Now that you’ve figured out what kind of wax you want to use as well as having your supplies the next thing you’ll want to do is, well–actually make the candles! First, pick a good work area and cover it with newspaper. You don’t want any of the wax to spill on the surface. Now it’s time to begin making candles! Votive candles are one of the easiest kind of candles to learn how to make. Following these directions will allow you to make simple, beautiful votive candles with ease. Step 1:    Melt your wax so that it remains between 170 and 185 degrees.  Step 2:    Add any additives you might need to the wax. This depends on what kind of wax you’re using, of course. If, for instance, your candles will be exposed to bright light, then you might want to consider adding something like a U-V inhibitor. This is not a necessary step, of course, so use your own judgment. At this point, you may also add any candle dye and/or fragrance to the wax mix. Step 3: Pour the wax! Once the wax is at approximately 175 degrees or so, pour the wax into the votive mold, making sure that it fills to the lip. Any more or less than this and the votive might either overflow or create lines in the candle once it is removed. Be careful! You should have some leftover wax at this point, which you will use later on. Step 4: Add the wicks. Once the wax begins to cool and congeal, straigthen your wick and stick it into the votive candle. The tab, of course, should stick to the bottom. Step 5: Repour the wax. When the wax already in the candle mold has cooled, you will notice it has sunken down a bit. This is where you use the remainder of the wax. Melt this wax to about 185-195 degrees this time and pour it onto the votive mold until it reaches the very top. Try not to spill! Step 6: Once your candle is completely cool, remove it from the votive mold. Don’t get antsy–make sure they really are completely cool or else they wont come out. If, for some reason, you do get antsy and it doesn’t work, stick the candle in the freezer and it should be ready to go within 10 minutes. Congratulations–you’ve just made your first votive candle! You may now consider candle making one of your new favorite hobbies!

Once you’ve decided what kind of wax you want to use the rest of the supplies are fairly easy to come by.  However, there are a few things you’ll want to consider before purchasing your candle making supplies. Here are the main things you’ll need in order to successfully make your own candles: A heat source: This one is obvious. An electric stove, for instance, works nicely. Wick: The wicks are a bit more difficult as there are a couple different kinds, the main ones being either: -Flat: the most commonly used wicks, best for pillar and taper candles. They are also the most popular wicks. -Square: also used in taper and pillar candles, but work especially well with beeswax -Cored: these have a “core” that keeps the wick straight, making them best for jar candles, votives, and the like. Container: Another obvious one, as you need a container to hold the wax. If you’d like, be creative in picking out your container, using different shapes and sizes. You can use old jars you have around the house, or you can purchase a new one at a craft store. Wax: See Guide to Candle Making Part 1: Choosing the wax Fragrance: Fragrance is not necessary, but it sure can be a lot of fun! Take your time picking out your favorite fragrance. Make sure, of course, that you don’t put too much fragrance in the candle, or the results could be, ummm, bad. More on this in a future article. And that’s it! The only other thing you’ll need is a match to light it, and you’re ready to go! Is candle making one of your favorite hobbies yet? If not, it will be soon! http://ricaanderson.com/blog/candle-making-part-1-choosing-the-wax

While it’s true that it may be both faster and easier to buy store-bought candles, there’s something decidedly fun about making your own. Yes, making your own candles means you get to choose exactly what color, size, and shape the candles are in addition to being choosy about things like, well, what kind of wax you want to use. Typically, parafin, beeswax, and soy are the best kinds of wax to use for candle making, but it really all depends on your goals for the candle. Either way, you’re sure to have fun. And remember: if the candle doesn’t turn out like you expected the first time, don’t worry! There’s always room for improvement. Now get ready to indulge in what just might be one of your favorite hobbies-candle making. Step 1: Choosing the Wax. Choosing the Wax First, it’s important to know that there are several different types of wax within each category. The main thing to look for is what is called the “melting point” so that you know, for instance, to purchase a wax with a higher melting point if it’s going to be put in a warm room, or that you you can get away with a lower melting point if it’s colder. There are, it should be said,, several types of wax but in my opinion three of the very best are paraffin, soy, and beeswax. Here are the main differences between the waxes: Paraffin: Paraffin is the most popular type of candle wax and it also happens to be the cheapest (probably part of the reason it’s so popular!). Paraffin is a petroleum based wax and, like other waxes, can come in either blended or non-blended form. As a note, lots of people prefer blended wax and, because both prep time and the likelihood of making an error are reduced, it’s probably best for the beginner. Non-blended wax, on the other hand, is great for a more skilled candle maker. Beeswax: Beeswax is more expensive than paraffin, but I happen to like working with it myself. Many people, however, find it a bit of a hassle–the wax is sticky and the melting point is low, for instance–but it all really depends. On another note, the color in beeswax tends to vary in comparison to paraffin wax, so if you’re aiming for perfection or if you’re a beginner, paraffin may be the way to go. However, if you’re out to have fun and to get a bit messy, you may want to consider beeswax instead. Soy: Soy is slowly becoming a popular candle wax due, in part, to the recent boom in environmental sustainability–which is exactly what’s so great about soy wax! It’s renewable and biodegradable. It is, however, a lot softer than the other waxes, so you want to make sure to add hardener as well as to use a container. That said, soy wax is a great choice for many candle makers. There are, it should be noted, other types of waxes as well–gel wax, for example, though I’ve personally never used them. Stay tuned for the rest of the articles in the series, which will teach you exactly how to use your paraffin, beeeswax, or soy.

Hold onto those special moments and own an everlasting reminder of your baby's first steps. Your child's tiny bronzed baby shoes will afford you many precious memories. Want to know how to make a bronze shoe or a bronze baby shoe? Here's an easy how-to bronze baby shoe. "BRONZING OBJECTS" - Bronzing Objects can be a creative as well as lucrative hobby. You can bronze keepsakes and give them an antique look. To start with, here is an example of how to bronze your your baby's first set of shoes. You can treasure the memory of your child's first steps forever by bronzing his first set of baby shoes. And you can do it yourself relatively inexpensively and easily. Your first step will be to clean the shoes thoroughly. With a damp rag, clean the shoes of all dirt and polish. It is best to complete the cleaning by rubbing the shoes with a rag saturated in denatured alcohol. All wax and polish must be removed. Now allow the shoes to dry. Next you will want to arrange the shoes as you want them to be bronzed. Tie the laces and arrange them properly. Adjust the tongue so that it touches the sides of the shoe. You may want to hold the laces and tongue in place with a little rubber cement. Now drive a tiny hole through the sole of each shoe and loop a string or wire around it. You are now ready to begin bronzing. To prepare your liquid bronze use bronze, copper or gold powder and mix the powder with a fast drying spar varnish, stirring well and adding the powder until you have a liquid about like paint. Stir to prevent particles from settling on the bottom. You will probably want to mix a fresh batch of the liquid bronze for each job. To apply the bronze, use a good camel hair brush and paint shoes, inside and out, with several coats. If there are dull spots when the liquid dries, it means the liquid has soaked right into the material and more coats are needed until the finish is even and glossy. Hang up each shoe by the loop of string to dry between coats and clean the brush each time. When the final coat is dry, you can create an "antique" effect by mixing a little burnt umber or black color in oil with the bronzing liquid and painting it into the creases of the shoe with a small brush. If you would like the shoes to be heavy and rigid, fill them with plaster of paris to about 1/2" from the top and let them dry for several days before starting to paint. You will find bronze powder at any good paint or hardware store or even a printing supply house. You will be amazed at the very professional job you have done using this method. Perhaps you will do such a good job and enjoy it so much you may want to begin a service doing it for others. It is really a lovely way to make your treasured memories last forever" - Rica Anderson

Size: If your photo is small, approx. 2.5 x 3.75" the photo needs to be enlarged to twice the original size. This needs to be done within the scanning program, before the final scan. Most people make the mistake of scanning the photo, saving it, then trying to enlarge the photo in their photo program. This results in a grainy poor quality photo if you do very much enlarging. How do you know if you have scanned the photo to a large enough size for my use? It's simple: When you view your scanned photo on your monitor and it fills up at least half your screen, the size is perfect for my use! Do not worry that the scanned image is so large because the bigger the view, the closer I can see. It’s easy to reduce the size of a photo but I cannot easily enlarge the size without the photo becoming very fuzzy/blurry. Scanning Resolution: Scan at 100 or 150 dpi. I try to keep the resolution good enough so people can print a good quality photo from the web site, so do not scan at resolutions lower than 100 dpi. Scanning Rules: Save the photo in .jpg format. No .bmp or .tiff files excepted, please Do not "edit" the photo, i.e. contrast/brightness, smudging/blending Do not add text descriptions to the photo. Do not place the photo in a WORD file to send me. Send only the photo. Always, always - did I mention the word "always"? crop your pictures BEFORE you do the final scan using the scanner's preview mode. After the quick preview shows up on your screen, crop the image by drawing a box around the area you want scanned. Never scan the white background along with the photo, for three good reason: The scanner's automatic brightness and contrast adjustment will think the white background is part of the picture and will adjust the image quality badly; the image will be much bigger than it has to be, making the resulting file unwieldy and the scan will take a lot longer. If any of the above instructions are confusing to you, do not worry. Just scan your photo and send it to me and I will tell you know if it is usable or not and try to help you with your scanning process, if needed. Send your photo to: info@ElizaricaAnderson.com IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A SCANNER You may mail your photos to me and I will return your originals along with your portrait painting ones done. I can offer you references that vouch for my quick turn around time. I know how important your photos are to you, as my father's are to me. Please contact me before sending your photos so that I will know when to expect them. It is best if you mail your photos so that they arrive to me during the week. If I am out of town for the weekend I do not want your photos sitting in my mailbox while I am away, it may rain. Be sure to package your photos so they will not be damaged. I recommend placing the photos in a box. If you use a mailing envelope you should add a layer of cardboard inside the envelope. Write on the envelope "Photos - Do Not Bend". Contact me for instructions for sending your photos: Info@ElizaricaAnderson.com or just mail it to: Elizarica Luga Anderson 5122 Silver Acres Court San Jose CA 95138

Just remember, if you send us a blurry, grainy or dark photograph of your baby, then it will be hard for me to capture their expressions or see their real features. So here are some tips on how to take the best photograph of your child. If I receive a photograph which I feel wont work, we will contact you immediately so you can send us another photograph. TIME OF DAY The best time to take photographs of your new baby is usually right after he or she eats or wakes up from a nap. Fussy babies and photography do not mix, unless you are actually going after that crying baby face. THINK ABOUT COLORS Even if I can change or use a color for your portrait, it is still a good idea to think about what colors you would like to be in the paiting. Dress your baby in comfortable clothes that have a hint of color. Busy patterns are distracting from the baby so keep things simple, plain color. Or you can simply just have a diaper on her and add a small toy. It is best if the background is light. Lay your baby on a white or light colored blanket. Please avoid dark colors. Focus, Focus, Focus! Focus on the baby's eyes. Take your time and make sure the photo is in focus. If you send me a blurry out of focus photo it will be very hard for me to see what your baby's real features are. Lighting Use bright lighting. Make sure that the baby's face has no shadows covering it. You want to show off that beautiful face, not hide it with a shadow. Use lighting from a window or use a flash along with other lamps or bright lights. Avoid photographs taken in bright sunlight. Avoid taking the picture with any back lighting, (i.e. placing the baby with it's back in front of the window) as your baby's face will be dark. The best photos are those with a nice soft light on their face. Move in close Fill your frame with your baby. Don't leave too much room around her. Avoid having other items in the photograph unless it is a small toy or item you would like us to hand tint. Just make sure the small object is not by the baby's face. Don't forget to remove the pacifier as it too will distract from that beautiful face. When looking through the camera's view finder, look at the area around the baby and make sure the blanket is the only thing in the background. Baby acne and scratches Love the photo but where did that scratch come from? It is very common for a baby to scratch their face or have baby acne. Don't worry, I won't include it on the painting and make them look flawless!! The Film and The Camera The best type of film to use is 200 speed film. Not 400 or 800 speed film. It will be too grainy. Please send us a sharp focused color photograph. We will convert it to black and white. Use a camera that has a lens that will focus. Please do not use a disposable camera. Take lots of pictures! Sometimes you can take a whole roll of film to get one great photograph. If that is what it takes then do it. It will be worth the effort. Can I send a professional photograph? Yes you can! The nicer the better!