WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH ONE BAR OF BEESWAX

Beeswax is produced by female worker honey bees. Beeswax is a clear liquid. When the air hits it, the wax hardens and becomes solid white. 

Most beeswax is yellow because the pollen has gotten into it. The first human use of beeswax goes back to ancient Egypt. They used the wax to cast statues. 

As time progressed, more uses of Beeswax were made available. In Roman times, it was used for skin care and food. 

The Roman Catholic Church popularized it for candles. However, it was in short supply and only the upper class could use it. Now, anyone can access this extremely versatile natural wax.

Since beeswax has been used for many generations, we have had a long time to figure out many uses for it. The most common ones are their usage in candles and balms.

Usage of Beeswax

Here are some of the things you can do with beeswax:

• ·         Lip balm
• ·         Wood polish
• ·         Body butter
• ·         Candles
• ·         Bookbinding thread
• ·         Moustache wax
• ·         Massage bars
• ·         A plastic wrap replacement
• ·         Sealing envelopes
• ·         Non-toxic crayons

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CRAFTI-PLASTIC - WHY EVERY HOUSEHOLD SHOULD KEEP A PACK OF THESE

Crafti-Plastic Thermoplastic beads are plastic molding pellets that are made out of lightweight polyester. Just heat the pellets in hot water and they can be molded with your hands to repair whatever that needs to be fixed.

You can use Crafti-Plastic for:

- Sculpting figurines and toys

- Repairs around the house

- Making jewelry parts

- Making simple one piece molds

- Making hard stamps

Making Household Repairs

These small Thermoplastic Beads are not only easy to use but they are also multipurpose. They are great for fixing furniture, cracked piping, repairing leaks and closure of holes, cracks or broken bits. One person even fixed a broken sandal with this versatile plastic. 

Best thing about Crafti-Plastic is this...

You can also reuse these thermoplastic beads. Once these thermoplastic beads are hardened, you can just heat up the plastic again in the same manner as before to reuse it. 

Finishing

They can also be painted over once they are dried.  You can make it appear as though the object you repaired was never broken. It can look consistent with the rest of the object. With Crafti-Plastic, you do not have to hire someone to fix your problem. By just purchasing a small bag of thermoplastic beads, you can fix it by yourself.

Thermoplastic beads are great for making permanent fixes around the house. All households should have some of these Thermoplastic Beads for repair purposes.

Watch this video for more info:

You can find thermoplastic beads in our shop here

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HOW TO GET RID OF BUBBLES IN EPOXY RESIN

When you are working with Epoxy resin, one major issue that you will face is the bubbles. Bubble can get in the way of your crystal clear casting. 

There are several ways for you to keep bubbles out of the resin and many ways to get out the bubbles after epoxy resin has been applied.

Keeping Bubbles Out Before Pouring

Don’t shake the bottle containing the resin or the hardener because it will only make things worse. One way for you to get rid of the bubbles is to turn each bottle slowly upside down and from side to side to mix the resins separately before pouring into your mixing cup. 

Mixing technique

Always stir your resin before mixing AB parts. After a thorough mixing, combine AB resin and catalyst into a bigger cup. Stir carefully without lifting your stirring stick out of the cup too much. Stir in a figure 8 motion to ensure you cover all areas. Make sure you scrap your stirring stick on all sides along the way. 

How to get Bubbles out Once Applied

Once you have poured the resin into a mold, you can always use a pin to drag the bubbles out of the resin. The bubbles will pop that way. Just wiggle the pin back and forth in the bubble until it comes to the surface and pops. Heat is also a way to get rid of bubbles. So always keep a heat gun handy. The heat will cause the bubbles to rise to the surface. 

So, if you run into the problem of having bubbles in your resin, these are several ways to get them out.

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WORKING WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANDLE WAXES

When it comes to making DIY candles, there are different types of wax. The more popular ones are Palm wax, Soy wax, Beeswax, Paraffin wax and Gel wax. 

All of these waxes have their own pros and cons. Here are some of those aspects.

Palm Wax

Palm wax is 100% natural, GMO-free, and derived from palm trees. This wax is very hard and has a very high melting point. Thus, the wax gives off more scent and retains colours and fragrances longer. The burning time is also longer and contains less soot.   

Soy Wax

Soy wax is made from Soybean Oil and does not burn as long as Palm oil. This wax type is 100% biodegradable and a renewable resource. It is carcinogen free, non-toxic and environmentally safe. Soy wax is easy to clean up if it spills and is great for making massage candles. However, this wax can be very picky with the scent and is too soft to make pillar candles. 

Paraffin Wax

Most mass produced candles are made from this cheap wax. Paraffin wax is a petroleum byproduct. The wax holds a consistent appearance. This is because the wax is harder. It makes this wax the ideal choice when making a candle of a certain shape. Paraffin wax candles are easy to make, they retain scent and colour well and is the most affordable but not the most healthiest option. 

Beeswax

This wax has the highest melting point of any known wax. The high melting point makes this wax have a slow smokeless flame that gives off a lot of heat. This wax also has its own unique scent so you can choose not to add any scent to it. This wax is the purest wax and the most expensive in the list. 

Gel Wax

This wax is made from specially processed mineral oils and gelled with polymer. It burns twice as long as Paraffin wax. Candles made from this wax are easy to make by just melting the gel then adding colour and scent. The mixture is then poured all together to harden into a gel candle. The great thing about gel wax is that it is crystal clear so you can embed all kinds of pretty things in it such as seashells, pebbles or petals. 

Our store has palm wax, soy wax, beeswax, paraffin wax and gelwax. So feel free to drop by to take a look!

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BENEFITS OF SAFFLOWER OIL

Safflower is a branching plant with each branch having a flower. The flowers are used to make the carrier oil. The flowers can be yellow, red, or orange and look similar to a dandelion. 

It is grown in arid places such as Mexico, China, India, Ethiopia and the Arab world. Safflower is one of the world’s oldest crops dating back to ancient Egypt 4,000 years ago.

Safflower oil helps to clean your skin by extracting dirt and oil from the pores. Safflower oil benefits include:

•              Anti-inflammatory

•              Eases joint pain

•              Works to mend scars

•              Softening rough skin

•              Younger and healthier looking skin.

Safflower carrier oil prevents moisture from leaving the skin by forming a protective barrier on your skin. 

It also repairs scared, damaged skin with its special properties. Safflower oil is perfect for sensitive skin and even for babies. 

It also makes for great massage oil. This base oil is light and not greasy. It also has a mixed scent and a long shelf life.

Safflower Carrier oil has a long history in skincare and helps with many skin related issues. From dry skin to repairing scars, Safflower carrier oil is very versatile.

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DIY STAMP CARVING IDEAS

There is just so much one can do with a block of easy carving rubber and a set of sharp cutting tools. Here are some wonderful ideas you can try out. 

Hello, a Rubber Stamp

A stamp with the word hello in cursive situated in the middle of a fun thought bubble. It is a playful addition to letters and invitations.

This project is by Doodlecraft

Bunny Ears

These are great to use for a scrapbook or any pictures. They add a little fun to every picture.

This project is by Grace Bonney at Design Sponge 

Thank You Stamp

This stamp adds a personalized touch to letters and cards. It also conveys your thanks in a more genuine manner. A simple design like this can make all the difference.

This project is by Lisa Rios at Dear Handmade Life

DIY Hand-Carved Stamps

This project is a combination of different carving possibilities. A cute moth can be added to Birthday cards, memos and anything that you would like to add to. There are also other projects such as a trailer stamp project, a Mini Cooper project, a snail project and a leaf project on this website. This website gives you several project ideas in one place.

This project is by Casey at Vitamini Handmade 

More ideas to come! Stamp carving materials can be found here>

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TOP 3 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR SOAP MAKING

Making your own melt & pour soap is a rewarding and fulfilling process. Making your own soap also allows you to know what exactly goes in your soap and onto your skin.When you make your own soaps, you get to select the essential oils that suits your skin.  

You can never go wrong when you include these top 3 essential oils into your soap making recipe:

 Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil is a popular essential oil. It is used in beauty products and even cleaning products. It is an anti-inflammatory and an antiseptic. It helps with cuts and skin irritations. It also promotes relaxation, which in this busy world we live in today is very important since stress can cause early aging signs on the skin.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea Tree Essential Oil is also an antiseptic. Tea Tree oil can only be found in Australia. It is an essential oil that may be applied directly to the afflicted person. There are very few oils which can. The oil works to cure fungal infections and can help with insect bites. It also helps repel insects from making a meal out of you. 

Clove Oil Essential Oil

Clove Essential Oil comes from a flower on an evergreen tree. Clove oil helps with cuts, bruises, and infections. It is also used for bug bites and for boosting the immune system. Like Lavender Essential Oil, Clove Essential Oil is great for stress relief.

Essential oils make your soap smells great. But scent aside, what makes them stand apart is the health benefits for the skin. Essential oils not only provide physical benefits, but also psychological and spiritual ones too. 

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOY WAX AND PALM WAX FOR CANDLE MAKING

Candles can be made out of many different kinds of waxes. Paraffin wax, soy wax, palm wax, beeswax, gel wax and more. 

Today we will talk about two types of very similar waxes that have people a little confused.

Palm Wax

Palm wax is harvested from palm trees in West Africa and in Asian countries. This wax is 100% natural, GMO-free, and derived from palm trees. This wax is very hard and had a very high melting point. The melt point is approximately 140 degrees Fahrenheit, higher than soy wax and paraffin wax.  With this high melt point, palm wax tends to give off more scent and also to retain scent longer. 

Because it is a much harder wax, you can make pillar, votive or container candles with this wax. When cooled, the wax has a very distinctive crystallized look. 

Soy Wax

Soy wax is made from soybean oil and so it is 100% biodegradable and also known as a a renewable resource. Soywax candles burn clean. They do not produce soot and leave no black circle around the glass that holds the candle. 

They are carcinogen free, non-toxic and environmentally safe. Soy wax is easy to clean up if it spills because it only needs soap and water. While palmwax hardens into a crystal look, soywax maintains is milky whiteness. When mixed with wax dyes, soywax takes on a milky pastel finish. 

Soywax does not burn as long as Palm wax, is very picky with scent and is too soft to hold on its own. Therefore it is a great wax for container candles or for making massage candles. 

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ESSENTIAL OILS AND FRAGRANCE OILS

When making soaps or candles, you will always come across two kinds of scent options - essential oils or fragrance oils. 

It's easy to distinguish between the two and it is usually by the price tag. Essential oils are far more costlier than fragrance oils. Here's why: 

Essential Oils

Essential oils are natural and plant extracted. The extraction of these essential oils is an entirely organic process. The plants can be cold pressed, steamed or distilled and the oil is separated from the plants. This helps essential oils retain the ultimate health benefits for the user. 

Pure EssentialOils are used to remedy many ailments. They can help alleviate certain ailments such as headache, cuts, bruises, stress, bug bites, muscle pain, hair loss, rheumatism, emotional problems, skin problems, arthritis, and many more. 

So depending on what you need, there is sure to be an essential oil or a blend of different essential oils that can help you.

For example, taking a moment to smell roses can uplift your mood. So rose essential oils can help uplift your mood, it also improves your complexion when applied to skin in its diluted form. It takes 10,000 roses to fill a 5ml bottle so a good bottle of pure rose oil will never come cheap. 

Lemongrass Oil is great for keeping the bugs away along with Tea Tree Oil and Citronella Oil. Rosemary Essential oil is great for maintaining health hair and dandruff problems. Ylang Ylang is known to treat stress and maintain health skin. The list of benefits goes on and on...

Fragrance Oils

Fragrance oils on the other hand are entirely synthetic and man-made. These fragrance oils lack any natural healing abilities that essential oils have. 

Put simply, fragrance oils merely smell good. Many perfumes are made from this type of oil. They are designed to mimic the scents of natural aromas without its benefits. 

Some fragrance oils do contain certain allergenic chemicals that can cause a reaction when used in skincare so it is best to ask your supplier on the contents. 

Beside being priced cheaper, Fragrance Oils tend to have funkier mixes and non-plant derived names since it is not derived from any plant source. 

No matter what you decide to use, always get your oils from a reputable source. 

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BENEFITS OF ARGAN OIL

Argan oil is extracted from a nut inside a fruit. The fruit is grown on a tree in the Argan forest of Morocco. In 1998, the Argan forest was declared a Biosphere reserve due to the benefits and uses that Argan oil has.

Argan oil is considered one of the most expensive plant based oils in the market. 

Argan oil is rich in Vitamins A and E. This boosts cell production and the oil has some great natural uses:

•                    Anti-aging effects

•                    Skin toner

•                    Lip balm

•                    It revives dry hands and heels

•                    Night-time moisturizer

•                    Used to exfoliate skin

•                    Helps get rid of acne

•                    Reduces stretch marks

•                    Soothes razor bumps and burns

•                    Moisturizer for the whole body

•                    Leave-in conditioner for easier hair styling

•                    Overnight deep conditioning treatment for dry and brittle hair.

•                    Ideal treatment for nails

Argan oil works well enough as a moisturizer to help if you suffer from eczema and other skin ailments. To utilize both the anti-aging benefits and the moisturizing benefits of Argan oil, rub a few drops on your face and your neck before going to sleep.

You can also use Argan oil in the formulation of cold process soaps or melt & pour soaps, moisturizer, lotions and other skincare items. They work great in hair products too to help keep hair naturally healthy and shiny. 

This natural carrier oil is not oily and it does not cause breakouts. In fact, it helps you to prevent them.

Argan oil can be used for many of your skin care needs.  The benefits you can get from Argan oil are unparalleled.

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HOW TO ADD COLOUR TO EPOXY RESINS

In the market today, you can find a range of specially designed epoxy dyes to colour your epoxy resin pieces. These dyes are stable and work well with the epoxy resins. However, some of these can be expensive. 

So here is a list of other ways you can dye your resins. But before you start, remember to always do a trail run by using small amounts first.

Oil Paint

Oil paints blend well with resin. Start by squeezing a tiny amount of oil paint on your stir stick and mix it up. It mixes well but there are some dark particles floating in it.

Fabric Dye

This paint comes in a liquid form. You can start by dipping your clean stir stick into the bottle of paint and then stir the colour left over on the stick into the resin. The final result is gorgeous to look at and very fluid.

Glass Paint

This has the same method as the fabric dye. The glass paint mixes beautifully. However, some glass paints may not work with resin. It is best to try out a small batch first. 

Acrylic Paint

This paint is easy to find in any craft store. When you use acrylic paint, the paint mixes well and has a smooth consistency. It is also much more opaque compared to other pigments. When using water based acrylic paints, you will get colours that are vibrant. Be careful when you are adding acrylic paint. If you add too much, your resin will become like a rubber and cures much weaker. It may also be scratched, break or chip.

Mica Powders

Mica powders are wonderful to work with. You can work with very fine micas or larger glitters to colour your resins. For a transparent light tint, use less mica. For a opaque fill, just add more micas. It's that easy. Some micas come as glow-in-the-dark powders which can add a wonderful effect to your resin projects. 

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ALLERGIC TO SOAPS? THESE COULD BE THE REASONS WHY...

Do you know someone who is allergic to soaps? The reaction is usually dry skin, flakiness, skin peeling and in more severe cases, skin cracking, itching and bleeding. 

Certain soap making ingredients could be the culprit such as: 

• perfumes
• detergent items (SLS/SLES)
• bleaching components
• preservatives (paraben)
• antibacterial additives
• colourants
• thickeners & hardeners

The allergic reaction happens because the immune system thinks these ingredients are infectious. The reaction usually causes a person to end up with ugly patches, or raw and sensitive skin.

Let's talk more about some of these ingredients.

SLS

This is a common ingredient in soap making that is known to cause allergic reactions. SLS is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. This chemical ingredient makes soap foamy. It’s also good at breaking down grease but in the process, it strips your skin of its natural oil. This weakens the natural oil that is used to protect the skin and causes the allergic reaction as well as dryness.

Paraben

This is a soap making ingredient added to soaps to keep them fresh longer. It acts as a preservative. There are many different Paraben compounds. The variation means that only some people are allergic to certain types. This makes it near to impossible for people to know which one exactly they are having a reaction to. The best is to select products that do not contain this ingredient. 

Perfumes

Most commercial soaps contain chemical based scents. Perfumes do contain some allergens that could create a reaction. The reason why factories use perfumes is because essential oils and natural scents are costly. Making your own soap will ensure you use only most natural scents that are beneficial for your skin. You can also choose to totally eliminate scent from your soaps.

Colorants

Commercial soaps contain artificial colourings that may cause a reaction to your skin. If you think about it, colourants in soaps are purely for aesthetic purposes so if you are making your own soap, you don't really need to add any of these. Go natural. Use natural clays or dry herbs and plants, or skinsafe micas from a reliable source. 

A simple way to treat allergy is to opt for more established soap brands. Another way is of course to make your own soap so you know which ingredients you put into making it. Or purchase from a reliable handmade soap maker.

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WHAT IS SLS AND WHY IS IT BAD FOR YOUR SKIN?

 Today, there are many chemicals that are found in products that we use on a daily basis.  These chemical ingredients can sometimes be harmful, causing skin dryness, itchiness, and rashes. In some cases, these chemicals are even cancerous.

Over the years, you will notice an increase of products that no longer contain SLS or SLES. What is this compound and why are companies trying to do away with its use?

SLS stands for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. SLES is an abbreviation for Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate. These ingredients are added to soap to create the foam. Both foam-making chemical ingredients are also commonly used as a pesticide and herbicide. 

Why SLS/SLES has a bad rep is because it is a known skin irritant. They tend to make your skin dry, your eyes sting, and if you are sensitive to it, it can cause your skin to itch or to break out.  

To avoid using these chemicals, try looking out for Sulfate free products. While soaps without SLS/SLES tend to have less foam, it just takes a little getting use to. 

Having a rich lathery bath and squeaky clean skin may not be all that healthy for you. It is best to bath with natural soaps that contain lesser harmful chemicals. 

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