Staffordshire Figures

4 Jul, 2010 in art pottery by admin

Staffordshire Figures

Soy Scented Candles are becoming more and more popular as people realize the benefits that they bring. They are environmentally friendly, coming from a renewable source (the soybean plant) rather than its rival, the paraffin candle which comes as a by-product from refining petroleum. They burn a much cleaner flame, emitting less soot, last longer and are easier to clean than paraffin. Combined with a lead free wick and you're on the way to creating the perfect candle.

So with all of the benefits of soy wax, it has become a great ingredient to use in candle making. With a little bit of thought and experimentation, you can create your own unique soy scented candles with wonderful aromas to fill your home or make them as beautiful presents.

The basic step-by-step making of soy candles is easy. First of all melt about a pound of soy wax (flakes are easier to work with) in a double boiler. When that is completely melted, remove from the heat and add about an ounce of your chosen fragrance oil (we'll look further into this aspect in a moment) and stir in well. Then add your dye, again stirring well. Pour the melted wax immediately into your prepared molds, with the wick in the center (wicks with the metal disc's attached are often the easiest choice) and center the wick by using a pencil. Once the wax is set and hardened, remove from the mould (if necessary), trim the wick and enjoy! Remember during the whole process to never leave the wax unattended while it is over the heat.

The fun part is creating your unique scent and style. Search the web for great deals on fragrance oils or if you've got a good hobby store near you, they should hold a big enough selection. Why not think about a combination of complementary scents such as Apple Pie and Cinnamon? Enjoy experimenting and create exactly what you are looking for although it may take a few goes to get this perfected. If you prefer a stronger scent, simply add more fragrance. Then think about the color that you want the candle to be. If your scent is chocolate, you may want to add a brown dye color to create an overall aesthetically pleasing candle.

With your scent and color chosen, have a look around your home for items that would make good molds. A pretty jam jar or a decorative Ceramic Flower pot, are just a couple of examples of everyday items that would make great candles. There are a great range of molds also available on the internet and in hobby stores if you'd rather. If you are creating a fruity scented candle, think about adding some pieces of actual fruit to the candle, or if you're doing a coffee scent, add some coffee beans, although always remember to double dip any additions to your candle in wax: So before you start, dip that piece of fruit in the wax and leave to dry before later adding to the candle. Cherries, raspberries, leaves, coffee beans are examples of accessories that will give your candle that extra wow factor.

Finally, to make it even more unique, why not think about a layered candle? My favorite idea at the moment is a season's candle. So, if started in October, I may want a Pumpkin Pie scent to burn initially, moving into my second layer for November when I think a nice Short Bread scent would remind me of all the Pie baking, and moving into December where a nice Cinnamon scent would be Christmas-y. That's just one idea. If it's springtime, think about combinations of Floral or Fresh Linen scents. A Chocolate scented candle in an egg mold would be perfect for Easter. Be creative and have fun with the process.

Layered candles are easy to prepare. Divide your wax into three and begin by melting a third of the wax and adding the scent and color that you would want at the bottom of the candle (or top depending on what type of mould you are using). Allow this to set until there is a film on the wax. Then prepare your next one third of wax, choosing your scent and color carefully, pour this into your mold and then repeat this step with the final amount of wax.

With a bit of creativity, you will truly be able to create soy scented candles that are sweet (or whatever your favorite scent type is) and definitely unique.

Jo Miller is a partner in Our Own Candle Company UK. To find out more about enjoying these quality soy blend, scented candles, please visit our website: http://www.ourowncandlecompanyuk.com or email her joanna@ourowncandlecompanyuk.com.

Getting 2 dogs to play together?

We are currently fostering a new dog and are deciding whether she fit's our family. We have 2 other dog's. One is a 13yr old boxer ( female ) and the other is a 5 yr old pitbull mix ( male). The dog we are fostering a a 1.5 yr old English Staffordshire.

All dogs seem to get along very well and everyone is friendly. But we were hoping that the new dog and our pitbul mix would be better friends. Right now they are nice to each other, but do not seem to be to interested in playing around with each other

When we introduced them they played around alot. So we figured it would be a good fit.

They have only been together for 2 day's, so perhaps they are still figuring each other out.

I am hoping in time they will learn to play together
Has anyone been through something like this ?

If they are nice to each other and don't fight a lot than I'm pretty sure they'll become great friends. It will just take a few weeks. Just be patient.

Staffordshire Figures - A Mini-Guide for Collectors (Adele Kenny)