MERRY CHRISTMAS

Image via Wikipedia

Here's to a happy holiday season for everyone!!  It's really hard to believe that the year is nearly over.  And since I seem to be unable to even make New Year's Resolutions, much less keep them, here is an old proverb to think about instead:  

"The difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little longer."

~~~ 

Related articles

• Five Things I Will Do to Make The Holiday Season a Good One (socyberty.com)

THE MINIATURE PONY GETS A NAME

Image via Wikipedia

Those of you who are ambitious enough will be able to research this info to verify it.  His name is The Yak Killer.  That's right.  I saw it in print!  He is a biter (playing) and the method he uses seems to suggest a type of stinging insect somewhere in Africa that are called yak killers.  He seems much sweeter than that!

~~~

"Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly."

~~George MacDonald

~~~

Related articles

• Diary of an Old Soul (George MacDonald) (daveenjoys.com)
• George MacDonald - The Princess and the Goblin (fyreflybooks.wordpress.com)

MORE BEESWAX CREATIONS

Image via Wikipedia

It would be impossible to include every variation on the rolled beeswx candle that could be accomplished.  Once you begin, your imagination will, no doubt, take over.  Perhaps not all ideas will be workable, but most will, I'll bet. Here are some to try:

• You could simply cut the sheet into equal halves and roll two candles.
• Select a sheet of green wax, cut it lengthwise into 2" wide strips.  Then cut each strip diagonally, place the wick at the widest end and roll using the same method as described in our earlier post.  When finished you will have 8 delightful little 2" Christmas trees.
•  Or make a two-toned spiral:  Using your choice of colors, cut the sheets diagonally.  Stack two triangles of different colors, roll and finish as usual.      
• You can create very thick candles by butting un-cut sheets of wax and continuing to roll until you reach the size desired.
• Stacked candles can be made by cutting the sheets of wax into various widths and butting together at the bottom, roll as above.
• Don't forget decorations!!  Beeswax contains a natural adhesive so adding glitter is easy.  And you can make cutouts from different colored sheets and stick to your candle.
• Things to remember:  Work in a warm room.  Save scraps for cutouts, beeswax can be easily repaired, you will not need extra wick for the bottoms of tapered candles.  Have fun!!

Article #8 in a series

Related articles

• Make your own scented Christmas candle arrangement (interflora.co.uk)

CREATE A HAND-MADE BEESWAX CANDLE

Image via Wikipedia

Hand rolled beeswax candles make beautiful, practical gifts.  Very little time is needed to create a versital honey colored utility candle. You can, of course, choose other colors, but the natural lends itself to many different arrangements.  

You can purchase 11"X8" sheets of honeycomb or smooth beeswax and round-core wick at a craft supply store.  Do not use braided or wire-core wick!  Remember to work in a fairly warm room.

Now the fun begins.  Place a sheet of wax on your breadboard with the long side toward you and the edge protruding about 1/4".  Bend this downward, keeping it straight by aligning the 8" side to the end of the board.  Carefully turn this over so that it bends upwards.  Cut a length of wick to extend 1/2" on BOTH ends of the wax.  Lay it along the fold and press the upturned edge over the wick firmly enough to remove air but still preserve the wax.

Now begin rolling from the wick side using enough pressure to eliminate air.  Keeping the wax straight, roll the entire sheet.  Finish the bottom by tapping on a hard flat surface.  The extra wick on that end will be pressed into the wax and can still be used if you need to "turn it over" and start with a fresh wick.

There are many variations and decorating ideas which will be discussed in the future.

~~~ 

Article #7 in a series              

Related articles

• Light the Nights (greensomethings.typepad.com)