Crazy holiday gift idea already! - Page 2

[Greaseball]

Wow, I don't usually start christmas shopping until September!

Last year I made soap for everyone and decorated candles (but didn't make them). I've already started on pillar candles this year...getting the hang of it!

[DMama]

Me too! Me too!!

Every year I think about making gifts, but don't quite get to it. Maybe with company, it'll happen. I love all the ideas that are being generated and look forward to all the hand-holding I can get!

You folks are great!

Denise

[joyfulheart]

Originally posted by Lou the holiday season gets really stressful trying to finish all the handmade gifts and i lose touch with the spiritual journey[/B]

...exactly how I feel! That's why I want to start now.

So -- we start in April then.

Unless I've missed something, we have 2 suggestions of crafts to start with -- candles and small balls for kids. They're both great ideas. What if we have one craft for adult gifts, candles, and one craft for kid gifts, balls? We can post directions for both and people can pick and choose??

Maybe we should post directions and supplies needed now to give everyone time to gather materials??

Who is up to posting candle dipping directions? mountain mom??

farmer mama -- what kind of balls were you thinking of? Felted -- the soap and water method? or like the ball in the book Feltcraft?

I can post a super easy idea on candle making using sheets of beeswax. It is very, very simple.

What do you all think?

(I'm trying to spear-head and organize this, but just let me know if I am not hearing all the ideas out there, etc.)

Oh, and Lala, I like the idea of a craft swap!

(And yes, farmer mama, we are the same person:LOL well, at least, we have a lot in common!)

[BoxOfRainMama]

Yippee I cant say it enough I’m so excited . As long as I have directions and questions are welcome I am golden! This will help me take some ME time which is something I often forget to do.... and also be a creative outlet. I too usually wait until November or December to start making gifts and feel so rushed and pressured it really takes all the spirit out of giving a handmade gift.

"It doesn't matter who you love, or how you love, but that you love" ~Rod McKuen

Pamela Roth

[BoxOfRainMama]

An idea for a gift project

Ohhh! I just thought of another idea for once we get closer to the holidays... we could do jar mixes, mixes for cookies and soups and such with all the dry ingredients in a jar decorated real nice, there are a ton of recipes for these on the web.


"It doesn't matter who you love, or how you love, but that you love" ~Rod McKuen

Pamela Roth

[BoxOfRainMama]

I posted on the wrong message on the wrong board and I dont know how to delete all together.

[sarasprings]

Joyfulheat -- thanks for organizing this.

[mountain mom]

Sure I can post dipping instructions when the time is right. For this craft you will need 3 things. A tallish can or pot about the length of the candle you would like to make, A block of beeswax, non-lead wick (comes in a roll or by the foot) and a pot to melt the wax in.

Let me know when you all would like to do this craft.

[zipworth]

Me too please! Can I join ?

[joyfulheart]

The more the merrier!!!

[mountain mom]

Originally posted by mountain mom
Sure I can post dipping instructions when the time is right. For this craft you will need 3 things. A tallish can or pot about the length of the candle you would like to make, A block of beeswax, non-lead wick (comes in a roll or by the foot) and a pot to melt the wax in.

Let me know when you all would like to do this craft.

One more thing I thought of that we will need for this craft is a board or rod that one could hand the candle from its wick on so that it could dry.

Just something to think about.

[joyfulheart]

Originally posted by mountain mom
One more thing I thought of that we will need for this craft is a board or rod that one could hand the candle from its wick on so that it could dry.

Good point. A broom handle laid across the tops of two chairs works well.

[Quaniliaz]

Maybe whoever is teaching the craft - or whoever else has good ideas can list links for online suppliers that they would reccomend for those of us who would need to buy supplies??

Thanks!

[joyfulheart]

How is everyone doing gathering supplies to make the candles? Does anyone have a good source for getting that block of beeswax?

Does anyone in western Washington know of a beekeeper from whom I could get a block? Maybe I'll do a search myself and post anything I find for others in the area.

Next week is April already! Yikes! (And with April comes warmer weather and day-light savings I am so very ready for that!)

[Greaseball]

What is everyone going to use for a tall dipping pot? I just can't think of anything that tall.

[zipworth]

Would an applejuice can be tall enough?

[mom2kbeth]

I've had good luck with coffee cans.

[Greaseball]

The juice can might work. Does anyone know how to add on different colored stripes? I know you can just dip part of the candle in another color, but then you'd have to keep dipping the rest of the candle in the original color, to keep the width the same all through the candle. I see those dipped candles with many different color stripes and I don't know how they do it...so maybe I'll just stick with one color for now.

[mom2kbeth]

I've done candy corn striped candles for Halloween. I first make the candle the desired thickness in white, which will be my top color. Then I dip the candle 2/3 of the way into yellow, which will be the middle color. I dip only 2-3 times. Then I dip the bottom 1/3 into orange. This usually only takes a dip or two to get the right color, because it already has the yellow on it. If you only dip each color on the outside for a few coats then it will remain *almost* the same thcikness around. I haven't had any trouble with there being *too* noticable a seam between colors.

[farmer mama]

Most natural food stores carry beeswax. The Bees Knees in Snohomish sells nice wax from the owner's bees and candle making supplies. I also know some beekeeper's in Arlington as well. I could give some wax but we don't have a lot. We make are yearly candles in early fall after the honey harvest, and give out wax to my herbally inclined friends, so ours is pretty used up. Are we just doing candles or do we need to post a kids craft? If so I can post directions for felted balls, as it is something to do with the kids. For this you need wool of any color or colors and some sort of soap (dishsoap works fine). In Seattle the store the Weaving Works in the Unversity district has nice carded wool of many colors and natural as well. Most yarn stores will sell wool as well, let me know if anyone needs an on line source.