Top Tip Tuesday #64 - A gift....

Morning all, well as I'm still posting you may have guessed that were still in the old house, still no news other than we have till Thursday to exchange.... chances of that happening... 50/50 at the moment, I will be glad once I know if I'm going before or after Christmas, we still don't have a tree up and my eldest is asking where it is! Her other question is 'how will father christmas know where were living?' I had to tell her that I will text him on Christmas eve to let him know... Hubby just raised his eyebrows when I said this... well what was I meant to say?!

Anyway I'm here to share with the the FAB challenge over at Top Tip Tuesday this week, I know its the turn of the other team but I decided to play along as I needed to keep my mind off of packing my house up too soon - although there is a lot to pack! and so this week we are looking for your;

Gifts.... 

This can be something you have made to give as a gift or an image of something/someone with a gift.  

We have three wonderful sponsors this week;

Simon Says Stamp

Simon Says Stamp are offering a $20 gift voucher for their store! 

Robyns Fetish 

Robyns Fetish are offing four stamps of the winners choice from the store! 

Di's Digi Downloads

Di's Digi Downloads are offering 1 prize of 5 digi stamps! 

Wow there are loads of prizes this week! How amazing.... join in and maybe you could grab yourself an early Christmas present! 

 Now I will tell you I struggled to do this challenge as I wanted to make a gift for a special friend... But I make cards and not much else, I'm not one to spend hours trying to make something that I know I'm not going to be happy with at the end! But I have seen so many people making the gorgeous candles at the moment I just had to give it a shot! 

I did have to do this slightly different to the the tutorials I have seen, due to the move I don't have any tissue paper or a heat gun, so I improvised and used a Kleenex tissue that I split the layers down so it was one sheet thick rather than three! I then used my old hairdryer to heat it up! It did go slightly wrong, I had planned on using the sheet as one and slowly heating the candle to make it stick but before I started the tissue ripped and so I had to cut it into sections and then I spilt a glass of water on the side - Note to self, no drink and crafting at the same time! 

(Please note if you haven't decorated a candle before you will need to cover the candle with baking paper before heating your image (placed on the candle baking paper over the top and heat!) and please please please watch your little crafting hands as it hurts if you burn them as I have found out!!!! )

This is how my design started before being put on the candle! 

I did decide after taking the picture to colour the reindeer, I did that using my copic marker, you do need to be careful when you get close to the edges of the image as I did find the colour would bleed out.  But it didn't show too much after it was put on the candle, you also need to cut as close as you can to the image as it mean you need to heat less.

I used a wonderful stamp set from Woodware called Winter Wonderland. It has sat in my stash this year, as its a bunch of lovely images its one that comes out time after time, you can make something as detailed or as simp as you want from it! 

I have spent a few days searching for the right image(s) to use to decorate the candle, I tried to colour various images wanting something Christmasy for a friend of mine (this is a little something to thank her for all her help recently!). But everything was too detailed or I found when colouring that it would bleed too much and so I thought this set was perfect as its mainly silhouettes, I have to say I think I was on a mad one the day I purchased the candle (its a 70 hr church candle so quite big!)! 

I decided that I would make it look a bit more gift like by wrapping it, I did 'attempt' to make a hexagonal box for it to go in, but after attempt two I 'threw' my paper out the pram and have up! I think I was seriously trying to push my own boundaries today by doing that.  

So yes, it simply got wrapped in some cellophane that looks like its snowing! I thought it fitted the candle rather nicely, as you can see i also added a handmade gift tag just to finish it off and so it was ready to give! The ribbon was from my stash and I thought a little red bow finished it nicely, made it look more Christmasy! 

I have to say I'm quite impressed with what I created, even if i do have very burnt hands from my hairdryer.  Im even considering adding a bit of glitter to this one to 'jazz it up' a bit! but it shows that anything is possible when you have limited bits and pieces - and trying something new isn't always that bad! 

I would like to do another candle but not sure how soon, my hands were covered in wax and a bit sore by the time I finished and so I think it may be a 'wait till the new house' job! 

I would like to enter this candle into the following challenges;

2 Sisters - Christmas 

Crafty Calendar - Cold and Frosty

Di's Digi Designs Challenge - All White Except the Image

Just Some Lines - Handmade gift 

Secret Crafter - All creatures great and Small 

Fairy Tale - Gift 

Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes

Art Impressions Stamp Challenge - Try Something New

Digi Doodle Shop Best - Nature

Well I hope you like what I have created and that I have inspired you to maybe try decorating a candle yourself... if you do, let me know would love to see some more of these beauties! maybe you could also join us at TTT this week? after all its a perfect gift for someone special!! 

Please pop over to the TTT blog and see the amazing creations by the DT girls and the FAB tutorial! if you have a moment leave them so love to let them know you stopped by! Also if you have a moment, I would love to hear what you think about my first attempt at decorating candles!!! 

Hugs to all and hope to see you again soon! 

xx