Tag Art Tuesday - An Art-full evening with friends...

The Tags for our centerpiece....3 different techniques  

Our first Tag Art Tuesday was a HUGE success!!! It was art filled evening with friends and family.  My Tag Art Tuesdays are a time where I can give and share with my friends the love of creating.  It's a time where we can disconnect from the busyness of life and relax with a little art and play.  It's time where the only cost is a sweet dessert or a simple appetizer.  It's a time where friends can invite their friends that will become friends  I haven't met yet.  It's a time to connect with thoughts and ideas and put it down on a simple art tag.  It's a blessed time.  Thank you to my friends who came to our first Tag Art Tuesday!! And for those of you who live near, there is another Tag Art Tuesday on October 13th!!  

Here are a few pictures of our time in the studio...I wish I had taken a picture of everyone's tags.  It was amazing to see their personalities emerge on the paper.  I loved everyone's creative spirit and sharing ideas with others.  

Until next time, I hope you'll find time to create even if it's just a little tag....and celebrate the 

creativity in your heart!!

Collage and Paste paper technique 

Follow your art 

I love this one- using distress inks, ICE RESIN® paper...Celebrate!!!

Look how organized the table is...we haven't started yet:)

listening so intently...these ladies were great!!!

That's my sweet momma, who knows so much more than me,
but still is enthusiastic about learning new techniques,

I clear my table of all my stuff to make room for the gals....normally you cannot see the top:)

One of my sweet friends looking through an old dictionary...I assured her it was ok to cut, even tear it!!

Look at those happy faces- the look of an He{Art}-filled evening!!
My mom had left just minutes before - Do you notice the table now??

For the last days of summer - DIY Soy Citronella Candles in Rescued Pottery

My favorite - a 9 wick hand poured citronella candle in a handmade pottery dish. 

Recently, while perusing a favorite home decor website, I came upon "One of a kind" hand poured citronella 12 wick candles in reclaimed pottery.  The price tag was hefty at $115.  While they were beautiful, I felt that they were not truly one of a kind, since the item was on this well-known  website and there were many in stock.  So with my reclaim and restore Spirit, I set out to find and rescue pottery that had been given up for it's original purpose.  My youngest daughter and I headed out to our local treasure stores and it only took two stops and I had 4 pottery bowls with low sides and interesting texture and color.  For around $10, I had the base for 4 candles. I have made the two largest ones so far, due to the fact that I ran out of wicks.   Don't worry though they are on my shopping list.  Gathering the rest of the supplies from my "candle studio" aka the laundry room, I was ready to create the hand poured citronella candles.  Using soy flakes is a candle maker's dream.  Simply place soy flakes in a glass measuring cup (specific for candle making), put in the microwave and heat at intervals of 30 seconds to 1 minute until all is melted.  Once melted add the scent, stir and "hand pour" into your prepared pottery.  This is an easy candle making process for those who just want to dabble in it or if you want to create a candle haven.  I've made soy candles in cute mason jars, tins and whatever I have on hand. The scents can be as wide and diverse as you would like.  For these candles, only a few supplies are needed but the reward is great!   Your outdoors will never look or smell as good and those pesky summer bugs will have to find another backyard to gather.  If you would like to make you own, hand poured citronella candles, the step by step technique is below.

Hand poured 3 wick citronella candle 

Close up of pottery piece, not old but pretty 

Getting ready to pour more melted soy wax into the 9 wick pottery 

Gather

2 cups soy flakes---*find it here 

1 glass measuring cup from the treasure store/garage sale...*set aside for candle making* 

Citronella scented oil (for candle use) ---* find it here 

Wooden spoon

Small wicks---* find it here 

Wick adhesive tabs

Pottery or dish of choice

pencils/dowels/skewers

cookie sheet 

parchment paper

Make

1.  Wash and dry pottery

2.  Place a small adhesive tab onto bottom of metal piece of wick and place on the bottom of the pottery.  repeat with the number of wicks desired

3.  In a 1 or 2  cup glass measuring cup, pour soy flakes into cup.  Heat in microwave for 1 minute then 30 second intervals until all is melted. 

4.  Remove with potholder as the cup will be hot and pour scented oil into melted soy flakes and stir with wooden spoon. 

5.  Gently hand pour the melted wax into the prepared pottery. Let rest until the wax is set.  I place the pottery onto a parchment lined cookie sheet as to catch any wax that might spill as I pour. 

**If wicks are long, wrap the excess wick around a pencil or dowel to secure the wick, remove pencil/dowel once the melted wax has hardened.  Trim wick to desire length.  See above picture.**

**Most items are available through amazon or your local craft store. **

I hope you'll take a moment to add your own DIY candles and bring them to the great outdoors.  Until next time, happy melting!! (In Texas, that could be taken literally or figuratively, it's a sunny 103 today)