simple soy candles (tutorial)

A little over a month ago I made these little soy candles and only now am I finally getting around to writing about it. I had to wait until I gifted them and tested them out to make sure they were worth sharing and thankfully, they are! 

I haven't really had time or resources to make them look pretty, but I kind of like how they're unfussy & pure white. Sometimes simple is best. Plus, the scents are delicious! I made apple pie, vanilla sky & unscented. Since some people have asked how I made them, I figured I'd share the details here. There are definitely a ton of ways to make these, but this method worked for me. I used this tutorial as my main guide.

[Simple Soy Candles]

Buy or find:
- Soy wax flakes (I used Yaley brand)

- Medium soy wicking
- Medium wax clips
- Mason jars

- Candle fragrance (optional)

- Candy thermometer

- Large micro-waveable measuring cup/glass jar

- Glue gun/sticks or wick tack

- Baking sheets
- Chopsticks or clothespins
- Pliers

Do this:

Preheat oven to lowest setting. Pour some wax chips into your glass measuring cup & microwave on high for 4 minutes. If flakes remain, keep melting and stirring with a chopstick until it is all melted down like this.

The temperature of my wax needed to get to 180F so keep on microwaving and retaking the temperature! Follow the instructions on your box & don't forget to remove the thermometer before microwaving! Once the wax reaches 180 you'll need to let it cool to about 120-130F. While it's cooling, prepare your jars.

 Put them on a baking sheet (without their covers) and heat them for 5 mins or so. While they are heating up, take a piece of wicking and measure it so it hangs about 2 inches above your jar and cut. Stick one end into your wick clip, leaving the long end out where the clip sticks up and pinch with your pliers. I know that's mega-confusing, so just look.

Hot glue the bottom of your wick clip to the middle of the inside of your heated jars and arrange them on the baking tray like these ones. Use chopsticks on the tops to keep the wicks standing straight.

Work quickly. If your jars cool down too much you should reheat them. It's okay to put the wick in the oven!

If you're adding fragrance, now is the time. I put in at least 30 drops for 500ml of wax flakes. Add fragrance & stir it up gently. Now slowwwwly pour your wax (cooled to 120-130F) into the jars. Pour a little bit over the wick to help it stand up. 

Let the candles cool for a few hours and DO NOT move the baking sheet. If you do move it the wax will separate from the jar or you may get an uneven top.

Once they've cooled, trim your wicks and you're all done!

Avoid using your new candles for 24-48 hours. They'll last longer if the wax has had a chance to fully set and harden.

Photo credi : Val (one of the gift-recipients and my bestie)

When you finally do get to light them, they'll make you want to cuddle up and watch a movie. They're that cozy. And although soy wax doesn't hold smell as well as paraffin wax, they have a nice soft scent that's not overpowering.

I hope you like them... If you have any questions, feel free to let me know in the comments. 

Thank you for visiting my blog!

Merry Christmas!

FYI: I'm not one of those crazy pet owners who treat their dog like their child. I'm in denial. Really though, we took her because it was a fundraiser for the SPCA. Since we got her from an SPCA shelter, we can't help but donate when we get the chance. We're so thankful to be able to have her. She definitely makes our lives a bit more exciting....

We brought Abby to get her picture taken with Santa at our local Pet Valu a couple weeks ago and this was the result. They had her sitting by Santa's legs for a bit and then decided to put her on the unwilling Santa's lap. She was looking all around and squirming and then all of a sudden her ears perked up and she smiled for a split second and SNAP. This was the winner. 

Just look at that smile! Isn't she precious? I laughed for a solid 5 minutes when I first saw the photo... mostly because I saw how hard it was to get her to pay attention initially. But the treats came through in the end...

Hope you're having a great day.

Source via Kristina Marie

This is something everyone should see. And not only see, but strive for.

I try to keep this in mind when someone treats me unfairly, does something I don't understand or is just straight up mean. Particularly, strangers. You just don't know what happened to them earlier on in the day. They may have lost their wallet, their job or even a close family member. And for people whom you do know... you don't know the ins and outs of their own mind. You can never know exactly what it's like to be someone else. You can't possibly know exactly how they feel, because feelings are subjective and contextual. So, be careful. Instead of being defensive by default, be kind. 

Just a reminder. More for myself than anyone in particular...

On that note, I hope you all have a fantastic Sunday! Also, I'll be doing some baking today for a potluck Christmas party so pop back over on Tuesday for a recipe.

Tasty Tuesdays: Lemon Basil Chicken

This is what I made for supper tonight! I served the chicken with some frozen sweet potato roasties + BBQ mayo. I made the chicken a few days ago so I just pulled it out of the fridge and heated it in the microwave for a fast supper.

If you'd like to give it a go, here's the "recipe":

Lemon Basil Chicken

- 2-3 chicken breasts

- 1 lemon, sliced

- a few squirts of lemon juice

- olive oil
- basil + coriander

Preheat oven to 425. Put chicken in a baking dish & drizzle with olive oil & lemon juice. Sprinkle generously with basil + coriander. Grind fresh pepper over top if you want. Place sliced lemons in dish on top or between pieces of chicken.

Bake for about 45 mins, depending on the thickness of chicken. Let sit 5 minutes to lock in juices.

I put basil on/in so many different foods: guac, eggs, wraps, salads etc and I find it pairs nicely with lemon, but if you're not a fan you can always sub chili powder, turmeric or oregano.

Bon appetit!

Weekend Recap: nothing special...

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fun, relaxing weekend. We got up to some mischief this weekend because...

it was my birthday :)

On Saturday night I came home to homemade red velvet cupcakes from D.

cream cheese frosting.

There he is icing them up in the background.

I also came home to my friend C making lasagna. And oh my goodness, was it ever good. It had spinach and cottage cheese inside. Yum.

And then the party started.

always working her way into a photo, that one.

On me> Tee: Suzy Shier, Necklace: found on a doorstep with the word 'free', Skirt: actually a tank top from Eclipse, Booties: Spring.

Later on people came over, we drank, we ate nacho dip, played sociables & went out. I had been craving a dance party, so it was nice to get that out of my system. Gurrrrl's gotta dance.

On Sunday (my actual birthday) a little after noon we went to Smitty's for brunch with some people from the night before. Hilarious. The waitress/I accidentally spilled fruit all over me. Actually right in my lap. It was actually too funny... especially the misinterpretations that ensued...

After brunch we jetted off to the Rainmen basketball game, which we almost fell asleep at. It wasn't a boring game at all, it was just that we went to bed around 3:30 the night before... so, yeah.

After returning home from the game, my nanny & grandad took D & I out for supper. Since I got to pick, I decided on Le Bistro by Liz that opened up nearby. And then I found the most delicious butternut squash soup in the whole wide world, I tell you. It was so good I'm still thinking about it today... You should try it if you're in Halifax!

After supper we had cake that my Nan had bought for me & then just lazed around & watched 'My Idiot Brother'. Overall, I'd say I had a great birthday weekend. Good food & good company. Cheers to that.

**I just realized this may not be a very exciting post for any of you. And all the photos are of me... oh well. Haha. At least I talk about food alot...