For centuries, the main fuel for candles was tallow. While tallow did burn, tallow doesn’t make a good candle. They create a lot of smoke when they burn and they smell badly. For these reasons, paraffin rapidly overtook tallow as a candle material choice once it was developed.

However, paraffin is a residual of the petroleum refining process. That’s why people have been interested in developing a “green” alternative to paraffin. Soy candle wax resulted from this search.

Soy beans have a high fat content and soybean oil is derived from them. However, soybean oil isn’t solid so when it’s original form it can’t be used for making candles. But that can be changed.

Whether a fat is liquid or solid at room temperature depends on how many hydrogen molecules it contains. Fat molecules contain hydrogen atoms and a fat is “saturated” if it can’t hold any more hydrogen. It’s possible to saturate an unsaturated fat by adding hydrogen. That makes the oil solid at room temperature.

Now that description admittedly simplifies the situation, and different manufactures treat the oil different ways, but the end result is a candle wax from a renewable resource.

One difficulty with pure soy wax is that it is relatively soft. this means it’s great for making container candles but not so great for making pillars that need to stand on their own. Candle makers can compensate for that problem by blending soy wax with paraffin and hardening additives. If you do that, the resultant wax can be used for many more types of candles.

But many people want to use 100% soy wax, in which case they will probably get the best results if they stick to container candles. I’m sure you’ve seen and probably even have used container candles. The most common ones are jars such as canning jars or apothecary jars filled with wax. Other styles of candles are removed from the mold when the wax hardens. With container candles, the candle remains in its “mold”.

Of course there is much more to learn about soy wax and how to use it. One the best sites I’ve found to get more information is:

Soy Candle Wax

And of course if you’re looking into soy candle wax you’ll probably be interested in how to make a candle with. You can learn about the insiders techniques at: How to Make Soy Candles.

Better yet, I suggest you take a look at the e-book Home Candle Making Made Easy.

That book reveals insider secrets on all aspects of candle making from selecting what type of wax to use for specific situations, what additives to use and when, the best way to scent candles, and so much more… Getting the information this book will guarantee your success.

Candle making is a wonderful hobby. Get Home Candle Making Made Easy today and get started.

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Making Earrings Made Simple

As the holidays get closer, we know there will be some people we want to give presents to.  Yet, if you don’t have a big budget, what can you do?   Well, you can make them a gift!

A simple thing you can create is jewelry.Jewelry is a gift that can be used longer than baked goods. Additionally, sometimes it is even cheaper.   Here are 2 easy types of jewelry to make: beaded earrings or bracelets.  Earrings are usually cheaper to make as there are less beads involved.If you shop well, acrylic beads for making bracelets can be quite affordable.For larger gifts, give the person a matching set! So lets go over how to make jewelry!

Getting Started

First you need to get supplies.  Most craft stores will have what you need.  For either project you need: beads, round nose pliers and wire cutters.  For earrings you will also want earwires, headpins and tweezers; for bracelets, you need memory wire.  Many people will make both and then mix and match as appropriate.

Realize that nicer beads creates better looking jewelry.  Sometimes you can get freshwater pearls rather inexpensively that makes wonderful jewelry.

Making The Jewelry

Both types of jewelry need loops to be created.  These are easily created using you round nose pliers.Wirecutters make trimming off extra wire a snap.

For earrings: slip your beads onto each headpin, create a loop at the end of the headpin. Then, attach the headpin to the earwire.

For bracelets: create a starting loop, add beads, and then close it off with a loop.

Nice Touches

Putting the earrings on cardboard or a blank business card makes them look more professional.   Having the earrings or bracelet in a small plastic baggie helps make certain that the beautiful jewelry won’t be damaged.  If you have extra jewelry boxes around, these help even more.

Enjoy giving these great gifts!

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But poor Mr. Goodyear did not benefit financially from his invention, though he was publicly honored by the Emperor of France, Napoleon himself, and recognized with many prestigious decorations.  His invention, however, went on to find many applications that would change the world.  One of these was dentures.  Rubber was a superior material for dentures, which in those days were often made of metal or even wood.Dentists had long been making their own dentures, and one of these many dentists had a curious nephew that realized the potential of rubber and eventually wound up manufacturing rubber stamps for the U.S. Postal Service.  This nephew was a certain Mr. James Woodruff, is often credited with having invented the quality rubber stamp we know today.  But there are, actually, many different accounts for the invention of rubber stamps, depending on exactly how a rubber stamp is defined, with one even stretching all the way back to the ancient Mayans!  This version just presented is among the most widely accepted accounts for the rubber devices which we today would most immediately recognize as being a rubber stamp.

Another very popular and generally acknowledged account of the invention the rubber stamp involves a Mr. L.F. Witherell, who went so far as to compose a document titled “How I Came to Discover the Rubber Stamp,” in which he claimed to have been inspired during work as a foreman at a wooden pump manufacturing facility.  According to Mr. Witherell, a problem developed one day with the paint that was used to mark the pumps.  The paint would run and hide necessary information underneath blotches.  Mr. Witherell came upon the notion of making stencils out of the thin sheets of rubber packing laying around.  But while making the stencil, he thought further and decided to simply create thick letters out of the rubber, then glue them to a backing of wood, with which he could make many impressions of the necessary marks.

The one account held least likely concerns a Mr. Henry C. Leland, who was actually championed at the time by none other than the “Stamp Trade News,” published by a manufacturer of rubber stamps.But whatever its origins, there is no doubt that the rubber stamp itself has left quite an impression on our lives.

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But how can you be so sure that a lot of people will try to buy your candles? Are there any useful things that they can do with candles aside from providing light in the dark? After all, almost everybody will prefer flashlights over candles, would you agree? Well, you’re right. So, when you get to learn to make candles and will try to sell them for a profit, what will people to do them?

There are lots of hobbies that anyone can go for right now and surprisingly, aside from collecting stamps or collecting butterflies, others would go for candle collections. Of course, the candles should be in different styles: different colors, shapes, sizes and different materials, of course, the main material is wax. But that’s true, other people really want to collect candles and if you want to sell these items to them, you can try to find a book guide to help you make those candles and be prepared to learn where to find candle making supplies so you will have an ample supply to make those candles.

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The Hornby name has been synonymous with top quality model railway systems since 1920 when Frank Hornby introduced his first, clockwork train. This early model was powered with a clockwork, wind up motor. Hornby soon introduced an electric model that required a mains supply of 100 to 250 volts. Hornby subsequently developed a far safer system that used a potential of only 6 volts.

There are many, varied Hornby train sets, from beginner level through to enthusiast. Interacting with your children is enormously beneficial for them and a model train system can provide the basis for that interaction. It provides a basis for communication, cooperation and can be immensely educational. Its also a fantastic way for parents to engage and bond with their children.

Once built a model railway provides a fantastic stimulus for creative play. Children can use their imaginations to make up stories about the trains and people around the track. A few accessories like buildings and model people can really bring the railway system alive.

Play is well known to be essential in a childs development. Parents playing with their children is particularly beneficial. Playing with your children is one of the best ways to learn about them. You will find out what interests them, where they have particular skills and what concerns them. Encouraging your child to make up stories that involve their model railway system is a great way to stimulate their creativity. It’s also an excellent way to see how your child is developing.

I recall the fun I had building a model rail system with my father. He clearly enjoyed the process of setting up the track and getting the system working and his enthusiasm was infectious. He and I would make up elaborate stories involving the people around the track, the stations and the trains.

So if you are looking for a way to interact with your young children I suggest that you consider a little train set.

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