Friday, June 29, 2012

Christmas in July!

I'd like to consider it Christmas in July! With the holiday season fast approaching I thought I'd bring back a project, a darling electric candle PERFECT for the holiday season!!! There are so many great cookie cutters you can use and so many awesome scents to coordinate this is a great product for all your upcoming holiday shows!Most of the "Electric Grubby Candles" being sold today are made from silicone molds, but you can make them with just a regular candle mold as well.  These beautiful candle lights are a fairly simple project but can get "messy" and are time consuming. The results are fantastic and WELL worth the time and effort! This particular electric candle will easily sell in my market for between $25-30!

What you will need to make this:
Getting Started!

Prepare your work surface covering anything you do not want wax on! This can get messy! 
 
Once you get yourself set up, begin melting your wax. For our mold it took about 3.5 pounds of wax (by weight). Once your wax is melted, add 3.5 tsp of the mold release powder, and 3.5 tbsp soybean oil to the wax.  Allow additives to melt and blend well. 

Prepare your mold by plugging any wick holes with mold plugs and covering those with mold sealer putty to prevent leakage. Spray the inside of the mold with silicone mold release.  Bring your melted wax up to 200*F and pour the hot wax into your molds. (We poured our candles into a sink so that they could be rapid cooled by submerging the candle mold into cold water. This will allow the candle shell to cool much faster.)
Empty Mold
Filled Mold Cooling
 
Once your candle has a visible shell up the sides of the mold of about 3/4" thickness, remove the mold from the water. Take a butter knife and remove the skim of wax from the top of the molds and pour the remaining wax back into either your Presto Pot or your Pour Pot.

Wax In Mold Ready
Taking Skim off Wax
 
 
Allow shell to fully harden and carefully remove it from the mold.  
Top View Finished Shell
Side View Finished Shell

Using an exacto knife, cut a hole in the bottom of the shell near an edge.  This hole must be big enough for the electrical plug of the candle lamp to fit through it.  Make sure the plug fits through the hole before moving on to the next step.
Cutting Cord Hole
Cutting Cord Hole
 
Now, take about 1 pound of the leftover wax you have melted and heat it back up to about 175*F.  Add 1 teaspoon of vybar 103, two of the Christmas Green Dye chips and 1 oz of Mistletoe Fragrance oil and blend well.  Allow the wax to cool and form a "skim" of wax over the top and begin using your wire whisk to "whip" the wax. 

Once your wax has been whipped to the consistency of frosting, use your butter knife to "frost" your candle shell with the whipped wax until you have it well coated.  
Applying Whipped Wax
Applying Whipped Wax
Applying Whipped Wax

The cut out shapes must be done quickly before the whipped wax fully hardens.  Set the shell on a level surface, holding one hand inside the shell, use the other hand to press the cookie cutter into the front side of the shell.  Press firmly through the whipped wax until you feel the cutter hit the solid shell, then stop.  Remove the cutter carefully, then very carefully peel the wax shape out.  You will be left with a tree shaped cut out for light to glow through!

Next just set the candle lamp inside the shell, and run the cord through the hole.  You are done!
Finished Lamp
 












Creative Decorating & Packaging Ideas:

  • Try adding a little glitter or mica to the finished project for added sparkle!
  • Tie some homespun fabric around the candle for an added primitive touch!
  • Get creative with cookie cutter shapes, colors and fragrances.  Try a gingerbread man cut out with some spices sprinkled on the whipped wax!  How about making the shell a pastel blue, and using white whipped wax, glitter, and a snowflake cut out and scenting it Frost Bite or Jack Frost?
  • Electric Grubby Candles look great packaged in a clear cello bag tied with ribbon, raffia, twine or yarn!
  • These make cute night lights!


Happy Candlemaking!
Have a safe and happy 4th of July!
Flicker

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Celebrate Independence Day!

This month marks two things, The 4th of July & the Free Sample of NGI Waxes
Free Wax Sample!
   
    
    
All orders of $100 or more are eligible for a FREE 1lb sample of one of the following waxes!
    
EcoSoya™ CB-135
    
EcoSoya™ CB-Advanced Soy
    
EcoSoya™ CB-XceL™
    
EcoSoya™ Pillar Blend

Supply is limited! One sample per customer. Please make your wax request in the comments section during checkout. 

This made me think that maybe it was a good time to do two things, a blog about an NGI wax, something I haven't done in a while AND something fun for the 4th! So, I thought, I love layered jars! LOVE them! And making them from soy is SO easy and Red, White and Blue candles for the 4th are great! Actually all summer, especially in Texas! 


Set out your supplies
 








Add your Wick Stickum to your wick,












Place in your jar













add your wick holder













Heat your wax to 175 and add your fragrance.

In a pour pot do the following for each layer: (I made this candle by the layer....but I melted and scented the wax for an entire batch at a time. I use 1 weight oz of scent per lb of wax.)

For the first layer, I used 2.2 weight oz of wax/fragrance and Blue Dye


 










For the second layer I used 2.4 weight oz of wax/fragrance mix with Red Dye













and for the third and final layer I used 2.5 weight oz of wax/fragrance and no dye













I waited until the wax was just starting to thicken to pour, probably around 100*, Keep the wax moving in the pouring pot so it does not stick to the sides when doing this. This makes the layers faster to pour as it is nearly cooled by the time the layer is poured. Wait about 1/2 hour between layers. This candle can be altered to fit any scent/color combination you can imagine! I've had excellent success selling layered candles over the years. :) Just use your imagination and creativity and anything is possible!