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Book Review: Candlemaking the Natural Way

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Even if you had no desire to learn how to make candles, the sheer Martha style eye candy among this book’s pages is enough to make you treasure it. If you are looking to learn candle making, this book offers a wide array of techniques, full color step by step photos, and plenty of choices. Whether it’s soy, palm or beeswax you want to work with, there are a total of 31 projects ranging from simple to the more complex.

I am not a candle maker, but after reading through this book I’m certain that I could easily get started and try my hand at making some. Author, editor, photo stylist and craft enthusiast (phew!) Rebecca Ittner, along with the help of 8 talented candle designers, guides you through this lovely book filled with inspiring projects.

The book is broken down into six chapters, the first one covering the types of materials and tools you will need to successfully create beautiful candles. The second chapter focuses on the different techniques involved, incuding melting your wax, adding color and fragrance, making molded and container candles, rolling beeswax candles, working with wicks, and more.The remaining four chapters include how to instructions and step by step photos of making beeswax candles, palm wax candles, soy candles, and finally, upcycled candles.

There are some really pretty creations in here, makes me want to get started in candle making myself. With clear and concise instructions, this is a great choice covering a delicious sampling of shapes and styles. If I do take up candle making, this will definitely be in my library.

This book is available at your favorite book store or online at Amazon.com >> Candlemaking the natural way

 

Comments

  1. I make soy container candles for my family. I can tell you that once you make your first batch
    you are hooked!!! It is a wonderful hobby.
    Have a great day
    Shirley

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DIY Giant Eyeball Lanterns – Creepy Halloween Decoration

When it comes to Halloween, bigger is always better—and these giant eyeball lanterns prove it! With nothing more than plain white paper lanterns, a little paint, and some imagination, you can create huge, spooky eyes that look like they’ve popped right out of a monster movie.

They’re perfect for hanging from ceilings, displaying on porches, or grouping together in a corner for an eerie effect. Best of all, paper lanterns are super inexpensive (you can grab them on eBay, Amazon, or even your local dollar store), which makes this a great budget-friendly craft for big impact Halloween décor.

Supplies You’ll Need

  • Large round white paper lanterns (various sizes look best) 
  • Acrylic paints or craft paints in black, brown, green, red, orange, or blue (for irises) 
  • Wide paintbrush for background color 
  • Small paintbrush for details 
  • Black construction paper or cardstock (optional for spiky “lashes” or accents) 
  • Hot glue gun or strong craft glue 
  • String or fishing line (if you want to hang them) 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Lanterns

  1. Assemble your white paper lanterns according to the package directions. 
  2. Make sure they’re fully open and the wire insert is in place so the surface is taut for painting. 

Step 2: Paint the Iris

  1. Using a wide brush, paint a large circle in the center of the lantern to create the iris. 
  2. Choose spooky colors—green, red, orange, or blue work wonderfully. 
  3. Don’t worry about making it perfectly smooth; streaks and uneven textures add to the eerie, organic look. 

Step 3: Add the Pupil

  1. Once the iris paint is dry, use black paint to fill in the pupil at the very center. 
  2. Make it large enough to stand out against the iris. 

Step 4: Detail the Eye

  • Use a smaller brush to add darker or lighter streaks in the iris for a more realistic effect. 
  • You can even add thin vein lines in red around the iris to give it that bloodshot look. 

Step 5: Optional Spiky Lashes

  1. Cut long triangles from black construction paper or cardstock. 
  2. Glue them around one side of the lantern so they stick out like sharp monster eyelashes. 
  3. This makes the eyeballs look even more monstrous and stylized. 

Step 6: Display Your Giant Eyeballs

  • Hanging: Use string or fishing line to suspend them from ceilings, trees, or porch rafters so they look like floating eyeballs. 
  • Stacked: Place them in corners, along stairs, or even grouped on your lawn for a spooky display. 
  • Tabletop: Use them as oversized Halloween party props. 

Tips & Variations

  • Glowing Eyes: Insert battery-powered LED lights into the lanterns so they glow from the inside. 
  • Rainbow Eyes: Mix up the colors and make a whole rainbow of creepy eyes. 
  • Monster Cluster: Group multiple eyeballs together in different sizes for a scarier effect. 

This DIY Giant Eyeball Lantern craft is quick, cheap, and gives you maximum Halloween spook factor with minimal effort. Whether you make one or a whole creepy collection, your haunted house setup will definitely be eye-catching!