impatient and pour larger quantities of wax for each layer it is likely your end result will not look as good.I suppose that I pour about 13 layers for each entire candle, turning the mold around as well as tilting it as I do each layer.So basically you just tilt and pour, wait till it begins to set, press it with your finger to test it, poke it with a skewer if you suspect there might be air bubbles forming (I usually do that only because I get impatient and have to stab something!) and then turn it and tilt and pour all the way until the mould is full.Last layer of course is when you take it out of the tray and set it on a flat surface for the final layer which is the bottom of the candle.This whole process can take 2-3 hours- or more! (which is why I usually make 3 at a time.)Then you remain patient and wait for the entire candle to be good and properly SET! Don't be impatient like me because you want to see how the colours have all blended and try to unmold it too soon!(I wish I had clear molds so I could see how the candle is turning out as I'm doing it.)Anyway, so that's how it's done.Very time consuming and soooooo disappointing if it doesn't turn out well, but I think it's worth the effort trying because they are so fun to make when they DO turn out.Might be worth starting with a small pillar mold to begin with until you get the feel for it.Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribalvixen Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 I love the "hippy Pillars" and all of your candles look so nice...I love the cookie jars..so cute. Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mparadise Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Tracy,Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing!! I have been wondering how you were able to get that finish with the palm. I might just have to take my molds out and play with shades of red/pink and purples to see what I can come up with for Valentine's Day once the last minute Christmas orders are over with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravens Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Tracy, they are stunning. I'd buy them all in a heartbeat! Congratulations. Now I look at my tarts and feel soooo embarassed:embarasse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MELandLUKE Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Thank you so much for sharing! I'd like to consider myself a good candle maker and just came across 1000lbs of palm wax at a VERYYYy good price... so I couldn't pass it up. I had never used it before, as it was a little more expensive. You have cleared up a lot for me, however! If I could bother you with one more question, since you seem to be the resident palm wax user here... would there be any reason that you can think of that a palm candle will not come out of the mold? I did not use mold release spray (was not sure if i could??). I tried freezing... and nothing. I had to melt the wax back out of the mold! Any insight is apprecuated it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 You're welcome. Stella here on the board also uses palm wax and I *think* I've seen her mention that she adds the palm stearic? We've never had a problem with unmolding palm at all so I'm sorry but I can't help you with that.Strange though that it's never been a problem we've encountered?Perhaps ask in the vegetable wax section of the board about this?Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 (edited) Thanks Tammy and Ravens, and you're most welcome MParadise. Tracy Edited December 16, 2009 by Desertrose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mparadise Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 (edited) The only time I have had a problem getting palm out of the mold is if I have let it get above 200-205ish when I initially melt it. Not sure why but it has happened a couple of times (but not always) I usually bring it up to 193-198ish. I still get the crystalization but it doesn't stick. Atleast that is the only thing I as left with when I ruled other factors out. The only other thing I can think of is are you sure it is pillar wax not container wax?? That would stick to the mold more often than not. Edited December 17, 2009 by mparadise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtngrl Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 WOW ur pillars ROCK. Having a wee bit of a "hippy" side, i don't see any of them as too far out there. They r uniquely beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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