latest projects, candles and knit

Thank goodness for rain, we need it here in the DC area after long dry March now good soaking rain. Got my newest Japanese maple tree planted that was rescued from the woods nearby, was just a fluke finding this lovely red-leafed tree on the edge of the woods and determined to take it home to replace my dying flowering plum tree.

Got a whole flower bed weeded and planted with pansies, know they'll last just a couple months til the summer heat, so will finish with summer flowers and then rip out the pansies by June and plant things that are more heat tolerant.

Weed the rest of tthe beds and clean up rose and herb gardens around my house.

Plant to finsh sewing together my hand (mattress or similar sewing stitch) my size 2 lavender baby cardigan sweater. Sleeve ends, round neck band, front edges, bottom end all bordered by roughly an inch of garter stitch with the middles of all 5 pieces 2 12-inch tall fronts, (first 10 inches up to neck shaping, do neck shaping remaining stitches "work even" until matched even in height with the back. 12 inch-tall back and 2 8-inch sleeves all in stockinette stitch.

Made a variety of vegetable wax candles as condolence gifts (lavender scented votives, round pillar candle for another person), as thank you gifts (refilled a host's candle jar with a red soy wax candle, made a cinnamon-stick ringed candle for another)

events (star shaped pink and blue candle, pale minty green and pale burgundy two-toned truncated cone shape candle, round pale off white candle lightly dusted with cinnamon powder (while congealing so cinnamon cannot be brushed off) all first of three crystalizing palm wax

yellow triangular candle with rounded edges and pink blush in center mixed vegetable votive/pillar wax blend and crystalizing wax pink blush formed by gently pouring a certain amount of lightly bright red tinted melted wax (that all like little speckles of not completely stirred or melted red wax dye that was in plained melted crystalizing wax) into the very center (next to the wick) of hot melted liquid yellow tinted mixed veggie pillar and crystalizing wax that was already in the rounded triangular metal candle mold. The red speckled wax went to the bottom of the yellow candle and spread out, When hard, candle was unmolded and a gentle reddish blush had formed on the bottom of the candle, I chose that side to be the candle top. The normal top of the candle had no red blush on it.

Another event candle was a reddish-brown heart-shaped one made from feathering palm wax and scented apple-cinnamon.

Feathering and crystalizing candle waxes are made from palm nut oil. and form feathering texture, and crystalizing forms small line-like crystals.

yet another candle was of veggie pillar/votive blend almond-biscotti scented, a yellow solid core candle (with its own wick) formed of veggie pillar wax that was placed in a paper half-gallon milk carton with a small hole for slow drainage punched in the bottom.

crushed ice chunks (no large ice pieces) packed around solid core candle and then melted wax from three different metal pouring pots (used for melting wax_ one yellow, one red , one orange poured randomly through the ice chunks until level with top of solid core candle..... to create a multi-hued candle with a lacy effect.

result middle core candle is still solid with its own wick and surrounded by this amazing, nifty but potentially brittle lacy layer of outer wax with a rectangular, blocklike shape. if it needs leveling off on the bottom edge when placed standing up, just enough veggie wax around the base to make a solid and level bottom and score the wax through with a knife in a square shape so that when bottom is hard, excess wax is left behind.

If holes in candle are too fragile, too big or crumbling when lightly touched, gently touch up those areas with very soft, gooey, slightly liquid wax that is just partly melted. Gently shape with knife and let harden.

can place this candle gently in round glass bowl filled with fine decorating sand (from crafts store) to look nice.