OIF: Altering a Candle

Every month, I provide the assignment of homework to my club members as a monthly contest I hold. This contest is named, "Operation:Inky Fingers," otherwise known as OIF. This month's contest is Altering a Candle. Altering a candle is so easy and fun! Following are the steps and pictures to complete this process and make an inexpensive, yet impressive gift for someone. I will also have this project as one of 3 gifts to make in my "Thrifty Gifty" class in November. Contact me at loristamps@gmail.com to reserve your workspace for this class, or to learn more information about this or my other classes.

Supplies needed: white tissue paper, stamps/ink, pastels or markers, candle, and heat tool.

Step 1: Stamp on tissue paper, and lightly color the image without ripping the tissue (pastels are recommended, as they do not wet or deteriorate the paper).

Step 2: Cut around the images of your stamp, leaving a space around the image. The first picture demonstrates this.

Step 3: Place the image onto the candle and hold tightly in place by holding a piece of wax paper around the candle.

Step 4: Lightly heat the candle with your heat tool, just long enough to grab onto the tissue paper and for the edges to disappear. You will notice that the tissue begins to disappear and the wax paper looks as though it is sweating. The picture doesn't clearly show the image edges disappearing... you have to trust me on this one. ;) See second picture for a demonstration of Step 3 and 4.

Step 5: Peel off the wax paper. ENJOY!

Note: I find that a cream or white pillar candle works best for this process, but the candle can be of any color and shape or size. Nervous? Make a test version on an inexpensive votive candle. Any additional embellishments should be added to the bottom third of the candle, and candles should never be left unattended.