Stamping on a Candle Weekend Project

I just LOVE stamping on a candle!  You don't actually stamp on the candle.  You stamp on tissue paper and then heat set it to the candle.  

I got this fun battery operated candle at the Dollar Tree!!!  They have them in several colors too! What a nice inexpensive gift to give too!!  I bought a few of them and want to make some winter or Christmas ones too! Please read through all of the instructions before you begin this.

I used the "Gently Falling" set for my leaves.  I used an old spectrum pad though you can make your own by using a folded paper towel and some inkers.  Because this is a two step stamping set I used the solid leaf first.   Then I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the leaf outline.  I stamped that using Black StazOn.

Next you cut the images out to about 1/8" outside the edge.  I did cut some of mine right up to the edge because the ink went over the edge and I didn't like it.  

I also sponged in a bit of Old Olive ink on the leaves. There were some open white areas on the leaves and I wanted them filled in.  

Once I got everything cut out I set them in place on the candle.  To make them stay I just held my thumb there for a few seconds.  The heat of my thumb helped press the image into the wax.   After I got all the images set in place I took a piece of waxed paper and wrapped it around the candle and I held the candle by holding the ends of the waxed paper together in the back.  

I heat set the images. You can watch them turn "wet" as you are moving the heat tool around.  Don't hold it in one spot very long.  A build up of wax on top of the waxed paper doesn't mean your candle is ruined.  The wax on the candle can seep through the waxed paper.  What you need to do is make sure you let the wax cool off completely before removing the waxed paper.  If you remove it while those puddles or drips are still soft, wet or shinny looking your candle will not have the same smoothness all around. Just set it down and walk away for a minute.  It's tough to do but being too anxious to see the end result is not always good.

I have a very helpful tip for you here. This candle is really plastic with a wax coating.  A thin wax coating.  What you need to do is be quick with the heating.  The wax used here melts quickly so keep that heat tool moving.  I would not recommend using a lot of images on your candle.  The wax is just too thin for that.   You may be able to heat one and let it set up and then move to the next one.  I didn't like how mine set so I wrapped a new sheet of waxed paper over it and reheated it.  NOT a good idea.  I saw the white plastic holder below.  I am not sure how to fix it.  I suppose I could heat up some wax and brush it on top but it may make the leaves look cloudy.  I'm going to keep this one for myself because I do like the leaves on it.  But for my winter/Christmas ones I'm going to do just one image and heat once and quickly!!!  I thought I would share that tip with you.  I know it's only a dollar for the candle but you don't want to mess it up if you can avoid it!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda