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Family Financial, Health, and Recreation News
Holiday Decorating Tips: Christmas Candles
May 27, 2007
Posted in General Family @ 11:00 pmQuickly bookmark Holiday Decorating Tips: Christmas Candles at:
How to Light Up Your Home for Joy
Do you love the winter holiday season or does this time of year cause you stress? One way to lower your holiday stress, using fewer decorations, decreases your “just have to much to do” list.
However, you still want to display Christmas candles because these decorations bring smiles to you and your loved ones. As days grow shorter and cooler and the suns sets earlier, people naturally crave the warmth and comfort of light, especially natural sources such as a bonfire or the flame of a Christmas candle.
Christmas Candle Tips
Luminaries Save your energy and your money. You don’t need to line your entire sidewalk with luminaries. Get a similar effect with four large candles in clear glass containers near your front door. These glowing candles will welcome your guests without all the work of gathering bags, buying votive candles that just burn up fast, and shoveling all that sand.
Window Candles Many cultural holiday traditions include placing a lighted candle in front windows to be seen from the outside. Pamper yourself. Place a candle in any dark window at night. Rather than peering into a dark void, you’ll focus on the cheerful flame and feel comforted and uplifted.
Gift Yourself Create a nightly quiet ritual for yourself in a quiet place away from distractions and the hustle of the holidays. Place candles around your bathtub and unwind, or by your favorite reading chair and instead of reading sit in the quiet and reflect upon the brightness of a single candlelight. Listen to quiet music or simply enjoy the peace and stillness. Ponder the joys in your life and express gratitude. This quiet time may be your most treasured gift to yourself.
Candlelight Carol-Sing Recycle last year’s greeting cards by cutting each into a disk or rounding the edges, punch a hole in the center, and slide a taper candle half-way through the hole. Gather your friends and family around the piano or hearth and sing familiar Christmas carols as each person holds their own candlelight. Pause to reflect upon the fact that each individual brings their own special light to the world and recognize the common spiritual light in each of us.
Candle Night-Night When it’s time to settle the children down to bed on Christmas Eve, calm them with a soothing candlelight ritual. My daughter’s children walk to bed, each carefully carrying a lighted candle through a dark hallway, singing “Silent Night.”
Happy Holidays!
Jeanette Fisher
About the author:
Free holiday decorating ideas teleclass, “Interior Design Secrets to Glorious Holiday Decorating” and more holiday decorating tips Joy Holidays Decorating http://JoyHolidays.com
Read more about candles at our website.
Preserved Flower Candles
Posted in General Family @ 1:59 amQuickly bookmark Preserved Flower Candles at:
Preserved Flower Candles
Putting flowers in your candle will add a unique look, while preserving your favorite flower.
Written by Expressive Candles
We have been asked many times, how to put flowers and other objects on the outside of a candle. So, we’ll be showing you how it is done. The most important thing to remember is to be safe. Putting anything on your candle such as paint, dried flowers, ribbon and other objects, pose a fire risk. While this is unlikely to happen with this project, we need to warn you before hand. We do not recommend burning any candle that has flammable material on it.
To start with, you will need a few supplies. First and the most important is a big pillar candle, at least 3″ in diameter. This will help keep the flame out of reach of anything you put on the candle. You will also need to have a small white votive, or the same color votive as your pillar, an old pan to melt wax in, a paint brush, dried flowers or herbs and ribbon.
Candle making is an art, and requires exact precision in the melting process of the wax. Luckily you do not have to be exact in this project. Place the votive in your old pot; you will not be able to use this pot for food ever again. Next place the heat on Low Medium to Medium heat, DO NOT HEAT ON HIGH. The only thing we want to accomplish here is to melt the wax down to a liquid. As soon as the last solid piece melts, is when you turn the heat down to low.
Next, select what you will want to put on your candle. If you are using flowers and leaves, make sure they have been pressed. Take the paint brush and paint some melted wax onto the candle where you wish to place the flower. Place the flower on the wax before it hardens. The wax will harden quickly, securing the flower in place. Repeat this step for the leaves as well.
Another great idea is to place a picture on the candle using the method of painting the wax onto the candle. You can use many different things, but they must be flat.
After placing all your flowers and leaves onto the candle, we will need to seal the. The wax in your pot may have hardened some, so heat it on Medium Low to get the wax melted again. Brush the entire candle with wax. This will seal the flowers in place and give it a smooth finish. You might have to apply several coats. But if you use a picture, do not brush over it, this will ruin the picture and you will not be able to see the picture clearly.
Last you can tie a ribbon around your candle to top it off. Another idea is to use the melted wax and paint small metal beads onto the candle for further embellishment.
This project can be done in many different ways, using anything from flowers, herbs, pictures to beads and glitter. But keep in mind the safety of your candle. We recommend not burning candles with flammable materials on them. If you do decide to burn these candles, use large pillars, as the sides of the candle tend not to burn down. Have fun and Enjoy.
This Article was written by Michelle Gauthier info@expressivecandles.com
03/03/04 This article is copyright by www.ExpressiveCandles.com.
Expressive Candles offers Scented Hand Poured Candles and a growing collection of Candle Decorating and CandleScaping articles.
Read more about candles at our website.
Best Voip Services Best VoIP Services: What to Look For
May 26, 2007
Posted in General Family @ 8:00 amQuickly bookmark Best Voip Services Best VoIP Services: What to Look For at:
Today, the internet has provided a way for people to communicate for free. It virtually replaced conventional mails where it can be too slow for it to arrive to its destination. With emails, your letter can arrive to its destination in a matter of seconds. With this benefits, businesses and regular people alike are now taking advantage of emails as a way to communicate with their relatives at a faster rate and for free. Another… Please see our site at VOIP for more information.
Scented Candles
Posted in General Family @ 6:00 amQuickly bookmark Scented Candles at:
Not only do scented candles lend flattering, soft light and a special atmosphere to a room, they also fill the space with a wonderful fragrance of your choice. Even unscented candles burn away unpleasant smells, in or out of doors and they are as effective as any atomizer. (Any candle will burn away the smell of cigarette smoke and more effectively so if a little vanilla perfume is added to it.)
The longer a it burns, the more aromatic it will be. This is because the greater the area of molten wax, the more vapour and perfume is released. As container ones have a bigger pool of molten wax, they are particularly suited as scented candles.
If you like a richly scented candle, one way is to go for a larger container or mould and give it more than one wick. This will create a bigger pool of molten wax and thus a stronger aroma.
Scents or essential oils, herbs or aromatic flowers can also be added i.e. you can infuse the wax with these scents.
The best known, for utilitarian purposes, are probably those scented with citronella, as they will keep mosquitoes and midges at bay, in or out of doors. Generally, however, we associate them with romance, festivity and luxury. They can really do wonders for creating a general feeling or mood.
Adding perfume to candle wax makes the wax more liquid. This is the reason why most of them come in some kind of a container — a glass or jar of some kind, often terracotta. Used fragrances can be anything you like from heavy oriental fragrances to fresh floral scents.
Floating candles are usually scented; not only do they have a broad base, but the cool water helps to prevent the molten wax from becoming too liquid and messy. (Small foil cupcake holders make wonderful moulds for them!)
Generally speaking, they should not be lit before serving a meal their strong aroma, mixed with that of the food you have prepared, may not go well together. Light them after dinner, when you serve coffee.
One can choose from a wide range of fragrances — whatever suits your mood — rich, heady, strong fragrances such as jasmine or rose, or earthy woody scents such as sandalwood and cedar. Furthermore, aromatherapists will tell you that certain smells have certain effects on humans; their research tells you that some fragrances are soothing, relaxing and create a general feeling of well-being — Jasmine, Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Geranium.
For more information on Candles, please visit: http://www.custom-scented-candles.com
About The Author
Robert Simic
Author of http://www.custom-scented-candles.com.
Read more about candles at our website.
Some Thoughts On Planting Roses
May 20, 2007
Posted in General Family @ 1:00 pmQuickly bookmark Some Thoughts On Planting Roses at:
Although all kinds of gardening is my passion in life, nothing but nothing gives me greater pleasure than my beautiful rose garden. They are just so stunning, and I do really love the colors and the amazing varieties which are available. To get the best from your rose garden however there are quite a few important pointers to bear in mind, and I would like to share some of these with you. When the spring comes and the ground is thawed it is time to start planting your rose garden. Roses have actually been a cherished aphrodisiac since biblical times, and have been around for over 3000 years. Despite this, they still hold a particular mystery and fascination, not to mention the fact that they look and smell fantastic. One of the most important rules of growing roses is to plant the rose bush in an area that receives around 4 to 6 hours of sunlight every day. It is also advisable not to plant too many trees or other plants around the rose bush, because many of these are likely to either mix with the rose or stifle it’s growth. If you are replacing an old rose bush, approximately 1-1/2 cubic feet of old soil should be removed, and fresh soil added to replace it. When positioning your rose in the garden or landscape, make sure that you consider the growth characteristics of the rose in question. To give you an example, place climbers and ramblers along fences, trellises, or next to arches or pergolas. This location offers them unrestricted growth and greatly increases the potential for some superb looking blooms. Roses also look really beautiful in island beds mixed in with perennials, and miniature roses make great edging plants in front of the taller varieties. If you plant them singly, shrub roses can make excellent specimen plants, or they can be clustered to make a flowering hedge. You can also use them to camouflage unsightly parts of your garden. Dig a hole large enough for the root mass, and loosen the bottom of the hole. I suggest that you should also add some bone meal which is a slow acting source of phosphorus. This leads to healthy root growth in the rose plant. The plant should then be placed in the hole very carefully and the hole refilled with soil, making sure that the roots are properly covered. Water the rose plant well, and let it absorb the water before applying the final covering of soil. When this has been completed, water the plant some more and create a mound of soil about 6 inches high. The dome will keep the stems from drying out until the plant is rooted. Gradually remove the excess soil as the leaves start to open. Special care should be taken with the planting depth, which varies considerably according to the climate you live in. If you live in a colder area, plant a bit deeper and consult with other people growing roses in your area. If you are buying potted roses, you should plant them about 1 inch deeper than their potted level. The best time to plant roses varies depending on the winter temperature. Where temperatures don’t drop below -10 degrees F in either fall or spring, planting is satisfactory. If you live in an area where winter temperatures drop below -10 degrees F, spring planting is preferable. Plants should be planted in a dormant condition if purchased bare root, but container grown plants may be planted throughout the growing season. Spacing of the rose plant is highly influenced by the temperature. In regions where winters are severe, the rose plant does not grow so large as when in mild climates. Taking this into consideration, hybrid tea roses should be spaced 1-1/2 to 3 feet apart, but large vigorous growers such as hybrid perpetuals will need 3 to 5 feet of space, while the climbers need from 8 to 10 feet of space. If the winter temperature is below 10 degrees F, roses can grow healthily if proper care is taken, so the gardener must be prepared to endure that cold and probably wet experience. In colder areas, roses enjoy their last fertilization of the season by August 15th or thereabouts. These few pointers will help to ensure that your roses grow well, and bloom nicely all summer long. I would also like to share with you a few important additional thoughts on how you can avoid the diseases which can attack your roses. To make sure that your most prized roses are in the pink or even red of their health, simply follow these tips on dealing with the most common rose health problems. Black Spots On Leaves. This disease is commonly known as black spot. Black spots appear as circular with fringed edges on the leaves, and they cause them to yellow. The solution is to remove the infected foliage and pick up any fallen leaves around the rose. Artificial sprays can be used to prevent or treat this kind of rose disease. Stunted Or Malformed Young Canes. Known as powdery mildew, this is a fungal disease that covers leaves stems and buds with wind spread white powder. It makes the leaves curl and turn purple. Spray with Funginex or Benomyl to treat this particular disease which could totally ruin your rose garden. Blistered Underside Of Leaves. A disease of roses known as rust, it is characterized with orange-red blisters that turn black in fall. In spring it will attack the new sprouts, and this disease can even survive the winter. What you should do is to collect and discard leaves that are infected in fall, and also spraying Benomyl and Funginex every 7-10 days will help. Malformed Or Stunted Leaves And Flowers The one most likely cause of this is the presence of spider mites. These are tiny yellow red or green spiders which cling to the underside of the leaves. They will suck the juices from the leaves, but the application of Orthene or Isotox may help in treating this infestation. Weak And Mottled Leaves Showing Tiny White Webs Underneath. This might be caused by aphids, which are small soft-bodied insects which are usually brown green or red. Often found clustered under leaves and flower buds, they suck plant juices from tender buds. However Malathion or Diazinon spray may help roses to survive these bugs. Flowers That Do Not Open Or Are Deformed When They Do Open. Thrips could be the reason behind this deformation and unopened flowers, which is characterized with slender brown-yellow bugs with fringed wings thriving in the flower buds. They will also suck the juices from the flower buds, so therefore you should cut and discard all infested flowers. Using Orthene and Malathion will also treat this health problem with your roses. I do hope that the information I have given you regarding the diseases that you can find in roses will prove very helpful in making your rose gardening more rewarding and fruitful. About the author: Marie K Fisher is an avid gardening enthusiast with a passion for exotic flowers and wonderful colors. She is a regular contributor to Garden Center Showplace a leading online Garden Center. For more details of the superb range of products offered, and also more Featured Articles and Tips on Gardening visit gardencentershowplace
Read more about rose gardens at our website.
