Transferring images to candles

To go with the bookmarks I showed on Monday here for Annie and Jo, I made these:

Before I list what I used, there are some things you might find handy if you decide to have a play at transferring images to candles.

Here's a very good little tutorial - I had made one of these previously for a friend in 2011 but did refer to the tutorial to remind myself.

Secondly, the first time I made a candle like this back in 2011 I used ordinary greaseproof paper. In fact looking at the post just now I did add a few piccies and details of the whole process. Anyhow, this time I used some of the waxed paper I'd bought for using with intricate dies and it really is considerably better. Joanna Sheen stocks it here, but sadly it's only for shipping within the UK.

Thirdly, and I have no idea how you can work this one out at the point of purchase - I bought ivory coloured candles. My first go at the poppies candle almost left me in tears - right at the very end of the heating process, a chunk of ivory wax over half an inch square and about an eighth of an inch thick came away, leaving white wax showing. So, IF you can find plain white candles I'd go for those as it looks as if the ones I used had a final dipping into ivory wax just as a thick coating - the lovely WOYWW Julia knew about this 'fenominum' when we spoke last week. However, I got there in the end on the second attempt!

I used:

- pillar candles, these were approx. 6" high and 2.5" wide. Mine were from the TU range at Sainsburys, thankfully I bought a box of four 'cos I needed a third one after the 'blip' I just wrote about

- stamps used are poppies from Hero Arts' 'Delicate Blossoms' set and mixed flowers from Kanban's 'Stamp 06' set. Stamped with Stazon black ink pad onto white tissue paper and coloured with Whispers pens to match yesterday's bookmarks

- then trimmed each image quite closely, placed onto a candle and covered with wax paper, leaving plenty to hold round the back of the candle whilst heating the front over the image with the heat gun

- you can see the image changing colour through the wax paper which lets you know that it's being slightly absorbed into the candle wax

Then I just wrapped them in cellophane with a piece of knotted ribbon on top - and added little glass dishes to stand them on so the girls didn't have to go hunting for old saucers.

Do have a play if you haven't already tried this one - it's great fun!

Di
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