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HOW TO MAKE THEM AND WHERE TO BUY THEM. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IS ONLINE
Author: Dean Erickson
Whether you are interested in purchasing natural soy candles online or whether you want to learn how to make your very own, the web is the place to start.

Great deals can be found on soy candles just by executing a quick web search using keywords such as "wholesale soy candle". This search will bring up many sites that sell all sorts of soy candles and fragrances ranging from patchouli and lavender to lotus blossom and Mediterranean fig!

Soy candles are great purchase to make as they are made from 100% vegetable by-product, they are non-toxic, they burn cleanly, with barely any soot and are easy on people with difficulty breathing and ideal for those who get headaches from candles made with paraffin wax, a petroleum by-product. Natural soy candles burn much slower and last for about 30 to 50% longer than your average paraffin candle. Soy comes from the soy bean, nowadays produced in renewable quantities by American Farmers.

Soy candles are the easiest candles to make. All you need is soy wax, a jar, fragranced oil, dye and a wick. All of these soy candle supplies are available easily and cheaply online. Start with a web search for "How to make soy candles" and from there everything from instructions to supplies are at your fingertips.

Soy candles are easier to make than paraffin candles and the wax itself is actually easier to clean up. For beginners it is a good idea to purchase a soy candle making kit. In the candle making kit you'll find all your need to make natural soy candles. There are kits and instructions for making votive candles and container or jar candles. But there are so many types of candles you can make once you get started. There are scented soy candles, even triple scented and triple layered candles. Soy candles also make great aromatherapy candles.

In searching for your candle making supplies online do note that buying the right fragrance or mix of fragrances is the most important aspect of candle making. Double check that the fragrance you want is compatible with soy wax. As for the dye, dyes that come in wax forms are best because they can be melted with the soy wax. For container candles, make sure you start a collection of jars. Jars make for the best soy container candles.

The process is simple. You melt the soy wax, add dye and fragrance and pour into the container of your choice. The hardest bit involves placing the wick in the center and keep it there while the wax hardens, but when it does, you simply trim the wick and light your candle!

About the Author

Dean Erickson. Journalist, and web site builder Dean Erickson lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of soy-candles-center.info on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

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Add Sizzle to Your Surroundings
Author: M J Plaster
Is your home décor lacking that extra something that spells the difference between comfortable and vibrant or between comfortable and tranquil? Candles might be just the polish your décor needs. Take advantage of the sparkling colors, rich textures, and fresh scents of candles without draining your decorating budget.

Some candles are best unadorned, but candleholders offer an additional opportunity to highlight their presence and beauty. You don't have to burn the candles; you can use them as objects d'art, incorporating them into displays, floral arrangements and centerpieces—alone as an accent piece, or in a grouping as a focal point.

Typical candles no longer exist—they belong to a bygone era. Tapers gave way to thick and varied heights long ago. Today, you'll find square candles, heart-shaped candles, fruit and vegetable candles, gingerbread candles, floral candles, Christmas tree and ornament candles, and candles with artistic free-flowing shapes. Within that variety of shapes, you'll find an endless array of adornments, such as beads and glitter, straw, botanicals embedded in the wax, still life scenes, etc.

Color, Shape and Texture

Today's candles come in a wide variety of hues and shades, and many add the dimension of shape and texture to their composition. Marbled, frosted, and sculptured candles are widely available in a selection of sizes, shapes and prices—ranging from votives to thick, oversized candles.

If your living areas are frozen in time with a monochromatic color scheme—you know the rooms we mean, they looked oh-so-good on paper until you lived in them for a month—use candles to rescue you from the monotony without the expense of redecorating. Marbled candles are a quick and easy way to work complementary or harmonizing color into the room.

If your home utilizes color well, but lacks excitement, accessorize with textured candles to add pizzazz to the room. Position the candles to create a focal point or to add just the right accent. Marbled candles incorporate several hues and shades of the same color, and variegated candles can tie all of the colors in your décor together.

Sculptured candles provide a warm substitute for expensive knickknacks and require a minimum of space. Add smaller sculptured candles to guest bathrooms along with guest hand towels and guest soaps. It's the attention to detail that rolls out the welcome mat for guests and creates the ambiance of a memorable stay.

If you've never used anything but wax candles, try one of the new gel candles. Gel candles are translucent and their shimmering glow is irresistible to the eye. You'll find gel candles ready to display in their own attractive glass containers.

Candles and Fragrance

Scented and aromatherapy candles make an excellent choice for the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom. Consider odor-neutralizing scented candles a necessity for the kitchen when you entertain. They serve triple duty by quickly neutralizing cooking odors, adding a pleasant scent and a touch or warmth. Larger scented candles often include interesting texture, shape and color variation.

Candleholders and Display Options

If you use your patio as a three-season outdoor room, float citronella votives in water on the patio for a lily-pads-in-the-pond effect. You'll scare away the mosquitoes and other flying irritants at the same time. Place all citronella candles a few feet from the table so that you don't run off the guests along with the insects.

Votive holders have blossomed into every imaginable shape, including butterflies, bejeweled beveled glass holders, and seascape holders. Many of the votive designs are ideally suited for an outdoor environment.

Hurricane lamps add light and atmosphere to the outdoor table in the evening. Eve lights can produce harsh lighting, and hurricane lamps provide enough light to see without detracting from the atmosphere. When selecting a candleholder for outdoor use, it's important to select one that shields the flame from the wind, and hurricane lamps provide ample protection from the wind.

If you haven't seen the newer tea lamp candleholders, you're not going to believe your eyes. These candleholders are every bit as elaborate and intricate as their electrical counterparts. If you prefer the formal look of a chandelier, consider a chandelier candleholder for a soft, diffused light. The next time a storm or tornado blows through your area, leaving you without electricity, tea lamp, hurricane and chandelier candleholders will be ready and waiting.

Whatever your décor, imaginative use of candles and candleholders allows you to change your décor as often as you change your mood.

About the Author

M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for http://www.candles-4-u.com/scented_candles.htm , http://www.candles-4-u.com/soy_candles.htm , and http://www.candles-4-u.com/candle_holders.htm. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.

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10 Great Holiday Decorating Ideas...On a Budget!
Author: Kathleen Wilson
1.First things first. Set a plan or a theme for your Christmas decorating. It doesn't cost a thing to have a good plan, and when you are working with budget ideas, this is what pulls your ideas together, and makes everything you do look purposeful, and personal. Some theme ideas for Christmas? The rustic lodge xmas, a toyland xmas, countries around the world, Victorian, country, santa, snowmen, old fashioned, the list goes on and on!

2. Make garlands out of felt scraps. Cut Xmas shapes out of felt in miniature, mini stockings, holly leaves, mittens, and string together with needle and floss or strong fishing line to hang all over the house. Remember when you string each shape, tie a knot on both sides of the shape to hold it in its place. You can add more dimension to the shapes by cutting two of each, stuffing them lightly, them sewing the two together. Glue would work also if you aren't a sewer. Saved used dryer sheets are perfect for this kind of stuffing, or even tiny fabric scraps that are too small for other uses.

3.Drop a tealight candle in your cleaned out glass mayonnaise jars, tie a holiday ribbon around the neck, and you have a beautiful candle with xmas charm. You could nestle the candle in peppermints, nuts, or even sand if you wish. Try grouping several together for a dramatic evening effect. These also make great luminaries.

4. Start a Christmas collection. This can be a great tradition to initiate in your home. My girls and I starting collecting Santas 3 years ago, and it's something they look forward to, choosing our yearly Santa together. I know it will be a fond memory for them, and I plan to let each child choose a Santa to take with them when the day comes that they leave the nest and start their own home. By the way, this doesn't have to be expensive, or even store bought. Try sewing or crafting a new decoration each year together for even more memories! Or check out your dollar store…they have some really cute ceramic holiday decorations for a buck or two. Remember, it's the memories you're interested in here, not a collectable based on monetary value.

5. If you are looking to do a toyland theme for your Christmas decorating this year, try searching out teddy bears and dolls at your local thrift stores. Wash them in a pillowcase and put them in your dryer for at least 20 minutes, then dress them up with ribbons and holiday fabrics. Group them under your tree, on mantels, and on windowsills. Stack small squares of cardboard together and wrap as a tiny present, then tuck them under a teddy's arm, or wrap an empty box and use it as teddy's seat by the front door.

6. Place a few inexpensive glass balls in a bowl and embellish with a few sprigs of greenery or some leftover ribbon. If you don't have an extra bowl (it is the holidays, after all!) try decoupaging a box with leftover Christmas wrap, or cover with a little fabric and glue.

7. Take down your pictures and wrap them like a gift, then hang them back on the wall for great holiday cheer! You don't have to do this all around the house, how about just in the entry, or maybe the dining room?

8. Tie greens or ornaments to the chandelier with a little Christmas ribbon, just make sure they don't hang low enough for any candles on the table to catch them on fire.

9. Make your own gift tags out of leftover paper. Ok, this is not a new idea, but try punching it up a bit. Add details by layering shapes over the base paper, use paper punches and scalloped scrapbooking scissors to add style, use a gold calligraphy pen to add names. Or use the scalloped scissors to make old holiday cards into tags.

10. Sponge stars or other seasonal shapes on your window with paint! No, I'm not nuts. Just add a teaspoon or so of liquid dish soap to acrylic craft paint, (I like white or gold metallic) and after the holidays you should be able to wash it off with window cleaner. Use a non- scratching dish scrubber if you come across a stubborn spot.

There it is, the 10 best budget decorating ideas for Holiday decorating! Always remember the most important reason we celebrate, and the reason we take the time to make our homes warm and inviting…our loved ones! Have a wonderful holiday season!

About the Author

Kathleen Wilson is the author of "Quick Decorating Ideas Under $20:The Budget Decorator's Bible" and the editor of The Budget Decorator, a free ezine dedicated to the "budget impaired" home decorator. Visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com for more great ideas.

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Sharp Christmas Gift Ideas to be Given TO the Hard-to-Please FROM the Uninspired and/or Busy Shoppe
Author: Susan Dunn, MA, cEQc, The EQ Coach
We've all got one or two people on our gift list that are just 'impossible.'

You could always send a box of candy, flowers or a can of popcorn, but that shows so little thought.

Here are some nice ideas, sure to please, easy to order, in differing price ranges, arranged by type.

1. Doesn't care about Christmas, but is patriotic to the core? Lives in Alabama but made a trip to see the scene of the terrorism? Get the Polonaise Forever ornament ( http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default.aspx?webp_id=1417623&web_id=1417623&sz=0&sf=hs&dept=HS0026&cat=HS0027&subcat=&gs=&attr=&prev=hp !sf!dept!cat ).

Oddly named, this ornament is described as "a patriotic and symbolic show of support for NY City and the US." On one side the Twin Towers with three firefighters and an American flag with banner reading "Forever in Our Hearts". On the other side, Statue of Liberty in front of Twin Towers with banner in red, white and blue saying "God Bless America."

2.More into "Western" than anything else? Get the Western Christmas Tree Skirt ( http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default.aspx?webp_id=1058898&web_id=1058898&sz=0&sf=hs&dept=HS0026&cat=HS0027&subcat=&gs=&attr=&prev=hp !sf!dept!cat ).

3. They've "been there, done that" and are kind of blasé, but not about their grandchildren. Get the recordable talking photo ornaments. Add photo of grandkids and their voices, or a Christmas carol ( http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default.aspx?webp_id=1450443&web_id=1450443&sz=0&sf=hs&dept=HS0026&cat=HS0027&subcat=&gs=&attr=&prev=hp !sf!dept!cat ).

4 The heck with Christmas, let's get on to the Super Bowl? Try the Tailgate Blender ( http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/productview.jhtml?pid=46757500&pcatid=39064300&catid=35023500 ). Just plug it into the dash, half price now.

5 Classic. You can't go wrong with classic, and this is just-enough different. Fresh evergreen wreath ( http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default.aspx?webp_id=1524686&web_id=1524686&sz=0&sf=hs&dept=HS0026&cat=&subcat=&gs=&attr=&prev=hp !sf!dept
), red bow, lights, indoor use.

6 Okay the holidays are here, but what's the weather going to be like tomorrow? And will there be snow in Arkansas where the kids are? For the fussy weather watcher, try the Personal Weather Station Five ( http://www.windandweather.com/store/Gift_Guide___For_Weather_WatchersID6688? ).

Description: "It monitors temperatures at your base station and up to three remote locations, without wires. The atomic clock – the most accurate chronometer you can get – features alarm and date. Big LCD readout simultaneously displays remote and base unit temperatures, with minimums, maximums, and trends."

Don't you just KNOW someone who needs this??

7. For the cell phone nut who can never remember to recharge it … which could be most of us, right? Get the SideWinder Cell Phone Charger ( http://www.windandweather.com/store/Gift_Guide___Gifts_Under__50_00GR2318? ). 2 ½ oz., says it works with "most" cell phones.

8. She's romantic and you have very little money. Try the floating star candles for the bath ( http://www.bath-and-body.com/productlist_candles.asp?department=15 ). 3-pack just $2. you can add the "bath experience"!

9. They've got everything but do entertain and go all out decorating? Try Christmas soap. Give this gift early so they'll have it for their parties. Swedish soap collection has soaps imprinted with "Be Good" and "Be Nice", peppermint star soap and more. http://www.hamptonct.com/index.cgi/cart_id=1070400750.18856/vendor=Swedish%20Christmas%20Soap

More family-oriented? Angel, snowman, candy cane, gift-wrap, Christmas delights, 3 wisemen ( http://gdoor.com/Csoaps.htm )

10Just a heckuva great gift at a very reasonable price? The 12 Days of Christmas Handpainted Goblets ( http://www.1800flowers.com/product.asp?section_id=0&pcode=8146&cc=1001&sc=1001&body_sc=1001&sku=goblet )

About the Author

©Susan Dunn, MA, cEQc, The EQ Coach, offer coaching for all your needs – career, relationships, self-esteem, emotional intelligence, strategy, transition, midlife, parenting. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE eZine. Susan is the author of "How to Live Your Life with Emotional Intelligence" – http://www.webstrategies.cc/ebooklibrary.html and other enlightening eBooks for your personal and professional development.

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