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Keeping a Candle Making Journal

May 7, 2011 by SandraW

Writing photo by CierpkiA candle making journal is necessary when you’re experimenting with different candle wax formulas, shapes, scents and wicks.

You’ll want to record some of these things in your candle journal: type of wax used, whether there were any additives, amount of scent, dye and size of wick.

(Writing photo by Cierpki)

Temperature of the wax

Another thing to record is the temperature of the wax when poured as well as the actual temperature in your home. These things can really affect how your candle turns out. For example, with palm wax, it feathers (crystallizes) much more if it’s poured hot and cools down slowly. If it cools too fast, it might not feather at all. On the other hand, some waxes like container blends and soy work better poured at a lower temperature because they’ll shrink less and appear smoother in their containers.

Usually, the candle supplier will include directions for the ideal temperature for pouring your wax. Sometimes, when you’re mixing waxes and additives, you need to figure this out yourself.

Write down how the formula worked out

Besides all these details, the thing that matters the most in your candle making journal is the end result. The reason it’s so important to record what you’re doing is that like cooking, sometimes you inadvertently stumble upon some magic recipe and if you don’t keep track of what you did, it stinks not being able to create that same effect.

Once you have a few failures and successes under your belt, you can hopefully duplicate your successes consistently. Also, if you have the perseverance, you can fine tune your candle making failures by adjusting your wax formula, temperature or wick.

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Designer Spotlight: Bad Stitched

I came across the Etsy shop Bad Stitched when I was looking for bookmark cross stitch patterns and found their adorable pride bat bookmark, which I didn’t share then because I was going for more of a back to school vibe, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you love rainbows and bats. 

This Etsy shop is big on whimsy and color, but not on organization, as there are not categories. Still, as of this writing there were only a little more than 60 patterns, so it’s small enough to scroll through. 

In keeping with the theme of the bat bookmark, there are a lot of designs with animals and insects in different colors. Another one that caught my in this neon cicada with a crescent moon and stars. This one is 85 by 70 stitches and uses 16 colors. On 14 count fabric it comes out to 6 by 5 inches, or 15.4 by 12.7 cm. 

You’ll also find patterns with animals such as mice, a snail, a jellyfish, a wolf, a corgi in a birthday hat, a fat seal and other bat designs. There are several mushroom designs, a pirate frog, and a scuba diving ghost (among other ghostly designs). You’ll find cats and mythical characters, a mouse thinking about eating strawberries and more. 

There’s also an ebook full of mushroom designs, and another of creepy creatures for Halloween and beyond. There’s also a Pantheon bundle, full of gods, goddesses, characters from mythology, three amphora designs and a Greek inspired font. 

If these sorts of designs sound like something you’d like to stitch, check out Bad Stitched on Etsy. 

Know of a cross stitch designer (or are you a cross stitch designer) who should be featured in the designer spotlight? Let me know by leaving a comment or sending a note through the “suggest a DIY” link at the top of the page. 

[Photo: Bad Stitched]

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