Showing posts with label candles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label candles. Show all posts

Monday, November 1, 2010

Making Your Own Tea light Candles in the Kitchen

Some people really like tea light candles as they are inexpensive, small, and are a great home decor item. These are both handy and functional and can be used anywhere around the home, especially the kitchen. Tea lights can be used as gifts, party favors, or even baby shower candles.

Tea light candles lend an aura of mystery and romance when lit in the bedroom or the bathroom. Surprisingly though, the most use it has is in the kitchen especially when cutting onions and garlic. The lit tea light will successfully remove that crying ingredient that comes from cutting onions. When cooking fish, it can also successfully dispense with the fishy odor that can permeate through the house.

Tea lights are sold everywhere and there are lots of choices out there that will satisfy the whimsical needs as well as the more practical ones. There are even some shaped into cartoon characters and animals. The colors are simply delightful and sometimes come glittered and embellished to fit any occasion. However, buying them can also cost a lot even when the cost of making them is really low.

Tea light candles also are a great gift idea and there are a couple of ways to give these as a gift. One does not involve much work, the other takes a little bit of time and patience. One is to simply pack a tea light making kit complete with instructions on how to make one easily in the kitchen. The next way is to make the tea lights in the kitchen and the finished product can be given to the guests and the parents. The choice really depends on the guests’ attitudes toward do it yourself projects. As a friend, the decision can be easily made to give a kit or a finished product.

If the choice is to make the candles then it is pretty simple. Simply go to an arts craft store and get a kit which includes all the materials in candle making. Buy several to reach the number of tea lights needed for the giveaways. Also, get some tea light cups or cups of any shape to hold the candle in. Gloves, tongs, hot pan holder, hot glue gun and apron should complete the preparation.

Choose the flattest surface in the kitchen and begin by melting the wax. Melt on low heat so that the wax doesn’t scorch the pan. If the kit does not include dyes, simply get some crayons and shave off some into the melting wax until the desired color is reached. There are also powdered dyes available for candles as well.

While the wax is melting, prepare on a tray the tea light cups. Set the wick in the center and secure with a hot glue gun. This is important as the wick may move around once the wax is poured and effect would not come out as nice.

Once the waxes are all melted, slowly lift the pot and gently pour into the cups. Use the potholder and make sure to use an apron when doing this. Sometimes there might be splatters and hot wax burns. Do not fill the cups to the brim. Allow the wax to cool by leaving it alone.

After half a day, the candles should be cool enough to handle. If they are cool, embellish the cups with ribbons, glitter dust, decorative clips, etc. Either place in boxes that is similarly decorated or simply give as is.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Essential Information about Candles

Candles can be found in most households around the world. Whether for practical purposes, decoration or religious purposes, candles have far outlived their image of being used only to light the way of people before electricity had been invented. They are still used widely even today.

It is easy to find a great use for candles no matter what size, color or shape it is. A decorative candle can have practical purposes, while a simple candle can be given more meaning and symbolize hope when used in religious ceremonies.

Despite their simplicity, candles have a very colorful history. While in some cases the Egyptians are being credited for having used the first candles, the Romans were actually the first ones to use the candles that we know of.

Before wax, tallow (from sheep suet) was used in making candles. But because these tallow candles produce a foul odor and dark smoke when lit, people in the Middle Ages learned to use beeswax and favored its clean flame.

Beeswax supply was scarce at one point in time. Thus, the use of these candles were limited to the upper class.

People also tried using spermaceti and paraffin in candles, but today, paraffin is the still being used and spermaceti has been discontinued.

Candles are now being used in aromatherapy sessions (in burning oil), in religious celebrations, during birthdays, when going through dark pathways, and they are also being used to create an ambience of romance and passion during candlelit dinners.

Candles are sold in various designs, colors and scents to cater to different needs. They are commonly used for decorating and special occasions and events, including holidays.

You can even skip buying these candles as candle-making can easily be done at home. Using beeswax (available in hobby stores), wick and a mold, you can easily make candles that you can personally use, give as gifts or as candle wedding favors. They are also easy to package as gifts or favors as you can simply tie a ribbon around them and attach favor labels. You can also place them in boxes or even small bags tied with ribbon.

Do take precaution as well when using candles. They can cause damage when left unattended, particularly if something around them catches fire. Handle them with care, and candles can bask you in their warmth as they light up your rooms and brings light to your senses.

How to Remove Candle Wax Stains from Carpet

Carpets give your house a positive and welcoming look, but what if an accidental dripping of candle wax spoils or stains your expensive carpet, making it difficult for you to completely remove those wax particles stuck in it?

In such cases, most people would either try our best to hide the affected area of the carpet by shifting the position of our household furniture or buying a rug to cover it up. Another option is to hire a carpet cleaner, but that can be expensive. If you want to remove the stain on your own, however, there is a simple way to accomplish this task.

Technique for removing wax out of the carpet:
You need to first make an attempt to try to get the dried wax particles from the carpet by scrapping them off with your finger nails or a knife, but be very careful to make sure that you do not damage the carpet in the process.

After this step, you need to cut a piece of paper big enough to cover the wax infested area of your carpet. Then place the paper over the stained area.

Get an iron and with the iron at the lowest heat setting, gently start applying it over the paper that has covered the carpeted area. A blow dryer can also be used as an alternative to an iron for the same purpose.

The heat from the iron or blow dryer will melt the wax particles which will then attach themselves to the paper. After awhile, you will need to lift the paper to check if large quantities of wax particles are attached to the paper. If that is the case, then remove the paper and place a new piece at the exact same spot. Repeat the same step again and again until your carpet is free of each and every wax particle.

In some cases your carpet may be stained if the wax was dyed. To remove the stain from the carpet, take a piece of cloth and sprinkle a few drops of alcohol or vinegar on it. Start rubbing it all over the wax stained area on the carpet. This will help remove the stain to the maximum extent. It should also be noted that alcohol and vinegar have a strong stench. Therefore, you also need to clean that area of the carpet where alcohol or vinegar was used with water.

Finally, switch on your fan, cooler, or air conditioner to dry your carpet completely, because keeping it wet will attract a lot of dust and dirt. So next time you light up the candle wedding favors that you got at the wedding you just attended or just decide to light up some regular candles around the house, don’t worry. You now know how to get those wax stains out of the carpet inexpensively. By following the steps above, you can get professional and amazing results when you try to remove candle wax stains from your carpet.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Creating and Selling Your Own Candles for Profit

Candle making business is increasing on a large scale as readymade as well as homemade candles are growing in demand. Hence it becomes absolutely essential in this competitive market for manufacturers to come up with creative ideas to develop and present their candles in completely new and attractive packages so that they are irresistible for potential buyers.

Let us look at a few ideas to develop and present candles more innovatively for increased sales:

Use of creative and unique ingredients for candle making:
Using the latest and unique ingredients to manufacture candles as compared to the commonly used materials can be one of the most important selling points. Natural waxes in the form of palm wax, beeswax, soy wax, or vegetable blended waxes, can be used to make candles with exclusive designs like feather and quartz design, including the granite look. Candles can also be sold in a large variety in the form of translucent and multilayered designs.

Different waxes also have different uses. Whipped wax is mainly preferred for using for cake candles. Palm wax combines very well with other waxes to further develop and enhance certain properties of other waxes, thereby being the best choice for making long burning candles. Depending on their pros and cons, one can also make use of blended or non blended waxes.

The burning of every candle is mainly dependent on the wick being used, hence depending on which type of wax is used, the amount of scent used, the color and the size of the candle, one can use either RRD (Round wicks), HTP wicks, LX and CD wicks.

Use of exclusive molds:
Using molds that have very fashionable and unique designs can automatically give your candle a unique and stylish appearance. The candle markets are currently flooded with containers and jar candles because these types of candles are very easy to make. Therefore, every candle maker is faced with the challenge of creating unique designs for their candles so people will want to buy them. This can be done by developing freestanding or pillar candles using a variety of mold techniques, like aluminum molds, polyurethane molds and polycarbonate molds. Having your own unique molds and designs is certainly a nice advantage to have when selling candles.

Presentation Techniques for selling:
No matter how many features your candle has, and no matter how creatively it has been made, if it is not presented in a proper manner to the appropriate audience, it won’t be sell well. Therefore, presentation is as important as the preparation technique. Place the candles on their own decorative stand or display. If you have floating candles, place at least a few of them on display by placing them into a bowl of water. You can have many of the candles prepackaged in boxes for your customers, but if you are selling decorative items then be sure to have a few of them out for your customers to see.

Target a theme, holiday, or occasion:
Sometimes people need candles for specific holidays or events. For example, for weddings, you may need candle wedding favors and other candle decorations for the reception. You can also design wedding placecard holders that have candles on them for elegant weddings.

All of the above mentioned points, particularly if combined together, can lead to increased sales and before you know it, your candles will be selling like crazy.

Decorating with Candles during a Wedding Ceremony

Weddings are once in a lifetime occasion for most of us, which is why we want them to be nothing short of perfect. Planning a wedding requires attention to many details including choosing the right gowns and uniforms, sending invitations on time, hiring the right performers, preparing the food and activities, getting wedding placecard holders for the reception, and so much more. One such way of adding that special magical glow to your wedding ceremony would be the use of candles.

Candles if used appropriately can add that special elegant feel to the entire ceremony by utilizing them in various different ways like:

Candles actually make a great wedding and bridal theme on their own. Candles bring a lot of glow to the entire atmosphere, also romantic candle lights are always appreciated by every one of us, hence that would definitely be a sure shot way to a memorable event. But the only matter to be careful about is to make sure that everyone in the ceremony follows all the rules regarding safety with the burning candles. Also, make sure that the organizers of the event are well aware of the fire code of the locality where the event is held.

Placing candles in a row to the paths that lead towards the chapel will also look very classy and beautiful. The only part to be careful about is to place the candles far enough away from the path so that the wedding gown or any of the other guests do not catch fire.

Although quite common, using candle as centerpieces for the wedding reception is not be a bad idea, provided they are used in a unique way. Wedding planners usually give you a lot of tips on how to use candles innovatively as centerpieces.

Another idea is to create your own floating candle centerpieces for each table at the reception. Place the floating candles into a clear bowl and then light them for a truly unique decorative approach that your guests are sure to comment on. Another fun idea is that you could try placing these bowls not just on the tables, but also at the corners of the reception hall.

You can use bridal themed candles on your wedding cake as well. Such candles are available in a variety of themes including bride and groom, wedding bells, heart, and doves. In order to match the candle design with the wedding cake, you can either make these candles yourself or you can have them custom made.

Getting candle wedding favors for your guest is another good idea. These candles come in so many varieties, including wedding bells, bride and groom figurines, and even plain designs in with custom boxes and ribbon.

Candles can be used more innovatively for wedding ceremonies if used by a creative mind.

Making Your Own Scented Candles at Home

Scented candles are a great addition to any home but sometimes the candles available are costly or don’t come in the scents you want. Here are some guidelines for making your own scented candles.

Article Body:
Instead of buying the very common looking, readymade candles available in the market, why not make one for you when it is so simple. All you need to do is just follow few steps accordingly and you would have your own exclusively crafted candle. Furthermore, you can also add scented fragrance oils to your candles to give them the aroma you desire.

Paraffin wax is generally favored while manufacturing homemade candles, although you can also try using any other variety of wax available in the market.

Let us begin with the procedure:

• Add water into a pan and bring it to a boil on a low flame. Add the wax in a bowl and then put this bowl into the boiling water. Don’t boil on high or the water in the pan will splash into the wax.

• Once the wax begins melting, insert a thermometer into it. Once the temperature reaches about 170 degrees, transfer the molten wax into another container.

Note: Be careful not to touch the thermometer to the sides of the container because the sides or bottom will be a different temperature than the wax.

• Next will be adding color to your candles to make them prettier. Add some dye chips to the mixture, but start off with just a few. If you add too many at first, the mixture may become too dark and it will be harder to make the color lighter. You can always add more chips later if the color shade is too light.

• To this colored wax, add an aromatic scented oil of your choice, and keep stirring so that it mixes with the wax evenly. Do not put more than half a teaspoon of scented oil as using more than that would hamper your candle from burning properly. Begin to slowly pour the wax mixture into your candle mold. Then put the mold back into the pan with the hot water, which will keep it hot.

• Once the mixture starts to cool, the wax will reduce in size. To maintain your candle size, pour some more melted wax in to compensate. Use the skewer to poke the candle a few times every 10-20 minutes. This will allow air to flow into the candle and also allow it to maintain its shape when it is removed from the mold.

• After at least 4 hours, you can attempt to remove the candle from the mold. However, if it is still sticking, then place the mold in the refrigerator for awhile, which will allow the candle to contract from the mold a little more.

Note: Never place your candles in the freezer because the extreme temperature will cause the candles to crack.

• The final step is inserting the wick into your candle. Using the skewer, poke a hold into the cup of the candle where the wick will be inserted. Be sure to hold it straight so the wick will go into the hole easily. Rotate the skewer a few times to prevent it from getting stuck to the wax. If you have trouble inserting the wick then dip the bottom of the wick just a little into the melted wax, allow it to get a little harder and then try to fix it in the candle. This will make sure that the wick is erect in the end where it has to be trimmed from. Trim the wick as per its length.

Note: Always keep the wick short as it ensures that your candle burns longer without spreading a black smoke.

Your home made scented candle is now ready to be used or you can even sell them for profit as candle wedding favors or even insert them into candle stands attached to wedding placecard holders. Candle making is a fun activity, whether you do it for fun or for profit.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Use Candles as Lovely Room Decor

A lot of people use candles for practical reasons, while a lot more others are interested in them as decorations. People believe that a candle symbolizes hope and a brighter future. Whether used in birthday cakes, in church during baptism, on tables during romantic dinners – candles instantly changes the mood of the people around it. The mere light it shines is more beautiful compared to that of an electric bulb.

As decoration, candles are also preferred by many people. The sense of romance and elegance is captivating and can brighten up the dark mood of the people around it.

Here are some ways on how you can decorate living spaces and lift the mood of the people around you at the same time.

1. Flower decorations can be made even more beautiful by adding candles. You can wrap ribbons around the candle and then stick in your flower pot or bundle and you can instantly have elegant decor without having to spend much. Use a colored ribbon that can complement the color of your flowers or the flower or plant pot.

2. Candles can be used at your dining table and not just during romantic dates. The light at the center of your dining table can bring a sense of peace, and if with children around, they can be really festive when they see the candles lit as they know it is not just a simple dinner but that it is a fun celebration.
3. Candles in the living room can balance out all the modern electronic technology and once again bring a sense of ‘homey-ness’ in your living room. Candles can make you feel relaxed and calm your being – making the living room truly ‘live’ once again.

4. Romance and passion will come alive when you place candles in your bedroom as décor. It can open your senses and give a feeling of sensuality once lit and its romantic ambience can truly awaken the senses. At the same time, especially when you are alone, candles can remind you of your favorite spa or massage area and bring you a sense of peace and calm.

5. Candles are more popularly used as decoration during Christmas. You can dress up your candles with ribbons, lace, wreaths, and other Christmas novelties you can think of. If you know how to make your own candles, you can mold them into different designs such as angels, reindeer or a pine tree. At the same time, you can also give candles as gift during Christmas, and on other occasions such as weddings as wedding candle favors.

Candles can be used for religious events and can be equally useful as decorations as well. You just need to have a little creativity and as they are made of wax, you can mold them into different designs that can complement your home. Candles also come in different colors, so you can express yourself and personalize your decor based on your personal preference for colors. Just have fun and know that in every way, candles can help beautify your place.