Something new at Candles by Donald just in time for the cold and flu season

A handmade natural palm wax pillar candle can be the perfect gift during the cold and flu season. This is especially true for a natural palm wax pillar candle scented with the fragrance Eucalyptus. The aromatic natural palm wax pillar candle is 3 inches in diameter, 4 1/2 inches tall and weighs approximately one pound. The premium candle fragrance Eucalyptus is best described as "breath giving" and "head clearing". During cold and flu season this candle can be a head saver it certainly makes breathing a lot more comfortable for some people. See, the koala bear is not the only mammal that craves this aromatic leaf and its oil. People love this scent also, for opening up sinuses and clearing a stuffy head during the cold and flu season. The hot and cold scent throw is very good, and will soon find its way into every corner of the room. A rich lime green color combines with the silvery lime green surface crystal formations common to this very special premium natural palm wax pillar blend. Read the Policy section in my Artfire studio for more information about the palm wax I use for all my pillar candles. Palm wax is excellent for making pillars. The candles will burn with no soot or smoke, and longer than similar size paraffin candles. I love the unique surface features characteristic for this type of wax. Each candle is one of a kind with its fine detailed surface crystal patterns. When burning a palm wax pillar keep the wick centered within the candle diameter and burn no more than 2 – 2 1/2 hours at a time for a 3 inch diameter candle. Allow the candle to cool then trim the wick to approximately 3/16 to 1/4 inches if needed. Since the wicks I use are engineered to self trim I recommend trimming only when absolutely necessary. A wall will remain as the candle burns down allowing the light from the flame to produce an interesting effect as it shines through the crystal laden walls and candle body. Eventually as the candle burns down the walls will slowly erode leaving little waste. 

Christmas Bliss scented natural palm wax candles available at Candles by Donald

Two new premium fragrance oils have arrived at Candles by Donald as part of the holiday Christmas group.  The new scents are Christmas Bliss and Country Christmas.  I have made 3 inch diameter X 4 1/2 inches tall palm wax pillar candles using both scents.  I would like to discuss each scent by itself; the first scent will be Christmas Bliss followed by Country Christmas.

Christmas Bliss

     A Christmas Bliss scented handmade natural palm wax pillar candle. The premium candle fragrance Christmas Bliss smells like all the holiday flowers, a smidgeon of spices, with bottom notes of balsam and pine. The premium fragrance Christmas Bliss is definitely a strong holiday fragrance with a floral suite on top of a bottom of balsam and pine. The spices are perfect and extremely soft helping to pull the fragrance together. Actually this fragrance could be popular year round; it is that good. The one pound, 3 inch diameter, 4 1/2 inches tall natural palm wax pillar candle is colored a rich scarlet red. Palm wax is a fantastic material for making pillar candles. The candle burns without soot or smoke, and when an accidental wax spill occurs; cleanup is with hot soapy water. This candle is enclosed in shrink wrap to preserve the strong candle fragrance. The candle surface is hard and very smooth, but covered with beautiful crystal patterns inside the wax. Every candle is different making every candle a one of a kind creation. A custom designed label with the fragrance name and Candles by Donald logo is attached to the outside of the wrap. This candle will be perfect for that office gift, secret Santa gift, stocking stuffer, hostess gift, or just something special for you. Each order is accompanied by an instruction sheet with tips to get the best performance out of your candle. On multiple candle orders contact me with the quantity of candles that will be used as gifts. I will include a copy of the Pillar Candle Suggested Safety and Burning Instructions flyer for each gift at no extra charge.

The second scented candle from the holiday Christmas group, Country Christmas plus something extra special I hope

Country Christmas

     A handmade natural palm wax pillar candle that is fragranced with the scent of Christmas past. This natural palm wax pillar candles scent is called A Country Christmas. The aromas of wilderness pine and fresh cranberry fill the air. Country Christmas with its rich scent of a fresh cut Christmas tree surrounded with garlands of strung cranberries and other subtle notes give it the nostalgic smell of a country Christmas.                 **  Now for something different. **
  
    Something happened while pouring this candle, the scent caused a memory to come back as clear as if it happened yesterday.  Do you want to hear a story about our first Christmas 39 years ago? Then read ahead about Sue and I celebrating our first Christmas together.
     We were married in October and all we had between us was a lot of love and an affinity for adventure.  We rented an 11 acre farm, because it was cheap and in paradise.  We had electricity and a telephone; no indoor plumbing (outhouse) , no running water ( a well with a hand pump in the kitchen), no central heating system (wood stove).  We made quick work and took any and all offerings from family and friends.  I worked as an assembler trainee for DEC, and at first Sue worked to get us ready for what would turn out to be the worst winter weather in many, many years.
     The first big break was the gas stove, a gift; more than just a stove it had a gas log heater with a thermostat.  Now we were styling, heating hot water for baths was easy.  The living room was paneled by my father making that room look much warmer.  Sue, had made her mark and worked miracles cleaning all the filth away and turning the place into our home.
     Our first friends were two boys that lived 1/2 mile up the road (nearest house).  They brought their cow, and heifer down to graze.  Of coarse they asked us first, and most politely.  Hunter, my dog seemed to accept our animal friends, well, okay.  She really liked the boys.  They were good company on Saturday mornings and helped us eat the homemade doughnuts Sue and I would make along with hot chocolate.
     We were as ready as we could be for winter, and it was the mid November.  There was one more surprise........Sam..... Sam was a very, huge, gigantic, German Shepard that belonged to a good friend of mine.  John, was afraid Sam would get hit by a car in the city where they lived. He assured me that Sam would stay only 2 weeks until he found him a home.  Sam was a sweetheart and took a shine to us quickly, it took a little longer with Hunter; soon they would be good friends.   Sam stayed with us at the farm until we left in the spring.  Sam became a watchdog during the evening and companion to a family who were very happy to give him a home during the day.
     December came quickly, Sue had started to make ornaments for the tree.  The tree, yes the tree that I would go out and chop down.  Saturday Morning I went out to the barn for an ax and headed out back, way out back for a tree.  I soon found a beautiful fir, and our tree was at the top about 50 feet away.
     I remember giving some thought to the problem at hand.  Things like where the tree would fall was important, and the location of the first ax cut.  The sound of my ax echoed as I struck again and again cutting a nice wedge out from one side of the tree.  I began the second cut higher up from the first on the opposite side of the tree.  The ax was sharp so the work went fast; almost through, it should go over soon.  I cut through and the tree did not fall.  I pushed against the tree, and down she came.....straight down right next to the stump.  It was time to step back and study the situation; things could not be worse.  The tree was being held upright by the trees standing around it, and the bottom of our Christmas tree was still about 35 feet away.  It looked like at least 9 more cuts before I would be hauling our tree back home.
     I looked back at the neat pile of logs as I grabbed our tree and started the long walk home.  As I walked up to the front of our cottage Sue greeted me.  She was laughing uncontrollably, "I hope you plan on cutting a little off that tree"" she said.  "What do you mean" I said as I stood the tree up next to the house.  Our house would need to be twice as tall in order to accommodate this beautiful tree.  Looks like I had one more cut to make and the tree would fit nicely.  There was a door in the living room so getting it inside was easy.  We both stood back and looked at the beautiful tree.
      The tree needed to settle, so that night we continued to work on decorations.  I had popcorn to string and Sue worked on these little drums.  Tomorrow was Sunday so I would be home to help bake cookies.  Yes I could bake, on my mother's side of the family there were bakers, many bakers.
    We baked gingerbread men and sugar cookies to hang on the tree.  The garland was made from strung popcorn and cranberries.  My Parents had given us a few strings of lights, and candy canes were on sale at the grocery store.  Sunday evening we finally finished baking and stringing popcorn.  I had to work the following week, but decorating the tree would continue.
     Saturday came and it was a good day for hot chocolate, and homemade doughnuts.  The boys from up the street came to visit and help us eat the doughnuts and drink the hot chocolate.  As the boys entered our living room you could see the sparkle in their eyes as they marveled at the sight before them.  A tree decorated with popcorn garland, handmade ornaments, gingerbread men, sugar cookies, and candy canes; a beautiful tree, our first Christmas tree.

Introducing Cranberry Marmalade part of the Christmas Holiday fragrance group.

I would like to introduce you to my latest in a series of scented pillar candles I am offering for the holidays.  Perfectly tart, Cranberry Marmalade scented 3 inch diameter X 4 1/2 inches tall handmade natural palm wax pillar candle.  This is a new fragrance for Candles by Donald and a very pleasant surprise.  The aroma is tart, strong, fruity and has a large measure of "this candle smells so good" added to it as well. The candle is rich deep cranberry red that will fit nicely with the traditional colors associated with the coming holidays.  Each candle is shrink wrapped to preserve the fragrance and comes with burning instructions and a custom designed label.  Stop over to my studio the door is always open, you know the place, Candles by Donald.

That Evening It Was A Long Flight Home

By Donald T. MacKinnon

      The year was 1966 -1967, a year I spent in Vietnam as a crew chief on a Huey. My home base was Camp Holloway in Pleiku.  Every day was different for me as we took on any mission, any task; that was the way of the 170^th AHC. The story is about one evening, an evening after a day of back breaking work hauling supplies and troops.

     We were finally heading home, it was a long day.  I sat back in the left seat, rested, and enjoyed the cool air rushing in the open door.  I heard the pilot make a call on the radio. In short, he would ask any of the nearby bases if there was anybody needing a lift to Pleiku.  This evening there was an answer, passengers going to Camp Holloway.  Our instructions were to land on the helipad next to the First Aid tent. “What is your ETA” said the voice over the radio.  Lieutenant Willis answered “10 minutes”.

     It was getting dark as we landed on the well marked pad.  A medic ran out to talk to the pilot, he asked “how many passengers can you take”, Willis turned to me as if to ask. I indicated with five fingers.  “We can take 5 passengers” the lieutenant told the Medic.  The medic returned with help, each pair of soldiers carried a body bag. Each bag was a fallen comrade in arms, and handled with great care.  I watched as the medics loaded each bag on to the deck of my ship. Carefully sliding three of the bags across the deck, and placing the next two bags across the three, ever so carefully. 

    We took off and headed for Camp Holloway.  I sat back in the left seat, in the quiet, the air rushing through the open doorway.  I glanced down; the tags attached to the handle on the end of each bag caught my eye as they flapped in the wind.  Each tag with a name printed neatly, each tag with the name of the soldier inside.  I thought of their families, loved ones and all the sadness. I sat and stared at the bags, the men. Soon I turned, leaned back against the bulkhead and began to cry. It was a long flight home.

Candles by Donald getting ready for the holidays provides a good selection of high quality natural palm wax candles for customers to choose from.

As the holiday season approaches quickly Candles by Donald is stocking the shelves with a fantastic selection of quality candles at great prices. My latest scented candle is the start of a group of new scents I have selected just for the holidays. The candle is a handmade natural palm wax pillar candle strong scented with the candle fragrance, Frankincense and Myrrh. The natural palm wax pillar candle is 3 inches in diameter, 4 1/2 inches tall and weighs one pound. The palm wax pillar candle scent is an enchanting aromatic blend of frankincense and myrrh with hints of balsam, spice, patchouli and sandalwood. This candle fragrance is infused with essential oils. The fragranced candle has a strong but not heavy exotic smell that will soon spread throughout the room. The wick is engineered to self trim; cut 3/16 to 1/4 inches only when necessary to prevent wild flickering and to lower the flame; a little flicker is okay. It is important to keep the wick centered within the wax pool and to burn the candle 2 – 2 ½ hours allowing it to cool before relighting to obtain the maximum performance from the candle. Keep the wick centered within the diameter of the candle. Allow a wall to form around the wax pool as the candle burns down. A nice special effect will be visible as the flame shines through the crystal laden walls and candle body. Another beautiful creation from Candles by Donald that is sure to enhance your homes décor or make that very special gift. To summarize the performance tips given so far: burn the candle in an area absent from drafts, keep the wick centered within the candle diameter, and insure a wick length 3/16 to 1/4 inches before lighting. This candle has been “shrink” wrapped to preserve freshness. A custom designed label with the scent name on it has been applied to the outside of the shrink wrap. Burning instructions and tips will accompany each candle order making this an excellent gift for the holidays or any special occasion.
Shipping will be with USPS Priority Mail / Parcel Post. I will calculate the best postage based on the “ship to” zip code. The shipping estimate is just that, an estimate calculated for the farthest destination.
BREAKING NEWS:  You heard it here first; the next new candle scent is Cranberry Marmalade.  The first 3 candles are made and I will be announcing this beauty soon.

Shop Handmade, Shop GoodeGear, It is the Natural Thing to Do

By Donald T. MacKinnon

        There is a special Shoppe, an oasis for the body and inner being, called GoodeGear. This store specializes in what I call “feel good” tools to rejuvenate our inner and outer selves. First allow me to introduce Nancy Goode. Nancy is the artisan who creates all of the unique natural items you will find in this well stocked store. Armed with a passion to create unique recipes that benefit the body, mind and spirit; she makes natural soaps, skin care products, lotions, body washes and massage oils. I asked if there was a family history around making soap that contributed to her craft. “My Mother and Grandmother made soap on the farm (they did not teach me). They had an old recipe book that the town made and their soap recipes were in it. We have so much better oils now for your skin, so I wouldn’t use the oils they used.” she said.
        As it turns out, Nancy entered into soap making in much the same manner as I started making candles: research coupled with trial and error, hands on experimentation, and many hours of devotion spent toward learning the Art. Yes Art, in my opinion Nancy’s skill, creative approach, and unique beautiful results have earned her the title of Artisan.
        Soap making has undergone many changes and improvements from its start as far back as 2500 B.C. In fact soap in a far different form probably was used even earlier. Today the use of natural organic ingredients is the keystone to Nancy’s creations. The following products illustrate this point.

Clay complexion Soap……………..Lavender Soap

        I find the beginning always interesting in any craft or art. With Nancy, sometimes it all starts with a walk in the garden: “what is in bloom and smells nice?” The garden will answer resulting in ideas for the next batch of natural soap. Yes, Nancy grows many of the herbs and flowers used in her products. What better way to insure quality, freshness, and organic disciplines than to grow your own ingredients. Making soaps and oils is her passion. During quite times spent along side a nearby canal surrounded by song birds, deer, and aquatic animals, ideas and solutions come to her for the next group of body pampering creations. Nature has a way of talking to us; all we have to do is listen. I believe there is no better start for a natural soap or oil.


        The tender skin about the face is given a high priority with GoodeGear’s Clay Complexion Cold Process Face Soap. The compilation of essential oils and French green clay pulls the impurities from your skin and helps to close the pores. The skin is cleansed, tightened and rejuvenated with a cornucopia of essential oils. Gifts from nature, essential oils are wonderful and beneficial solutions to repair the tired body and its inner being.

French Green Clay Cold Process Complexion Soap

        Another gentle clay that is excellent for dry and sensitive skin is Pink Kaolin. This clay will not draw oils from the skin, and is used in the Pink Kaolin complexion face soap. This soap will gently clean and exfoliate your skin making you look and feel younger.

Pink Kaolin Complexion Face Soap

        GoodeGear has a great selection of natural herbal soaps. One in particular caught my eye, the Natural Secret Garden Soap. Like walking through a Victorian Garden with its lovely aromatic Roses, Lavender, Calendula, Lilies, and that raspberry bush off to one side. The Natural Secret Garden Soap with its lavender, calendula pedals, and Shea Butter are just what is needed to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize the skin.

Natural Secret Garden Soap

 
        GoodeGear also produces an excellent Emu oil based soap with wintergreen essential oils. Emu oil? What is it? Emu oil is derived from the fat of the large bird native to Australia. The Aborigines of Australia have been using this oil for thousands of years. It was used just like it is today, as a treatment for burns, insect stings and in general to reduce pain from the swelling of joints due to arthritis. In fact, Emu Oil is known as a fast penetrating oil into the skin, making it an excellent trans-dermal carrier for any added moisturizers or therapeutic ingredients.

Soap made with Emu oil and Wintergreen and Emu oil

        Man and woman’s best friend deserves some pampering also, and pampering is what your pooch will get with the Dog Shampoo Bar. This soap will repel fleas and ticks, help heal sores, and moisturize the skin. The all natural dog shampoo bar contains the following essential oils:

Citronella to repel fleas and ticks.

Eucalyptus to help heal infections and sores from insect bites.

The soap is also made with olive oil for its healing qualities and coconut oil as a moisturizer. Backed by many customer testimonials the Dog Shampoo Bar is sure to be a hit with your
best friend.

Dog Shampoo Bar

        Nancy provides very good explanations with all of her products. She will go to great detail explaining the benefits for all of the natural ingredients used in her products. Years of experience coupled with continued research and commitment to quality makes GoodeGear your first choice when it comes to the purchase of natural soaps, skin care products, lotions, body washes and massage oils.

Candles by Donald is ready with great holiday gifts, quality at low price.

The holiday season is upon us with Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah. This is a great time of year when friends and relatives get together. Dinner parties, coffee hours, brunches and buffets, a time for conversation and good food. It is a time when we concern ourselves with home decor and hostess gifts. Candles by Donald is ready this holiday season with a cornucopia of decorating and gift solutions. Here are just a few, please visit my studio/store for much, much more.

Get Something Hand Made Just in Time for the Fall. Fill That Order No Matter How Tall.

Great collection of beautiful gift ideas for the fall. All quality hand made items made by experienced artisans.

Trans Atlantic Collaborative Project

by Donald T. MacKinnon

Two Stores one in the UK, LindaButterfly Cards and Art; the other in the US, Candles by Donald. This is a fun, entertaining way to take just a little peek into both. LindaButterfly Cards and Art has two very conveniant locations http://www.lindabutterfly.artfire.com and http://www.lindabutterfly.etsy.com. Candles by Donald is located at http://www.candleguy821.artfire.com. The slide show lasts 1 1/2 minutes and is set to a catchy little tune written by Kevin MacLeod

Amish Harvest with a Twist, an 8 point twisted star.

This is the same strong spicy candle scent as the smaller pillar candles. This candle has a unique shape, certainly a welcome addition to any home decor. The candle is scented with the strong sweet candle scent Amish Harvest

Amish Harvest scented pillars in Palm or Paraffin Waxes, just part of the fall and winter candle selections.

by Donald T. MacKinnon

As the crisp cool mornings announce the beginning of the fall season in some of our climates others can only hope the change will come soon. Here in Florida the change has only happened in my mind. I know it is only a matter of days until the mornings change from sweltering heat and high humidity to something a little cooler and a little less humid. My wife has started to decorate with cornucopias and garlands of autumn colored leaves. At my candle store Candles by Donald on the Artfire handmade shopping network, the change of seasons is greeted by beautiful pillar candles in fall colors and scents. This year Amish Harvest scented palm and paraffin candles abound for your home decorating needs. For customers interested in a paraffin wax pillar I have created an eye catching red, yellow and orange streaked beauty. Amish Harvest, the candle fragrance, is best described as a warm spicy scent with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and more. Strong and sweet this candle scent leaves a desire to smell it again and again.

Since we are on the subject of paraffin candles, lets discuss cleaning. Yes, dusting off those treasures left over from last year that you just could not burn. With a clean moist paper towel or soft cloth gently wipe any dust or dirt off the candle surface. For heavily soiled surface, rinse out the cloth or change the paper towel often until the candle surface is clean. The clean candle can now be polished. Polishing will breathe new life into that tired looking paraffin wax candle. Using a damp paper towel or very soft cotton cloth (old soft cotton tee shirt) , polish the candle surface using small circular movements. Continue polishing until the entire surface is done. Now using the damp cloth or paper towel polish using horizontal strokes and watch the shine come out. When the candle is completely polished buff out the finger prints and increase the shine by grasping the cloth ends, one for each hand and move the cloth or towel gently across the candle surface to finish polishing the candle.

For your palm wax pillar candle needs Candles by Donald shelves hold a colorful trio of Amish Harvest scented pillar candles. The three different colors give the customer a choice of fall colors to better fit into many decorating ideas. These candles are heavily scented with this strong sweet spicy fragrance so popular around the fall and winter holidays. Why? I believe the cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, allspice, and more, aroma has a welcoming warm quality around it.

Please visit my store and check out some of my other fall scented candles, Chestnuts and Brown Sugar, Cinnamon Buns, Vanilla Hazelnut, and Cinnamon Bread Pudding (soon). I look forward to seeing you there.

This is a fast moving collaboration between two on-line candle stores, ValeriesEsscentials an Etsy store and Candles by Donald on Artfire. The slide show lasts 1 minute 51 seconds and is set to a bouncy tune written and played by Kevin MacLeod. Each slide is labeled with the store name. Two very different styles are shown, which should make for interesting viewing. I hope you will enjoy the photos. Valerie and I would love to have you visit our stores for more information on any candles that tickle your fancy.

Natural Candles Share Very Good Qualities

written by Ilana McBain

We love natural candles. Palm wax, soy wax, each of these waxes has its benefits. In common they share a few very good qualities.
1. All these waxes will burn cleanly and will not release harmful soot, black toxic smoke or CO2 into the air, as breathing this over period of time can be unhealthy. Black smoke and soot can also discolor walls, curtains and furniture.

2. The wick will not drown in the natural waxes.

3. We use high level of scent, so your candles will scent the room beautifully even before you light the candles. With the bees wax candles, we do not add any scents. We like the way they release natural honey scent when they burn.

4. Bees wax candles by the act of ionisation, act as air purifiers.

5. All natural candles burn significantly longer then paraffin candles of the same size.

6. Palm wax candles are the perfect pillars. The wax is very firm and will not melt in the sun. The candles do not need memory burning and you can burn them as often and as long as you wish. By trimming the wick when the wall of the candle becomes thin and transparent, you can eliminate any spillages.

7. Soy wax candles are housed in containers. It is a much softer wax and it burns in a much lower temperature. The melted wax will not burn the skin and is great where there are children to consider. You can even dip your finger in the wax and rub it on your hands as a moisturiser.

Thank you I Love Candles Australia , from Candles by Donald

http://www.ilovecandles.com.au

A Cornucopia of Hand Painted, Artisan Made Birdhouses, and Whimsical Folk Home Décor

by Donald T. MacKinnon

As I strolled down the virtual path I noticed what appeared to be a quaint little shop not that far ahead. As the sign over the doorway came into view I read “Rachael’s Gardenbeautifully hand painted crafts”. I noticed the door was ajar and the “open” sign was out. It looked very inviting inside this virtual shop so I opened the door a little wider and entered. A voice said “Hello”, “hello”. Having been distracted by the amazing array of craft creations on display, I finally responded to the third hello. “Rachael?” I asked. “Oh no, my name is Karen. The store is named after my daughter” she said and welcomed me to look around. I had already started; after all it did take three “hello’s” to get my attention away from the floor to ceiling assortment of the most colorful array of birdhouses. Birdhouses were on hooks, perched on tall poles, short poles, hung from the ceiling, and set on tables for display.Round ones, and square ones, pointed roofs, slanted roofs, flat roofs, one door, two doors, three doors, and much, much more; was the unbelievable assortment. “There are so many beautiful bird homes” I said. “What?”came the voice from the back of the shop. There sat Karen in a chair carefully putting the finishing touches on the sides of her latest birdhouse creation. My gaze turned to the back wall and a large sign “Artisan Made Birdhouses and Whimsical Folk Home Décor”. “I know you paint the birdhouses, but who builds all of the unique designs”? “I do”, Karen said, “in a small woodworking shop out back.” I continued to take a closer look; so many different styles. The materials seem so varied and of high quality. I quickly realized the materials are recycled, that explains the dry aged wood; there is nothing better to build things with. She used metal, wood scraps, old hardware, even tree bark, and various kinds of high quality materials all clean and safe for our little friends. “I’m curious, how do you know these designs will work?”, I asked. “Look out the window” was her answer. And there, set up against a small wetlands area and all across the backyard, was every type of bird house displayed in her store and then some. “The guests seemed so happy” I said. “You are all too right”, she went on to explain “as more and more areas are developed, brush cleared and old trees cut down a substitute for their old habitat is needed; the birdhouse. If you build it, they will come”. “Ah, thank you now I see”.

I continued to work my way around hand-painted tissue box covers, lattice letter holder/bill organizers, wall hangings, and signs. Yes signs, hand-painted of course, indoor/outdoor for a cabin, cottage, shed, house, or summer home. “Custom orders welcome” a small card set in the open started me thinking, “now where could I use one of these great looking signs”. I had been so caught up in the birdhouse bounty that I failed to notice this incredible selection of folk home décor items. My gaze fell on a large selection of folk art prints, all made from original painted works by this artist. Since having been a volunteer fireman in an all volunteer department, my eyes were drawn to a beautiful print of an original painting by Karen, “My Little Red FireTruck". As fire trucks go this was a real beauty. Soon my vision became unglazed and I returned to the present as more prints of original paintings appeared. “Jack’s Little Green Tractor”, “Mickey’s Old Yellow Dump Truck”, “Owen’s Blue Quad Four Wheeler”, “Little Mixer”, and everyone of them a beauty. There was a chair by the counter I needed to sit down, so many memories brought back by these beautiful creations. As I sat something out of my past appeared on the wall; up high in the corner another print made from an original painting by Karen, a folk rendition of Nubble lighthouse, a place known well to me above and below the water. I had completed many dives in the clear cold waters adjacent to the lighthouse. Print after print of beautiful folk art, and all reflected a similar theme; faith, family, community, honesty and an appreciation for the simple things in life. I looked at my watch, hours had past for me, but such glorious hours they were. “Karen, thank you for an afternoon well spent, and I will be back.” “I know you will” she said with that wonderful warm smile that greeted me earlier. I encourage all who read this article to visit “Rachael’s Garden”, look around for gift ideas, maybe even buy a birdhouse for our little friends and yours. Remember these little feathered creatures eat many times their weight in bugs each day and do it with a song.

Signature Series “Type III” Mulberry scented Palm Wax filled Sand Pot Candle

Candles by Donald is offering a Sand Pot Candle (Signature Series, type III), a different kind of sand candle. I have cast a container in sand with highly refined paraffin wax. This particular wax has the following characteristics: moderately high melt point, very hard, and a thin consistency allowing it to bond well with the fine sand. The result is a beautiful container made of wax and sand. This signature series sand pot candle is of the type III variety. The “type III” sand pots feature a brass embellishment and pedestal base. The base is carved from the rough casting; creating a much more shapely version of the original sand pot. Much more difficult to carve the sand pot candles will always result in a shipping weight greater than 4 pounds due to the extra weight from the pedestal. The brass piece was purchased in a great place to shop for brass, findings and many other treasures, NancMacFindings. The sand pot container is filled with a high quality palm wax container blend and scented with the candle fragrance oil "Mulberry". This is a light, uplifting fruity scent that gives the candle a strong aroma both hot and cold. Another very beautiful creation from “Candles by Donald” that is sure to enhance your spring time décor. Keep the candle out of drafts, and the wick centered within the sand pot candle diameter to get the best performance from this candle. The candle wick is engineered to self trim, and specifically designed for use with palm wax. Only when absolutely necessary should you trim the wick. For example wild flickering, burning too hot, and burning too fast or as simple as much too bright. I have trimmed the wick for you, just light and enjoy. The thick white protrusion under the shrink wrap is a plastic sleeve to protect the wick, remove before lighting the candle. The sand pot is painted using non toxic acrylic paints and coatings. I use high quality materials in all of my work. The wax pool is 3 3/8 inches in diameter. This beautiful candle with a wonderful scent and "earthy" look weighs 2 Lbs. 9.5 oz. to which I added 13.5 ounces of highly scented palm wax bringing the total sand pot candle weight to 3 Lbs 7 oz. The sand pot candle stands 4 1/4 inches tall, and 5 inches in diameter at its widest point (leaf stamping). All of my candles are "one of a kind", each individually cast, hand carved, and signed by the artist. When care is taken burning sand pot candles, the sand pot container can be reused many times. This candle has been “shrink” wrapped to preserve freshness, and labeled with the scent name. The following is a link to a video I put together that shows exactly how a sand pot candle is made:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4v8OSOEsTDA
if you are looking for a unique hand crafted gift, this is it. The candle’s unique design is a welcome addition to just about any home décor.
Shipping will be with USPS Priority Mail / Parcel Post. I will calculate the best postage based on the “ship to” zip code. The shipping estimate is just that, an estimate calculated for the farthest destination.

Pillar Candle Suggested Safety and Burning Instructions

Candles by Donald has an updated candle burning and safety instruction sheet.

These will be provided with every purchase. It has always been my position

that safety comes first when burning candles. If there is anything I should add,

please let me know and we will add the guideline to this group.

1. Carefully remove shrink wrapping from the candle before burning. Insure that

the wick is cut to approximately 3/16 to 1/4 inches before lighting the candle.

2. Always use a pillar candle holder, stand, or plate when burning a pillar candle.

Avoid wax spill problems, always use a candle dish.

3. A general rule is burn a candle 1 hour per inch diameter. For example burn

a 3 inch diameter pillar for approximately 3 hours or less. Always extinguish

candle before flame causes breakthrough in the candle wax pool wall.

4. Keep the wick centered allowing the candle to burn even. A centered wick is

extremely important when burning a palm wax pillar candle. Adjust wick

position to cause an even thickness wax pool wall. When burning pillar candles

this will maximize the burn time and increase the candles efficiency.

5. Burn candles in areas free of drafts. Drafts cause the candle to burn wildly and

out of control. Drafts can be caused by fans, open windows, air conditioning or

heating vents.

6. Keep the wax pool area free of debris. This debris will choke and clog the

wick causing it to burn in an irregular manner.

7. Prior to lighting the candle trim the wick if needed; a wick that is to long will

cause the candle to smoke. All the things I have mentioned shorten the burn

times and make a mess.

8. Keep your candle clean. Both palm and paraffin wax candles can be cleaned

using a damp soft cloth or paper towel. Simply wipe the soiled surfaces clean.

9. In closing the most important safety suggestion is NEVER LEAVE A

BURNING CANDLE UNATTENDED.

The following was written by Ilana McBain from the Australian Candle Company "I Love Candles". The comment is well written and very informative, so much so that it belongs here and not in the comment section.

We love natural candles. Palm wax, soy wax, each of these waxes has its benefits. In common they share a few very good qualities.
1.All these waxes will burn cleanly and will not release harmful soot, black toxic smoke or CO2 into the air, as breathing this over period of time can be unhealthy. Black smoke and soot can also discolour walls, curtains and furniture.
2.The wick will not drown in the natural waxes.
3.We use high level of scent, so your candles will scent the room beautifully even before you light the candles. With the bees wax candles, we do not add any scents. We like the way they release natural honey scent when they burn.
4.Bees wax candles by the act of ionisation, act as air purifiers.
5.All natural candles burn significantly longer then paraffin candles of the same size.
6.Palm wax candles are the perfect pillars. The wax is very firm and will not melt in the sun. The candles do not need memory burning and you can burn them as often and as long as you wish. By trimming the wick when the wall of the candle becomes thin and transparent, you can eliminate any spillages.
7.Soy wax candles are housed in containers. It is a much softer wax and it burns in a much lower temperature. The melted wax will not burn the skin and is great where there are children to consider. You can even dip your finger in the wax and rub it on your hands as a moisturiser.

Thank you "I Love Candles" from Candles by Donald

http://www.ilovecandles.com.au

Please enjoy your candle purchase. The beauty and scent from a burning candle

is a relaxing and sense fulfilling experience. Please enjoy burning your candles

safely and think of Candles by Donald for your next candle purchase.

Candles by Donald http://www.candleguy821.artfire.com

A Wonderful "kitchen" Scented Candle Returns to "Candles by Donald", Vanilla scented 3 in. dia. X 4 1/2 in. tall palm wax pillar candle

In this offer I have for sale a 3 inch dia. X 4 1/2 inch tall pillar candle scented with that all time kitchen favorite scent “Vanilla”. This “Vanilla” fragrance is best described as, go to the kitchen and hope there is a vanilla cake with butter cream frosting, unwrap and smell. This scent smells just like sweet vanilla extract, with a hint of fresh creamy butter. The hot and cold scent throw is very good, certainly a room sized fragrance. This is white with a hint of gold colored candle (sort of an “off-white”) with silvery white on the peaks and ridges of the surface crystal formations. The color in the photos is very much the color of the candles I am offering. All of candles are very similar in appearance to the photos differing only surface crystal patterns. The photos are of one candle from those that I have in stock. I have shrink wrapped the candle to preserve its freshness. A metallic safety label is included, and affixed to the bottom of the candle. This label may remain on the candle while burning. I have attached a custom designed label to the shrink wrapping. This label is the name of the scent on a nicely designed background. As you can tell this is a nicely packaged candle and would certainly make a wonderful gift. I have used a premium fragrance, and blend of palm wax. It is important to keep the wick centered when burning this candle in order to maximize the overall candle performance. Burn the candle for approximately 3-4 hours, trying not to allow the heat to break through the wax wall. Extinguish the candle and relight after the wax has cooled. This will create a nice effect from the light behind the crystal loaded candle wall. Eventually the top of the candle will erode and be consumed by the flame. When burned properly palm wax candles are very beautiful as the light penetrates the crystal loaded wall. Please contact me should you have any questions about my products.

Notice of my Etsy Store Closing and Artfire Store Growing Much Larger

I will be closing my Etsy store “Candles by Donald” very soon. My attitude and thoughts about Etsy could not be better. I want to make it very clear that I like Etsy. My decision to close my Etsy store and shift all my energies and resources to the Artfire “Candles by Donald” store is purely a business decision.

My Artfire store ( http://www.candleguy821.artfire.com ) will be getting all my energies and focus. I will be adding more selection and increasing the quantity per selection. My goal is to have 40-50 pillar listings divided between paraffin and palm wax candles. Each listing quantity will have 3 – 6 candles. Sand Pot Candles are a “Candles by Donald” specialty; there will be 10-20 of the signature series available in different scents and sizes. I will still carry hand dipped taper candles in as many quantities and colors that there is time to make. Custom candle service will still be available and at no extra charge. I want a “Candles by Donald” super store. My business model in Artfire will allow me to accomplish this goal and reduce the price of my 3 inch diameter X 4 1/2 inches tall pillar candle to $7.00.

“Candles by Donald” will supply customers with selection, good quality, and good prices. “Candles by Donald” will continue to listen to the customer. Fragrance requests are welcome, I will do my best to obtain high quality fragrance oils per your request. Please communicate, I will answer. It is my hope that you will support “Candles by Donald” on Artfire. I will in turn provide you the customer with a good selection of high quality scented and unscented pillars, signature series sand pots, and hand dipped unscented taper candles.

Thank You

Donald ……………………… that candle guy

New Candle Scent Welcome "Macintosh Apples", New Candle Prices in my Artfire Store Only

Candles by Donald is offering a 3 inch dia. X 4 ½ inch tall pillar scented with a fragrance called “Macintosh Apples” (candle only). This strong classic fragrance is described as the aroma from Macintosh apples “right from the tree”. The manufacturer has said that this fragrance oil was two years in the making; they wanted a true Macintosh Apple scent. I say, “they did it!” I have colored this candle a robust Macintosh apple red that develops a silvery hue at the ridges of the crystal effects. This effect is characteristic for Palm Wax and very beautiful. Burning with little or no soot, Palm wax is a fantastic material for making candles. The candle has a terrific cold and hot fragrance throw, and weighs one pound. I have sized the wick to create a thin wall around the flame as the candle burns down. A very nice effect is given off by the flame shinning through the crystal loaded candle walls and the body of the candle. Eventually the wall will erode and be consumed by the candle. It is very important to keep the wick centered in order to maximize this effect and get the longest burn times from the candle. All the candles I have in stock are very similar to the photos but not exact, there will be slight variations in the crystal pattern. The wax has a very different feel to it, and an awesome appearance due to the crystal formations on the surface of the candle. I have shrink wrapped the candle to preserve its freshness. A metallic safety label is included, and affixed to the bottom of the candle. This label may remain on the candle while burning. I have attached a custom designed label to the shrink wrapping. This label is the name of the scent and includes a short description. As you can tell this is a nicely packaged candle and would certainly make a wonderful gift. I have used a premium fragrance, and blend of palm wax. Please read my profile for information about the palm wax I use and its grower’s contribution to the preservation of the existing Rain Forest. Burn this candle much like any other candle. Use the following guidelines to get the most out of your purchase:
1. Carefully remove the shrink wrapping prior to lighting the candle. Keep the wick centered within the within the diameter of the candle. Do not allow the hot wax to break through the candle wall, extinguish the candle and relight as soon as the candle cools to avoid any breakthrough.
2. Trim the wick to 1/4 to 3/8 inches prior to burning. Too long a wick will cause the candle to flicker uncontrollably. A little flicker is okay. This reduces the life of the candle.
3. Burn the candle in an area without any drafts, and for 3 - 4 hours at a time or roughly 1 hour per inch of diameter.
4. Follow all the safety guidelines written on the candle labels.
Please ask questions about my products. I will answer.
All my shipping is done using the USPS priority mail system for US shipments, and first class mail international for Canada. I estimate distance based on the furthest distance; when I have determined shipping costs I will return any overcharges, quickly. Please contact me for a more exact shipping cost based on your zip code and the item or items purchased. I will answer.

New Pricing Artfire Store Only - Yes, new prices on all regular priced 3 inch diameter X 4 1/2 inches tall pillar candles. I have set the new prices at $7.00 per pillar candle not including shipping. It is my goal to deliver to you quality, quantity, selection, and a damn good pillar candle. In the next two weeks I will be increasing quantities for all my 3 inch diameter pillar candles, or at least until I run out of wax. Buy more wax? I can't until I sell some candles to pay for it.

Two Shops make the First Type II Signature Series Sand Pot Candle a Reality

I needed to come up with a smaller version of my signature series sand pot candle. The new version is called Type II. In addition to being smaller, sports a beautiful brass embellishment. The new sand pot is slightly smaller with a finished candle shipping weight less than 4 pounds. The new design also needed a brass embellishment. For the brass feature I turned to NancMacFindings for assistance. Nancy worked very hard digging through boxes of beads, brass, chains, clasps, and other findings to find me something nice. What am I saying! All of her findings are nice, beautiful to say the least. I should say, something that could be added to the exterior of the sand pot to give it that special PIZAZZ. The next group of Sand Pot Candles will all have embellishments from Nancy’s store NancMacFindings. I encourage you to visit, look around, and if you don’t see what you want, talk to Nancy. She is only too happy to help. A big Thank You goes out to NancMacFindings from Candles by Donald, your help made the ordinary, extraordinary.

I have made a very short video on how the sand pot is made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v8OSOEsTDA

Signature Series, Type II Sand Pot Candles Get Some Help

At the right: These are some of my selections for future Type II "Signature Series"Sand Pot Candles.

Hello, I have something new I am going to try. I recently contacted NancMacFindings a store specializing in findings including brass stampings. Nancy, had some interesting brass stampings and pendents. I found a few from her regular stock and put them in reserve. Nancy offered to look at some of her unlisted stock for more brass stampings. I really like this, a person willing to spend extra time with a customer in order to supply choices. Nancy came up with some beautiful brass stampings made with untreated old brass. These types of embellishments when added to the exterior of a sand pot candle, give the candle something even more unique. Sand Pot Candles with these brass embellishments are truly one of a kind and provide a wonderful addition to ones home decor. I decided to add this brass to a new variation of the signature series sand pot candles. Although the signature series candle are beautiful they are just a little heavy. Candles by Donald would offer a different type and style of Sand pot Candle. This "Type II" sand pot candle would be lighter and smaller. The shipping weight needed to be under 4 pounds. This could be done without compromising the improvements accomplished through the Signature Series sand pots.

 

     The story took place on an island in the middle of a large lake located in between the Ossipee and Belknap mountains. For me, this was and still is the most beautiful place in the world, and where my story began. I was hired at a lodge as the speed boat driver. Along with my duties as boat driver, I was the bartender, plumber, painter, fishing guide, Maytag repairman, carpenter, valet, garlic chopper, cheese grater and everything else laborer. The story revolved around the site of a new dock to be built. Gus and his wife owned the lodge and hired me.  Their daughter was having a cottage built just off to the left and around the shore from her parents lodge. This true story is about one phase in the building of the dock she used for tying her boat to.  The dock also became a viewing platform overlooking the lake and natures spectacular never ending performance.
     Building a dock was new to me, but not new to Gus. Early one morning, it was always too early; Gus talked to me about building a "great" dock on the other side of the cove. Gus always used the word "great" as he easily verbalized the impossible to a "would be" helper. First move 3 large rocks into the lake to serve as a base for a much larger rock to sit on. Then move this giant rock to a position on top of the first three rocks. The huge car sized rock would sit half submerged, and serve as a focal point for the great dock to rest. A beautiful deck would be built around the huge granite centerpiece. Gus's plan sounded so easy to me, the naïve young man that I was.
     Gus and I carefully carried three chain falls (pulley system used to hoist boats), chains, clamps, hooks, cable, and tools from the boathouse shop through the woods along the shoreline to the first rock that had to be moved. The path was slippery in some spots and rocky in others. The terrain was made even more treacherous by all of the equipment and tools in our arms.
     We must have been a sight, a tall skinny 18 year old, and Gus, a not very tall slightly overweight music teacher. We did not have the appearance of an experienced laborer, and expert rigger; the type of workers you would expect to undertake a construction project like "the great dock". I was young, skinny, and quick to learn. Already having learned that doing anything over such rough terrain was very hard work.
     Gus, in his sixties, did not seem to tire as we moved the heavy pulleys into position, and placed the chain around the first rock we needed to move.            I had worked with Gus before and knew to just follow his direction and an explanation would come soon. These were big rocks about half as big as a car. I remember asking myself; how would all this heavy rock moving be done? It was time to ask the big question. "Gus, how will we do all this heavy lifting"? "Donny, the chain falls will give us a mechanical advantage of 6 to 1", he explained. I listened intently as the explanation had started to make some sense. Little did I know my science class lessons on machines and pulleys would ever be used, and used so soon. Using gravity, machines and leverage we moved the first rock into the lake with ease. This was the first day in three and by far the easiest.
     Gus and I walked back to the lodge; he was totally satisfied with the progress we made and I, completely exhausted.
     As we walked back, my gaze turned across the cove to the white porch surrounding the large two story main house with its comfortable white wicker furniture that looked so inviting. I had been hired for the summer to drive the boat. The boat was a Dodge, a beautiful 28 foot antique speedboat used to provide transportation from the mainland to the island and ferry the guests back and forth to the boys' camp. The opportunity to stay at the lodge and drive the big boat made the hard work easy.
     I went into the kitchen and got a soda for myself and a large glass of ice with water for Gus. Already settled in his favorite chair he contemplated the day's events while looking across the lake to the distant mountains. We all feasted on the beautiful views that the lodge had to offer of this glacial lake. For many afternoons before this one, Gus had looked across the cove to the site of the great dock. The dock site preparation was all figured out, yes, he had a plan "no stone was left unturned", literally. We talked some about how the dock would be built before he nodded off, taking a short nap in his favorite chair.
     As the dinner meal was prepared by family and help, I headed into the boathouse to get the boat ready. I liked everything to run smoothly with the boat and I treated the Ranger like she was mine; it was my job. I drove over to the camp front dock and picked up the guests an hour before dinner. The season just started we had some guests, but not a full house. This meant we had time to undertake dock building and other interesting projects.
     I remember how early the next day started for Donny, and how sore I was from the previous days work; boats, breakfast, and drive the guests to the camp dock. I had a busy morning ahead for me. Summer had just begun and the weather was cool in the morning; warming up fast toward noon. A light misty fog moved across lake, on that cool crisp morning. The smell of pine trees, bacon frying, and hot coffee seemed to linger in the air as I cut across the cove to the lodge. The big boat glided by the dock site, and Gus waved happy to see his helper. Soon we would start on that second rock. I walked through the woods to the dock site; the air was rich with pine scent. Gus directed me to set up the chain a slightly different way than for the first rock. I had already learned to follow instructions exactly knowing the job would go faster and easier, if I did. He was an incredible engineer, at first glance you would never have realized the amount of work this music teacher could do. The day went well each rock sliding exactly into place. By now these accomplishments by a sixty six year old man and a skinny kid, had become business as usual. For Gus the word fail did not exist and some of that same attitude was starting to rub off on me.
     A walk through the woods to the lodge and Gus would head for his favorite chair. I poured some water into a tall glass filled with ice and brought it out to him. As I approached him, I noticed how intently he looked out across the lake. It was as if a link or bond existed between him and the lake; she held him very close. It was 1964 and the lake was not developed at all. Quite so quite, not many boats, much of the noise we had came from a couple pairs of loons living in the back cove across from us near the camp. We talked for a while about our successes until he nodded off.
     Soon, I would return with the guests and the air would fill with conversation as everyone waited for dinner. Gus woke up as I returned with a boat full of guests. He would greet everyone as they came onto the porch with that big warm smile. Gus seemed to enjoy meeting people, and conversation abounded as the wonderful aromas from the upcoming evening meal drifted out of the kitchen window. The topics would range from the Arts (music) to Washington and international politics. Gus was part of why people enjoyed staying at the lodge so much; along with the fantastic cooking and the ambiance of the Lake.
     The next day very little work was to be done, Gus was busy at the camp, and I shuttled guests back to the landing as they headed home. As the afternoon came around we did get some time to work on the big rock. I was directed to bring a much longer section of heavy cable as we headed over to the site of the "great" dock. Gus had a new idea for moving the rock. Unlike the other rocks this rock was not near the shore line it was about 10 feet away. Not far you say, for this rock, 10 feet was like 10 miles. We wrapped the stranded cable around the rock; then set the hook from the chain fall into the cable loop. We set the chain fall near a tree that would give us the right direction for the pull. The chain fall was fastened near the base of the tree with a heavy chain. We tensioned the rig a little and left it, our time was up.
     Gus did not walk back with me this evening; instead he decided to spend some time thinking. Everything was okay between us, although we had begun to stretch each others patience. This was hard, tedious work over very rough terrain. I was under constant pressure to stay relatively clean and available for the guests. The boats always came first and Gus would always give way when conflicts occurred. The senior staff of the lodge did a good job of give and take. That is probably why it worked at all.
     I remember looking across to the dock site; there was Gus standing on a large rock near the shore. First he would look at that huge rock, and then moved his gaze down the path the rock would eventually take before coming to rest on top of the three rocks already in place. Now he would look out across the lake and then up to the mountains all the while smoking his pipe. Every few minutes he would say "yes sir". I walked around the shoreline to remind him it was getting dark, but mostly to make sure he did not get hurt in the low light. Back at the lodge, well you know the drill by now. I think we all went to sleep early that night; it had been a busy day.
     The sun and Donny arose at almost the same time. The sun had no help, but I did. I slept in one of the rooms above the kitchen. Gus would use a broom handle to bang on the ceiling and wake me up. I already knew we had to get an early start, there were a few guests coming in around 3 o'clock.
     The walk thru the woods along the shore was all too short for my aching muscles. There it was, looming before us in the morning light, that granite behemoth. I pulled on the chain, the cable tightened, but the rock did not move. We wrapped a chain around the rock and set up another block and tackle system. I pulled on the chain and the whole system became taut. We both pulled on the block and tackles together; the rock did not move. One more block and tackle is all we had. I would go back to the boat house to get more chains, clamps, and hooks. I saw Gus sitting down, near one side of the rock toward the back; he had an idea. As I was about to leave he said, "Donny, get the house jack also", so back I ran. I was getting tired just running back and forth to the boat house.
While I was getting the house jack Gus had started to set up the third block and tackle system. This was fast becoming more than just moving the boulder, yes boulder, this was no longer a rock. I viewed the moving of the rock as a challenge, a conflict between us and this huge mass of stone.
     On my return we finished hooking up the additional chains. Already we had two chains and one cable wrapped around the boulder and the house jack was next. Our block and tackle system gave us a mechanical advantage of 18. It was like 18 men pulling on the boulder every time we tightened up all the chains. I saw immediately what Gus was up to with the house jack. Yes, this was going to work, it had to, we did not have any more tools. Gus worked the house jack, while I tightened the chains, first one then the other. Once all the chains tight, Gus gave the house jack another turn or two. Then I would tighten the chains again; THE ROCK STARTED TO MOVE! At least 2000 pounds of New England granite was starting to roll. We would repeat this process at least a dozen times, before the house jack had reached its highest point. The giant boulder was leaning very precariously exactly in the direction we wanted it to go. We both felt that with one or two pulls on the chain falls; the rock would roll over, slide down the slippery bank and into its final resting place. Gus positioned himself next to one of the chain falls and I on the other. The third block and tackle would serve to help hold the rock from going in the wrong direction. "Ready Gus", I yelled, he nodded and very quietly I thought I heard him say, "Yes sir". We pulled on the chains; we pulled again, and again, and again. The huge behemoth of a boulder rolled over and slid just as planned; then stopped. We both could not believe our eyes, it stopped. The massive rock had come to a halt just as it was entering the lake. Gus muttered something appropriate, and just shook his head. He found the nearest rock to sit on, took out his pipe and had a smoke.
     We talked about the problem at hand, this was serious. Gravity and momentum should have been enough to move the rock all the way into the lake. We noticed that the rock was just hung there, for no apparent reason. Okay let's do it again. We unhooked and unfastened everything. This was a brand new problem.
A voice from the main house echoed across the cove reminding us about the guests arriving soon. I would need time to cleanup.
     We fastened a cable around the boulder and hooked it to the largest block and tackle. The house jack was position under the edge of the rock away from the lake. A few turns on the house jack followed by tensioning of the block and tackle. This time the rock did not move, the house jack could not be turned anymore. Both Gus and I pulled on the chain attached to the block, pulled and pulled. Then the unthinkable happened, the cable broke. Yes, the cable snapped flinging the end through the air and taking a big chunk of bark out of a nearby tree. We were okay, stationed well away from the rock.
Then once again the voice called, "Donny". Gus yelled back "just a few minutes more". I was totally defeated, this was to be the first and only time Gus and I would have words.
     I stormed back to the main house, time had run out. I needed to get cleaned up and ready the boat for the guests. As it turned out not a moment too soon, from the boat house I heard the phone ring. As I backed the 28 foot antique boat out of the boathouse I could not help but notice Gus sitting on a rock smoking his pipe. I pulled out of the cove; he did not wave. The ride to the landing seemed ever so long. I greeted the guests, loaded their luggage, and proceeded to bring them back to the lodge. The boat trip with the guests was a nice break for me. I was still upset over the argument Gus and I got into; was I out of line? A nice boat ride in a beautiful antique speedboat would help me relax. I asked the guests if they would enjoy a little longer trip to the lodge. The scenic route took us around a beautiful island with a pristine beach. The boat flew across the lake as I increased the throttle; I thought "let's see what she will do". The ride was smooth as the boat came to a plane easily and flew across the open water. The Lake was all mine, there was not another boat in sight. This was just the thing I needed to help relax a little and sort things out. As the boat cleared the island the boy's camp came into view. I slowed the boat down just a little as we passed in front of the main dock. The campers were all awestruck by the beautiful "Ranger", her mahogany decks gleaming in the sunlight. Now I slowed the boat down even more to headway speed and entered the cove that the lodge was in, so green, lush, and rocky. I was a little worried for Gus, this was a major defeat. I began my approach to the boathouse, the "Ranger" gliding in front of the huge boulder with Gus still standing there smoking his pipe. I tied up the boat in the boat house and assisted the guests as they climbed out of the boat and onto the boathouse deck. I helped the guests with the luggage and showed them their cabin.
I decided to go stand on the front porch for a moment and check on Gus. The aroma from the kitchen dominated the air while I stood at the railing looking at Gus. He was still standing on a rock, looking at the huge boulder and then out across the lake, so quite. I better go help him get back to the lodge, thinking to myself.
Just then, the almost eerie silence was broken by a grinding sound and Gus yelling "Donny, Donny, the rock is moving". I could see the rock slide into the lake. It appeared to come to rest on top of the three rocks just as planned. What just happened? Gus climbed onto the huge rock; he stood up, and reached into his pocket for his pipe. This man called Gus had done something no other person could have done. In my opinion, Gus used his incredible concentration along with his love for the lake and island to solve the problem standing in the way of accomplishing his dream. Once again his gaze went out across the lake, almost like saying "thank you" for what just happened and I heard him say "Yes Sir".
Too weird you say; believe me, this would not be the last time I would see Gus "do the impossible". The summer of 1964 continued as did the work on the "Great" dock, and Gus taught me a plethora of skills that I would use for many years to come. I think often of that moment in time, the lake, the island, the lodge, and a man called "Gus" one of the great influences in my life.

Eye and Mind Rest Area, Arts and Crafts Lookout Station

These beautiful artworks were picked by me, by hand. Enjoy some of Donalds favorite items made by friends. Each of these items has caught my attention for their beauty, technical prowess, uniqueness, and usefulness.

This is a "spotlight" from Donalds account on byhand.me. If you left click on any particular item you will be propelled at tremendous speeds to the artisans studio. There you can look at more beautiful work and obtain more information about the artisan and her/his work. So, hold on to your seat and click away. The artists work is wonderful, do you think so? Let them know make a comment, nice ones only please.

The New Sand Pot Candles Have Arrived

The candle line is called the

"Signature Series". I will list some of the features:

1. A new more "pot like" shape

2. A significantly increased side wall width, 2/3 of the way into the sand pot the sidewalls will almost double in thickness. How is this done? The inside of the pot is a straight walled cylinder, the pot shape results in an increased sidewall thickness. Why? Increased safety, have there been any problems? no; I just want an extra margin of safety and it is a result of the new shape. I like the pot like shape.

3. An increase in bottom thickness. Why? Increased safety, have there been any problems, no. I added the extra thickness to give the candle a little more weight in the bottom and an increased margin of safety against bottom burnout.

4. Each candle will be signed by me "Donald", initially on a hang tag attached to each sand pot candle. The tag will have the scent name on the front side and on the back side of the label a short definition of a sand pot candle.

5. Each candle Will sport a new style exterior paint job. There will be a candle that should compliment almost any home decor.

The first offering will be in the Artfire store first, sometime this weekend. Eventually they will be listed in the Etsy store. Look them over, I think that whether you are a Sand Pot Candle fan or not, you "will like the way the Sand Pots look". I have more sand pots in production that will be offered as they are completed.

Candleguy's Vietnam Adventure while attached to the Special Operations Group

How I did the Floating Candle

How did I do the floating candle? Let’s start with 2 pictures of what I did in the first place, just for the benefit of those who tuned in late.
First I used my graphic and photo editing program, Printshop Deluxe version 21 by Broderbund, to create the background. I set up a canvas for legal size paper. Next I selected a real nice picture of some clouds from the clipart library that comes with the software. In order to prevent the picture from looking elongated when I sized it to the legal sized canvas, I brought it into the project normal size. Once on my canvas I enlarged the photo by pulling one corner of the photo diagonally downward until the top and bottom of the photo fit on the canvas, ignoring the left and right sides. This method will keep the ratio of the photo intact will allowing you to fit at least two sides on the canvas. Now position the photo aligning top and bottom on the canvas allowing the side or sides of the photo to fall off the canvas. Crop the photo so that when done you are left with an undistorted legal sized picture of some clouds. The key word here is “undistorted”, we are creating an illusion. Now, write this file out as a JPEG file and then read it back in after deleting what was on the canvas originally. This will allow you to start from scratch in the crop section of the photo editor. This extra effort will payoff in the end. In order to get a background large enough to accommodate this subject, four legal size pieces of paper will be needed. The four pieces will be taped together creating a 2 X 2 background with four pieces of legal size paper. The legal size photo of clouds we just finished will be divided into 4 equal sized pieces. Using the crop section of the photo editor divide and crop the original photo creating four equal sized pieces. At this time we need to assemble the prints and tape creating a larger than 4 times copy of the original photo without any distortion. There’s that keyword again!

From this point on I will generalize with respect to the various pieces of lawn furniture used to create an outdoor light box. Yes, I said outdoor light box. Obtain a cardboard box at least slightly larger than the backdrop is wide. A box can be used to store your backdrops for future use, and it sits better on the table. I found a box that was about 10 inches deep, but the outer dimensions where almost 30 inches square. Place the box on the edge of a small table, and slide a chair back up against the box so it won’t fall off the table. Insure that the table surface is solid, if not use something to prevent light from coming thru the bottom of the table. Take the beautiful cloud backdrop you just made and tack it to the outside of the box, only tack the top. Remember this is your backdrop so it needs to be tacked to the box high enough to allow the subject to be in the middle. Allow the remainder of the backdrop to drape over the small table, creating a graceful arc between the table and the box. This is how the illusion of no horizon is done. The arc will not appear in the finished photo. This is your outdoor light box, and the sun is your light. Now place the subject, if possible, so that it hides the seam between the sheets of paper. The more seams you hide the less you will have to edit out later. For this example, I am taking a picture of a candle resting on a piece of driftwood. I decide that minimum shadows would be the best. For this time of year around 12:30 is optimal. In other words, the sun is high in the sky. Remember, this whole setup can be moved around a little, so turn the table and all to get what shadows you have to deal with where it is to your advantage. Take lots and lots and lots of pictures; select the best photos for what you need. Using the photo editor within Printshop hide the seams using scratch eliminator. Hint: if the is still a little flaw wear the seam was, use the area blur to cloud up the rest. Now, try this out the first chance you get its fun and very rewarding. Thanks for listening. Every photo editor is different, you will need to adapt and modify this process to fit your software and needs.
This is where I learned how to do the floating candle.

In memory of my cousin Katrina who recently passed away very suddenly. I would like to share a moment with you all. Since the both of us suffered from not being able to sleep at night, we would send E-mail s' all night long asking questions and sharing knowledge. Late one night/early one morning I asked a question about shooting photo's against backdrops. She replied with this drawing after a few minutes had passed. The next day I replied with a photo of a honeysuckle candle. She screamed a flurry of profanities followed by congradulations on perfect photo. The next photo I did was of the floating candle, she responded the same way. Always willing to share, I can not thank her enough for all that she gave me.

Katrina, sent me an Email asking that I write an article for her, on exactly "how to do the floating candle". She was an artist and a good friend, alway helping others.

This one is for you Katrina, thank you very much.

The Name "Candle Guy" How? Why?

I started selling candles in a small farm stand. I new nothing about selling candles, but the available space I had for storing the candles I made was almost gone. Why not just stop making candles; now that would make much too much sense. In truth there was one more problem. I could not afford to buy supplies anymore. Everyone that new I made candles said “your candles are so good you should sell them”. I soon found out that selling candles was not going to be easy. First was the labeling problem, I needed safety and product labels. Next the fingerprint problem, my products looked real nice when I set them on the shelves. When I returned the following week my candles looked horrible, just covered with fingerprints from customers picking them up to smell. I discovered shrink wrap, this solved two problems. Now I had something to stick my label to, and I had protection from fingerprints. For the first time my candles looked like “real” products.
Laura, the owner had two little girls, they would always be there to help put my candles on the shelf. It was toward the end of summer, the store was very quite as we parked our car to deliver some candles. Evidently the younger of the two girls was keeping an eye on things while Mom was out back. Suddenly the silence was broken, as clear as a bell I heard, “Mom, it’s that candle guy”. At that moment, I knew I would use ”that candle guy” as my closing on all store correspondence and as my alias. I will never forget that morning, so cute, “Mom it’s that candle guy”.

Donald…………………………….………that candleguy