Archive for the ‘Candles’ Category

Stenciled Asian Candle – Handmade Gift Fast and Easy!

Sunday, May 28th, 2006


I love to give handmade gifts…when I have the time, that is. So, I especially love a SIMPLE handmade gift because often times I have more love than time available to create a handmade gift. You can probably relate!

Well, here is an idea for crafters. It’s so simple, even non-crafters can do this. It’s a great kids craft, too. You and your child could make a stenciled candle for a grandparent or a teacher.

 

All you need is:

  • a pre-made candle
  • a stencil (I used Simply ® Stencils – Laser – Asian Symbols #28054)
  • stencil brush or cosmetic wedges…you know those triangle-type foam things
  • paint (I used Delta Ceramcoat acrylic paint)
  • Candle and Soap Painting Medium (I used Delta Ceramcoat Candle and Soap Painting Medium.

Instructions:

  1. Prep the surface of the candle by wiping the candle surface with rubbing alcohol and cotton ball. Let it dry.
  2. Position your stencil and tape it to your candle.
  3. Mix equal parts of acrylic paint and Candle and Soap Painting Medium.
  4. Apply the paint with the stencil brush or cosmetic wedge in a pouncing fashion. Make sure and off-load the extra paint on your paint applicator (onto a paper plate or paper towel or something) before pouncing. If you have too much paint on your brush, it might seep underneath the stencil. If you mess up, just wipe off the paint (with water or paint remover) and start again. It’s mistake-proof crafting!
  5. To protect the stenciled area either: Apply one coat Candle & Soap Painting Medium and let dry…OR…if you are gift wrapping the candle, you can wrap a layer of tissue paper or cellophane or something similar around the candle to protect the stenciled design from being scratched. Paint only adheres so well to a slick surface like wax, so it isn’t prepared to take a beating!

There are so many wonderful stencils out there, I’m sure it would be easy to find one that fits your needs. Plus, when you’re done stenciling your candle, there are lots of other craft projects you can do with your stencil. You could even make a gift set of a stenciled frame and a stenciled candle. Lots of possibilities!

All three images on my candle came from the same stencil. I mixed the sage green color myself from some white and green paint I had already, so I didn’t even need to buy sage green paint. It’s all so easy and looks great. Time to get crafting!

Happy Crafting,

Artfully AJ

 

 

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Rubber Stamps – For More Than Just Paper Crafts

Thursday, May 25th, 2006

I love rubber stamps! One of the things I love most about them is that you can use them in so many different types of crafts. So, in addition to all the cool things you can do with them on paper – embossing, layering images, powder pigments, resist ink techniques, and so on – you can incorporate them into other crafts as well.Maybe you never thought rubber stamps were for you…and maybe you spoke to soon. :-)

Here’s a list of some of the other types of crafts you can use rubber stamps with:

 

 

  • Soap Making – Place an unmounted rubber stamp face up in your soap mold to create an indented image of the rubber stamp on the soap. Once the soap has cooled, you simply peel off the stamp. It’s so easy! (FYI – you can easily unmount any wood-mounted rubber stamp. Contact me for details.)
  • Candle Making / Decorating – Heat the side of a pre-made candle with a heat gun and while the wax is soft, press the rubber stamp into the candle. Once the wax has cooled, you can highlight the image by rubbing ink or paint across the surface of the candle to highlight the image. The ink makes the raised part stand out from the depressed areas created by the rubber stamp.

  • Woodburning – Rubber stamp the wood and then go over the image with a wood burning tool. It is like having a free woodburing pattern!
  • Wood – You don’t even need to woodburn the rubber stamped image if you don’t want to…just stamp it with ink and you’re done!
  • Glass – Use permenant inks to rubber stamp directly onto glass. I customized a wall mirror this way.
  • Etched Glass - Did you know you can emboss a rubber stamp image on etched glass with embossing powders? It is really cool!

  • Clay – Whether you are using Polymer Clay, Paper Clay or Air Dry Clay (like DELIGHT Air Dry Clay), you can use your rubber stamps to create some amazing effects and cool projects.

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  • Gourds - You can rubber stamp directly onto a gourd. I’ve even seen embossed rubber stamp images with embossing powder done on gourds. (FYI – it did need to be sealed so the embossing powder didn’t chip off.)
  • Fabric / Leather – I’ve see some really cool things done with rubber stamps on fabrics and leather. It’s also a fun kids craft. I’ve rubber stamped on t-shirts with kids and it was a big hit!
  • Metal (like Copper Metal Quilting Sheet) – If you don’t know what a Copper Metal Quilting Sheet is, just think of a sheet of copper rolled out thin like a sheet of heavy cardstock. Super thin, super flexible – you can easily cut through it with scissors. Permenant inks and rubber stamps work great on metal!
  • Friendly Plastic – Simply heat up your Friendly Plastic and press an inked stamp into it for a cool effect.
  • Shrink Plastic – You can make so many things with shrink plastic and to be able to rubber stamp on it makes it even better.
  • Cookies – It’s not a typo! Yes, you can even rubber stamp in food coloring on a nice, flat sugar cookie. (Contact me for details because you want to make sure everything is sanitary.)

Do you see why I LOVE rubber stamps so much?!?! There is so much versatility with stamps. Rubber stamping on paper is great, but I enjoy being able to branch out and try different things whenever inspiration comes. So, whether you didn’t know how versatile those rubber stamps of yours were, or whether you knew but had temporarily forgotten, I hope this inspires you to do something creative.

Happy crafting,

Artfully AJ

PS – I’d love to here what you’ve used rubber stamps on…just comment on this post!

Posted in Candles, Clay, Fabric Crafts, Friendly Plastic, Glass Etching, Gourds, Leather Crafts, Metal Crafts, Paper Crafts, Rubber Stamping, Shrink Plastic, Soap Crafting, Stenciling, Woodburning | No Comments »