let your light shine

I think this will be my last project for 2011 unless I can manage to fit something in in the next two days.  I had a lot of false starts with this one, discovered the challenges in working with wax, both paraffin and soy.  I found that paraffin does not work well in containers and the middle sinks as it cools.  Also, paraffin comes in huge chunks that I had to shave pieces off of while the soy wax already came as flakes.  It was really fun to play around with the colors and scents though.  And I think the recipients enjoy them.

I had a lot of fun with these “hot chocolate” candles which also smelled like chocolate

after it cooled, I painted the container

here’s what I sent my host mother and father in Japan

and the strawberry scented candle for my host mother

Jason enjoyed playing with the rejects

flutter

delicate
butterfly
wings
made of glass
fluttering
in my cupped hands
cuts me deep as it struggles
to be free

but i don’t think i can let go
of this beautiful
and terrible
thing

so

i’ll continue to hang on
to this that
hurts me so
and one day
maybe
i’ll let it fly free

outtakes

I love my little family.  They are all so goofy, each with his or her own personality.  Here are some outtakes for our Christmas family photo.  I love how Knives looks progressively madder and Vash just looks like he’s found the most amazing thing in the world (when he’s not a blurry mess).  And Jason’s expression never changes.  Seriously, my favorite “people” ever.

The winner, and actually the first one we took (go figure):

shiny

I have a cousin that really likes stars.  And when I saw this, I knew who I would be making them for.

I tried making them out of recycled bags, but the plastic was too slippery.  So I decided to give packing tape a try.  And it worked!  I was able to fold and cut the tape to allow the sticky side to extend out a little bit longer so that it would be secure on the last fold.  And I really liked the garland idea so I thought I could use floss.  Really her gift is tape and floss.  Cheap, easy, and cute!

flying high

This is another Christmas project for my nephew.  Dad helped me cut it out, thank goodness.  It was a pretty easy, quick project, especially when compared to the game project.  I really love woodworking.  I’ll probably try and figure out how to do some woodworking for next year too.  :)

all “hairy”:

after sanding:

after priming:

Yup, pretty excited about it.

chilled

I was not expecting the frost this morning.  I don’t know where my nifty little ice scraper is so I had to use the squeegee.  *sigh*  Anyway, I was a little late to work but I did enjoy the nippy air and the nice frosted look everywhere.  I do really love this time of year.