Somehow, although we did leave around 8:30, we were still making candles at 4:30. I don't understand it. A few notes from the experience, though:
- Beeswax candles are excessively easy and cheap to make, and they look
classy when you're done. I did some deep red tapers, wrapped in a white
and gold shimmery ribbon, and two small cream pillars, studded with cloves
and wrapped with red ribbon. I'll probably do some more today. They take
about ten minutes/candle.
- Dipped candles are moderately easy to do, but take a really really
long time, and you have to watch your temperature carefully (if the wax
gets too cold, it gets lumpy, and if it gets too hot, it doesn't gel onto
the dipped candle (and may even melt some of the dipping off!). We made
five dipped pairs of candles and it took at least two hours. Pretty, but
not worth the effort. If I were doing it again, I'd do at least ten
pairs; it wouldn't take any longer (there are waiting periods between
dipping), and it would be more satisfying in the end. I recommend having
a partner for this job, for when you think you're going to scream if you
have to dip the damn candles one more time.
- If you want to gild little seashells gold and pour cranberry-colored
wax into them, they will look very pretty until they tip over and all the
wax spills out. Get big seashells. Little ones just don't work.
- I have still not figured out whether or not I'll be able to get my two
molded candles out of their molds. They look very pretty in them, but I'm
not sure they want to come out. Supposedly, with the stearine we added,
they should just slide out. Not so. Perhaps because I fell asleep last
night and let them sit many hours longer than I intended to.
- Extra wax poured into wine glasses with a wick look lovely. I have three of those, and I'm burning two now; working prety well so far. I think I may make lots of these for Christmas presents as they're pretty easy compared to dipping or molded candles.
Jed's still fast asleep (he stayed up late last night working, I think). I've finished proofing the Kay article, thank the gods, and sent the second draft of the review back to Chris. Hopefully we can send it back a few more times today and be done done done. On the plus side, we talked about it, and we might actually try an academic collaboration on Kay. We work well together, we love his books and now know them inside out; why not? So sometime after Christmas I'll probably go on a hunt; see what other articles have been published about Kay and read them. Figure out where we might have a chance of publishing some. Could be fun.
I'm going to make some more tea now and then finish my poor erotica students' critiques. One and a half left. I can do it, right? Then I think the plan is to shower, dress, feed Jed some leftovers, and then take the grading to Borders for the day. Sounds pleasant, no? He has lots of work to do too, so hopefully he won't mind. Might even do a little Christmas shopping...we'll see. Have a good Sunday, my dears.