Candles in Tin Cans, Another Award and I Won a Giveaway!

Photo and Craft Courtesy of Country Living

I have to admit guys, I've been pretty lazy this week with cooking, cleaning and decorating but I gotta get my rear-end going, which is pretty hard considering how large it is. In fact, my rear is starting to look like those cream cheese sugar cookies I made over the holidays! :( Anyway, I digress. Today's post is about an idea I found while searching on Country Living online and I thought it was adorable and so clever! They are candles in tin cans! I think they are just adorable and I have a few tin cans sitting around that might look better as a candle makeover. :)

Supplies:

Four 6-inch-length wire-core wicks, primed

4 wick holders

4 tin cans, approximately

4 inches deep and 2 inches wide 2.5 ounces stearin

1 disk wax dye, if desired 1.5 pounds paraffin wax
5-7 drops of fragrance, if desired (my addition)

Directions:

1. Insert a length of primed wick into each wick holder and place a wick in the center of each tin. 2. In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, melt the stearin and wax dye, if using.
3. Add the wax. Melt and mix thoroughly. Heat to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Anchor the wicks in the tins by pouring enough wax into each tin to cover about 1/2 inch of each wick. Allow the wax to cool for about 30 minutes.
5. Wrap the end of the wicks around tie rods and rest the rods on the tops of the containers. Take up any slack in the wicks and center them within the tins. Be careful not to dislodge the anchors.
6. Reheat the wax to 190 degrees Fahrenheit and fill the tins to within 1/2 inch of the top. Allow to cool for one hour.
7. If the wax settles, reheat the remaining wax to 190 degrees Fahrenheit and top off the candles as necessary.
8. Cool for several hours or overnight. Remove the tie rods, trim the wicks to 1/4 inch, and the candles are ready to light.

I think I will try to make one or two soon and will show you but ONLY if they turn out okay. :)

Now for yet another award (you guys are giving me a big head) and winning a giveaway! Woohoo!

My newest friend and my sweet cat friend Anya over at KARELTJE en ikke !!! has awarded me with the Cat Blog Friendship Award! I never new cat awards existed but this one is so cute! Anya is a cat lover like me and she is always so sweet, happy and upbeat. It's always so fun talking with her. I love checking out to see what Kareltje (her cat) is doing for the day. Probably like my cats, either sleeping or eating! Ha! Checkout her blog when you have a chance. You are sure to smile! THANK YOU, ANYA! I love this award Mocha and Quincy say thank you to Kareltje!

Also, I won my second giveaway! I'm so, so excited. It's always like Christmas all over again when winning a giveaway and the excitement of waiting to see what you won is always so fun. I won my giveaway from Summer Gypsy over at Unshelved Words. Summer Gypsy and I are new blog friends and she was kind enough to welcome me with a giveaway win! What a welcome! You must see her blog. She writes so beautifully and I love all her pictures! She's oh so vintage! :) She won't tell me what I won but she said it's very special. I LOVE surprises. Thank you, Summer Gypsy! I can't wait to see what it is!!!

Did anyone watch American Idol tonight? Jim and I went out for dinner (I actually ordered breakfast :)) and came home and watched American Idol. It's always so amusing (but we never make fun of anyone). To each his own. ;)