Candle in a Jar

I make most of the candles we burn in our home using either soy wax or 100% beeswax.  Both of these are natural products that do not contain any colourants or scents.  There are two reasons I like using these waxes for candle making.  First the are natural waxes not petroleum based wax like paraffin wax is.  Second unlike paraffin wax both soy wax and beeswax burn clean.  Beeswax has additional properties as well.  It has a mild honey scent that smells lovely but burning beeswax candles is said to actually clean the air.   Burning beeswax candles is also said to have health benefits such as reducing the severity of or even eliminating sinus attacks.

Candles in a Jar have become quite popular.  The problem with most purchased candles in jars is they are heavily scented.  The scent can cause problems for those with allergies, asthma and other respiratory problems.  At the same time what many don't realize is these scents pollute indoor air.  They are often heavily dyed another source of indoor air pollution.  Finally purchased candles in jars tend to be over priced going for as high as $10 per candle.  Both beeswax and soy wax can be used to make candles in jars.

Pictured is one of the beeswax candles in a jar I made.  I used a fancier, squatty 250 ml (half-pint) mason jelly jar and decorative two-piece lid.  The jelly jars with decorative lids can be bought in a 4 - pk or you can buy a 12-pk of regular mason jars with plain either gold or silver tone lids.  Traditionally the two-piece lids have been gold tone but recently Bernardin has moved to silver tone lids.  The decorative lids can be bought separately as well but the regular lids that come with the jars can be used.  Both jars and lids can be found in the canning section of any store that sells canning supplies.  There are larger canning jars but the best size for candles in jars is the 250 ml size.

Materials

1 mason* jar per candle
1 two-piece lid
1¼ c melted wax per candle
1 3-inch wick holder/wick per candle
sauce pan
metal can for melting the wax

Place jars in oven then set oven to 80ºC (175ºF) to warm this.  This will prevent breakage when pouring the hot wax into the jars.  Cover your work surface with newspaper to protect from wax drips.  Place wax in metal can.  Pour enough water in the sauce pan to come half way up the outside of the can.  Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer while moving the metal can to allow the wax to melt on the inside.  Add more wax if desired.  Once the wax is melted place one wick with holder into a warm jar.  Carefully pour the hot wax into the jar.  Centre the wick.  As the wax cools it will shrink and the area around the wick will sink down (concave).  Top up the candle with more hot wax while the candle is still warm.  Set aside to cool.  Once cooled, place the two-piece lid on the jar.  The candle is now ready for storage, gift giving and using.

Pictured is a beeswax candle in the jar ready for burning.  Before burning the candle the two piece lid should be removed. Trim the wick to ¼- inch before lighting the candle.  Place the ring of the two-piece lid back on the candle jar.  Place the candle on the lid portion.  Light the candle.

When burning use all safety precautions such as keeping away from out of reach of children and pets as well as away from combustible materials like curtains.  Never leave the candle burning unattended.  Do not let the candle burn down to lower than ¼ - inch from the bottom of the candle as this can cause the jar to overheat and break as well as cause scotching of furniture.  The remaining candle wax can be removed from the jar then the washed jar can be re-used for another candle.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Eyelet Edged Dishcloth

Last month I gave a very easy pattern for a knitted  simple plain edged dishcloth.  These are ever so easy for even a beginner knitter that you will want to work up several for gift giving.  Knitted dishcloths do not have to be plain jane though.  Adding a simple eyelet stitch to a dishcloth can make it look fancy while still being utilitarian.  This is one of my favourite knitted dishcloths.

Pictured are a few eyelet edged dishcloths I recently made waiting for the finishing touch of weaving the ends in.  I mentioned in my previous dishcloth post that I like using varigated yarns for utilitarian projects because they add a bit of interest.  While the varigated cotton does work up nicely for this pattern I thing the eyelets are a bit more prominent using a plain colour cotton.  Either way it is a very easy pattern that many beginner knitters will be able to knit.  This pattern introduces the eyelet stitch which simply is a yarn over (YO).  To do this stitch, knit as normal then when YO take the yarn from the back of your work and place it over your needle then to the back and knit the next stitch.  This results in an increased stitch that when knit on the reverse gives an eyelet.  In most projects the YO is paired with knit 2 together (K2tog) to keep stitch number the same while forming some type of pattern with the placement of the eyelet stitches.


Eyelet Edged Dishcloth Pattern

I used Bernat® Handicrafter® cotton 4 ply worsted weight and 4.5 mm needles.

cast on 4 stitches
K 2 rows
K2, YO, K2
K2, YO, K3
*K2, YO, K to end of row*
repeat * until there are 50 stitches on your needle
**K1, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K to end of row**
repeat ** until 4 stitches on needle
K 2 rows
cast off.

Gifts in a Jar

Every year folks struggle to come up with unique yet inexpensive gifts for the holiday season. This year is going to be quite difficult for many who have found themselves recently unemployed or facing the threat of unemployment. One solution to keep the cost of holiday gift giving is to give homemade gifts. Homemade gifts take a bit more thought but I think they are nicer because they are personally tailored to fit the recipient.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Homemade gifts from the kitchen are always well received. The holiday season is always quite busy so unless you start out early you may run out of time for baking. In this case turn to making gifts in a jar. I recently made Gift from the Kitchen - White Chocolate Chip Cookies that took me about 10 minutes to put together so this would be a great last minute gift as well. Essentially gifts in jars are made using all the necessary dry ingredients with the recipient adding the wet ingredients (oil, eggs, liquid) when they want to use their gift. Gifts in jars can range from cookies, brownies, breads, soups to spice blends and quick mixes. They are really easy to make. If you have scrapbooking supplies you can get some lovely tag and gift card results.

A list of material follows but they will greatly vary depending on what you are making. You can buy used mason jars but should use new jars and rings for a nice presentation. The outside of the lid can be painted as can the ring if you like or you could decorate it with embellishments or you can cover it with a square of fabric or decorative paper. Check the craft and scrapbooking sections of dollar stores for a wide variety of affordable embellishments. Each jar depending on the ingredients and including additional materials will come in at about $2 per jar or less.

Materials

recipe ingredients
1 mason jar per recipe (size varies depending on recipe)
lid and ring (decorative or plain)
ribbon or twine
embellisments (eg. brands, spoon, cloth, tags)
recipe tag (hand printed or computer generated)
cardstock in colours of your choice
craft scissors
decorative pens
pre-cut tags

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009

More Decorative Boxes

The craft section of the dollar stores can be a mecca for craft supplies for gifts. I honestly cannot believe some of the craft items available for only $1. With very little cash outlay you can easily get the items needed to complete several customized gift items. Don't let the words craft or DIY scare you either because the following way to finish decorative boxes require so little effort that a child could easily make them.


I came across oblong (about 8" long) wood decorative boxes at our local dollar store. They are made using two types of wood so even if simply given a clear coat the result is subtle beauty. Pictured is an unfinished and finished oblong box. They have hinged lids with brass coloured hinges and clasp. These boxes are idea for gift giving as is but are perfect packaging a pen and pencil set, necklace or watch. Simple wrap a hand tied bow around the box and add a tag for gift giving letting the beauty of the box serve as gift wrapping.

I finished one of the boxes using spray satin varathane for a durable low luster sheen. One spray can will be enough to finish 4 to 6 boxes. Home Hardware (Canada) and other home improvement stores sell small packets (similar in size to ketchup packets) of stain for about 69¢ each. One packet will be enough to stain at least 2 boxes. Total cost per box will cost about $2.50 but they look like you spent so much more and you can customize them for the receiver's tastes.

Materials

1 oblong hinged wood box
1 spray can Flecto® Varathane clear
stain (optional)
fine grade sandpaper

Method

Lightly sand the box with fine grade sandpaper. Stain if desired. Allow the stain to dry 24 hours. Lightly sand. Wipe to remove any dust. Spray with clear varathane using a sweeping motion for even application. Allow to dry. Lightly sand and and wipe. Spray again then repeat for at least three coats of finish. Allow to dry thoroughly. Your box is now ready to be used as desired.


Garden Gnome
©2006-2008

Decorative Wood Boxes

I love crafts so generally have several projects on the go at one time. Aside of textiles one of my favourite mediums to work with is paint. Several years ago I discovered thin unfinished band boxes suitable for decorative painting or decoupaging. At that time they weren't exactly cheap. A couple of years ago I rediscovered unfinished boxes at of all places a dollar store! These are not the wood boxes of the past!

Decorative Wood Boxes

Pictured are two wood boxes purchased at a dollar store for $1. The hexagon box is unfinished to show you what the finished box looked like when I bought it. The boxes are about 6" in length, 4" wide and 3" deep. They come with hinged lids and a small clasp. The hinges and clasp are brass coloured. The pressed raised design in the centre is recessed and leaves a lot of ways to finish it.

I wanted a quilted look for the finished box so painted the raised design with acrylic craft paints that are also available at dollar stores. I used tole painting a type of folk art for the inside panel. When the inside panel was dry, I used 3 coats of water based urethane to finish the box. There is still plenty of time to make up a few of these decorative wood boxes for gift giving.

The most expensive part of this project is the water based urethane but you can easily finish four or more boxes using one small can. You can use either spray or brush on urethane in satin or gloss finish. You will need a few bottles of Crafter's Acrylic paint in various colours but at $1 a piece for a 55 ml (2 oz) bottle they will last for several crafting projects and can be used on a wide variety of surfaces. Don't let the shading scare you either. It is rather easy simply by applying the base coat of paint then stroking on a little white while the base coat is still damp using a semi dry brush. Artists brushes are also available at the dollar stores.

I hope you like this inexpensive gift idea and have a lot of fun creating these cute decorative boxes. They are perfect for gift giving as is or filled with something special. Another way you can gift these boxes is to create a kit with everything needed to finish the box for the crafter on your list.

Materials Needed

decorative hinged wood box
Crafter's Acrylic paint (variety of colours)
sheet fine grade sandpaper
artist brush(es)
½" sponge brush (only if using brush on finish)
Flecto® Varathane
newspaper to protect surface




Garden Gnome
©2006-2008

Homemade Christmas Gifts

It's only nine days until Christmas but it is not too late to make a few homemade gifts from the heart for gift giving. I've been busy with getting knitted items ready. Starting tomorrow I will be adding a post a day that highlight some low cost homemade, last minute items you can make for gift giving. I hope you find some of these posts useful.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2008

Easy Embossing for Srapbooking, Crafts and More

The holiday season is drawing near so I thought I would share an easy and low cost way of doing embossing. Embossing is an elegant way of accenting scrapbooking pages or elements, creating custom picture frames and so much more. The main problem with embossing is if you check the craft stores you can spend a lot of money on embossing equipment. If you don't do a lot of embossing there is absolutely no need to spend a lot. Let me show you how.

Materials

For this project you will need a sheet of cardstock that will make two greeting cards. The method I'm using does work better for lighter colours although I have had success with dark colours as well using a stronger light source. You will need a stencil of choice. For best results choose one that is not too delicate. One of the cheapest places to find stencils is a dollar store. If you can't find a stencil you like then find a picture online and create a stencil by printing on a sheet of acetate then cut out the pattern. You will also need painters or scotch tape and a ball point stick pen with the lid. Optional materials are make-up applicators and acid free artist's chalk.

Cutting

A paper cutter is one of those things every crafter needs. It comes in handy for so many things. I have a Fiskars® flatbed rotary cutter with three cutting blades and a scoring blade. The scale makes it easy to cut the paper to the right size. In this case I cut the 8.5" x 11" sheet of cardstock in half as pictured forming two 8.5" x 5.5" pieces. To score I took one of the smaller rectangles then placed it against the guide with the 8.5" side facing me then used the scoring blade to form the score.

Taped

When you score the paper there will be an indent. Tape your stencil onto a light source like a window using the painter's or scotch tape. Place the cardstock you just cut over the stencil with the indent facing you and centre align as desired. In this case I decided to use a solar border along the edge of the card. At this point you are working on the inside of the card or inside of whatever you are embossing. Before starting to emboss be sure the good side that you want is facing away from you. Leave one bottom corner loose so you can lift up a bit to see how the embossing is going.

Take the ball point pen with the lid on and carefully use the end to trace the stencil. Pay attention to the lines as you want to make a good indent. Use a bit of pressure but a lot of pressure is not needed. Go over the stencil markings a couple of times to get a good indent. Carefully lift up the lower corner and you will see what embossing will look like. Check for any missing parts and go over the stencil again if necessary. Remember the back of the work is facing you. Once you are happy with the embossing, remove the cardstock from the light source.

Finished

The embossed finish can be left as is for a subtle yet elegant look. This is a really pretty effect for greeting cards and scrapbooking embellishments. Use it along edgings or around frames. What I like doing is using a sponge make-up applicator to highlight the embossing using chalking. Chalking is a very subtle effect that highlights the embossed surfaces by adding a hint of colour while deepening the shadows. To apply the chalk rub a sponge applicator over the chalk then use a tight circular motion to rub over the embossing. Continue applying chalk in this fashion until you get the desired effect.

Pictured is the finished card with embossing and calking in a pale blue. Versing can be added inside prior to embossing or you can hand write it in after embossing. Similarly the front of the card can be detailed more if desired. Just be sure when you are embossing to work with the inside facing you.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2008

Dishcloth Pajamas

Presenting ordinary, practical items in different ways can be a challenge for gift giving. Dishcloths are one thing that no new homemaker or even a long time homemaker would ever say no to. They fall under the category of there's no such thing as too many!

Dishcloth Pajamas

I discovered a novel way give dishcloths from a vendor at a farmer's market. It was immediately apparent that these would make a really cute housewarming present. So I bought a set simply to take them apart to see how they were made. Besides, I can always use more dishcloths!

Pictured here are dishcloth pajamas that are just perfect for a novel housewarming gift. They are quite inexpensive and easy to make using simple folds and tacking them together with thread.

Folded

Materials Needed:

• 3 dish cloths
• 2 buttons
• thread
• needle
  
• glue (optional)
  
• cutsey verse (see below)

Fold the wash cloths to form the pieces:

sleeves: Fold one wash cloth in half to form a rectangle. Fold in half again.
pants: Fold 1 inch of an edge on one wash cloth. Turn so the folded edge in down on the table. Fold one edge to the centre and repeat with the other edge. Tack the cuff edges together using needle and tread.
top: Fold one wash cloth in half to form a rectangle. Fold each short end in to the centre of the rectangle. Turn down the top corners to form the collar. Tack into place with needle and thread. The original pajamas I worked from had the buttons glued on but I prefer to sew them on. Punch a small hole in the printed verse and attach when adding one button. On top of the pants as pictured and tack into place.

To assemble:

Place the sleeves long end facing you. Place the pants on top in the centre of the sleeves, cuff end facing you. Tack these pieces together with needle and thread. Place the top
Verse:

We look like pajamas
but really we're not
We are three little dishcloths
You'll like us a lot

For washing the dishes or
chasing the dirt
Just take us apart
It really won't hurt


Enjoy!

Garden Gnome
© 2007