Decorating Candles

Good evening folks.  I hope my post finds you well and safe from some of the weather that has started to hit the UK.  Peterborough is chilly, but pretty unevenful...for which I'll be grateful.

I have wanted to share this post with you for days, but have only just got round to it. This week on my Let Leonie Loose show, I took a bit of a risk and put on some candle decorating things.  We didn't know how this would go - but I was really happy people seemed to like them.  I must admit, it's another line of products that could be used in so many ways, given time to have a proper play.  I really enjoyed the short time I had to experiment.

First, I used the sheets.  These are pre-coloured, and in some cases, designed, wax sheets, which are simply layed onto your candle.  No need to heat, glue or anything. As long as your room is at a nice temperature, they will adhere.  And you can do loads with them.

First I took one of the printed sheets and simply cut it into shapes with a craft knife

 I then layered it onto the candle (I did two....it doesn't magically change colour :) ).  Using the wax paint, I added some little dots.  And I also added a border with the wax strips.  So easy.

With this one, I added the wax paint along the edge of each piece of wax.  I added dots and lines, which look really cool. To finish it off I also added another gold border along the top of the candle.

This one is much more time consuming.  I used a spellbinders die to cut my wax sheet.  Be careful not to use to much pressure, and protect your surfaces with a wax sheet - I didn't - I now have wax all over my cutting plate!  Use talc on your die to help the wax sheet release from the die.  I was quite impressed it cut this detail - but I don't think I'd try anything more complex.  The branch then easily sticks to the candle.

I built up my wax blossoms, I love this mother of pearl wax sheet, it's beautiful.  I also added little dots with the wax pearl paint, which just finishes it off.

Next, I used the candle wax paint.  This is SO easy.  Literally hold your stencil in place, and use a sponge to dab the paint onto your candle.  You can mix and blend the colours, and they dry really quickly.  I think it looks fantastic.  I finished the candle with the wax border strip.

This is easy.  You can either cut the wax sheets free hand with a pair of scissors, or, as I did, use your dies.  I used my collection of mixed media dies, which are nice and thick to go through the wax easily.  I didn't run them through the machine, I simply pushed the wax into them. I then used the foil sheet to add a touch of silver.  This easily adheres to the wax by just using a ball tool.

Obviously, the wax doesn't have to just be used on the candles.  This was my favourite bit...using them on my Art Journal.  I simply sponged the wax through the stencil, then used my distress inks over the top.  The wax acts as a resist.  It's so effective. Can you imagine the different looks you could achieve!!  I've got to play a bit more with this!!!

The crafty countdown now stands at 34 days remaining

Good afternoon crafters.  Owww it's cold.  This house has old rubbish windows, and the wind is cutting today isn't it.  Who has snow?  There's not a spec in the sky yet here.

Well, today I seemed to drift away from masculine cards again - it was the colour of the inks I was drawn to (yes, I'm blaming an ink pad!).  I started with a nice big stamp, which is another one from Wendi Vecchi, and embossed with clear embossing powder

I then used two cats eye ink pads, one is a brilliance, and one is a versamagic.  I used the direct to paper technique - literally wiping the ink pad onto my card stock.  The embossing powder acts as a resist, so you can still see the colour of the card stock under the stamped image

Next I stamped a solid border at the top and bottom of the card, and embossed it using white embossing powder.  I liked the way the image I had already embossed reacted - it seemed to emphasis it

I then picked a flower stamp, which is again a solid rubber image (as opposed to an outline image).  This allowed me to build the colour of the ink on the stamp.  So I stamped with the teal first on the stalk.  I then inked the flower head in pink, and added a tiny bit of yellow on the top.  I used the teal to just edge the petals - and then stamped onto plain white card

I cut out the flower, attempting to leave a tiny white border. I just popped it on the background to see how it looks

I cut the card down, and then added a little white and yellow ink just under where the flower is going to sit.  This just allows me to knock the colour back a little.  As I now seem to be into tissue tape, I added a little bit under the flower, and inked it with white brilliance 

I found a piece of embossed card, and added it to the left of my panel, and then glued the panel in place

To finish my card, I glued the flower in place using Pinflair glue.  I added ribbon at the top and bottom of the card, and then the stamped sentiment.  I also used my cosmic shimmer PVA to add little dots, where there are circles on the stamped image

When I finished the card, I randomly spritzed it with MoonGlows Scintillating Silver - just to see what it did.  It just gave it a nice subtle sparkle