Something New

Hello everyone

This is a quick post to say that I am going to restart writing my blog again and what better way to do it than to track the progress of my new experiment of making a new blend of soy wax and testing this in some lovely new tins that I have purchased.

Candle Making can sometimes be a very time consuming and complicated process of making, testing, re-adjusting and making and testing all over again.     We have to do this to get the right candle for our customers.

At Pili Pala Handmade I only use soy wax which is a much cleaner, chemical free wax which is healthy alternative to Paraffin wax.    Here is a picture of pure soy wax which I then melt down and use with all our other materials to make candles.      There are different kinds of soy wax which have different purposes, for example one to make pillar candles tarts and votives and another to make candles in containers.     I am currently testing a blend of my own which so far gives a nice clean burn with a stronger fragrance.

I like to keep everybody informed of what I will be doing at Pili Pala Handmade so will be posting my progress to testing these candles along with some other crafts I will be doing.      I hope to see you all visit my blog soon!

My Journey into herbalism - Part one, Tinctures.

Hello

I have been trying for a long time to commit to learning more about herbs and healing with the use of herbs.    I have in the past made various teas, incense combinations, smudge sticks (which are dried herbs bound together and burnt creating smoke which rids negativity), but I've neglected this hobby and decided enough is enough!  

I have decided to start learning again by starting a new project which will hopefully turn into more projects each helping me learn more about healing with herbs.   I have recently gone vegetarian and slowly bit by bit am trying to you use products with as little chemicals as possible.   So this project has two uses, one to make a Tincture and two, to make lip balms, Calendula and Mandarin Lipbalms.


So this post will be the start of the lipbalm project and as part of this project I need to make two Tinctures, Calendula (Marigold) & Lemon Balm.

Tinctures are concentrated, alcohol-based extracts of plant materials.   Instead of drinking herbal teas for example to rid a bad stomach or help you sleep, a tea spoon of this alcohol based remedy will do the same thing, either mixed with a little water or taken off the spoon.


Step One

 

Get all ingredients together, a weighing scales, my book which details all the information (I am learning remember), jars, Vodka, the chosen herbs, a jug and my special wooden shovel, this has been with me for years and is used solely for herbs.

Step Two

The ratio of herbs to alcohol can be 1/3 or 1/5 but as Neal (The Book) says to concentrate this is a 1/5 ration so I add 10g of each herb to each jar.

and don't forget I use this to do it!!!  I just love my mini wooden scoop it make me feel like I am the village wise woman. 

Step Three

Next we need to add the vodka to the jars, as we are working to a 1/5 ratio  I add 50ml.

One the vodka is poured in each jar I put the tops on and give each a good shake.


Step Four

I then labeled each jar and put them in a dark cool cupboard.   They are to stay here for 2-3 weeks, to give enough time for the alcohol to extract all the goodness from each of the herbs.   Once this time has passed the herbs must be strained through some muslin cloth into a bowl/jug and poured into dark brown glass bottles which can them be kept up to a year.  I will post to update you on the progress of these Tinctures.


Marigold (Calendula Officinalis)

A soothing herb that also stimulates  healing of the skin.  Take an infusion of the herb or dilatue the tincture in some water for abrasions, wounds, ulcers, or as a mouthwash.   Use as a cream or macerated oil to relieve eczema, rashes, or sore skin.

Anti-inflammatory, use for Acne, allergies, athlete's foot, bites & stings, burns, chilblains, children's ailments - cradle cap, nappy rash; cold sores, cuts grazes & wounds, digestive infections, eye problems, infected gums, itchiness, nosebleeds, rashes, sore nipples, splinters, styes, sunburn, thrush, warts, flatulence, wounds.

To cleanse an infected cut or graze rinse well with water then dab on neat or diluted tincture soaked in cotton wool or lint this will sting but is powerfully antiseptic. For young children dilute 1 part tincture to 4 parts water. Washing a cut in carefully strained Marigold tea is also effective. Dab neat tincture or ointment on acne spots. For infected or deep splinters, boils, whitlows and similar problems mix Marigold tincture with Slippery Elm. Marigold is a very useful remedy for fungal problems - put ointment or powder on athlete's foot, ringworm etc. Taken internally Marigold tea eases heartburn, acidity and upset digestion. Marigold is very safe for children - use the ointment for nappy rash and inflamed and itchy skin, and the tea as a rinse for cradle cap in infants.



Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)

A wonderfully soothing and gentle herb for an overwrought digestive system in both adults and children.  Drink an infusion or diluted tincture to relive colic, flatulance, stomach cramps and any stress-related digestive complaints.

New Developments!

Hi Everyone

I have been very busy since I last posted, I have been 'Obsessed' with making candles, I have candles coming out of my ears.  I have also been getting more familiar with my sewing machine as I feel I have neglected it due to all the melting wax and yummy scents.

 Here in the UK this weekend has been Easter Weekend, and I have been making just the right candles to go in with the bank holidays, Hot Cross Bun Scent or Cinnamon buns as you US folk like to call them.  It smells truly Delicious and I wish I could allow you smell these over the Internet - wouldn't that be great.

So in with my keeping busy I have also been organising my new business ventures by making a price list.   I have ordered some rather nice brochures which I had for an amazingly cheep price and cannot wait for them to arrive.   Here is a picture of the inside which shows all my prices :-

I hope you are all able to read this ok.

I would also like to take the opportunity to say that I am happy to post any item any where in the world, I am a eBay seller and most of my products are also on my page and I use Facebook to sell most of my items.  I will put the links to each of these web pages at the bottom of the blog so please take a look.

I will accept payment through paypal for those who are not living locally and this can all be arranged by contacting me via one of my pages.


Well I don't want to over do the sales pitch but thank you all for reading and please 'like' my Facebook page as this is currently my 1st source in uploading new projects and ideas.  

Merry Meet, Merry Part and Hopefully, Merry Meet Again.

Steph x

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pili-Pala-Homemade-Gifts/335963279769487

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/pilipalahomemadegifts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

Pili Pala Plum! Orange Scented Votives

Hello readers, it been a while I know since I wrote a blog, I really must get more organised.   I am doing a post today on these Plum Orange Scented Candles.   So I will get straight to the point and let you know how I made these.   I am hoping I will find more time to share with you all how I make my items.   So here goes.

I started my weighing the appropriate amount of wax pellets into a small pan before creating a Bain Marie with a larger pan and melting the wax over a medium heat. Its important not to melt the wax directly on the heat as it can rise in temperature quickly and ignite, not a good idea!

While your waiting for your wax to melt you need to start preparing the moulds, to do this you need to cut two lenghts of wick and secure the wick caps to the bottom of them.

Once the Wax has completely melted it is time to add your dye and your scent, if using scent of course.

Once this is all melted, you are ready for the first pour,

Pour a small amount of wax into each votive before dropping the wicks down into the wax, leave for approx 10 minutes to secure in place.

Now its time for the second pour, you need to fill them up to approx 80% capacity before securing the wicks in the middle of the votives with a wick pin and blue tack, see below.

You need to leave these for approx 1 hour to set fully/ Once set the wax is likely to have dipped in the middle so you will need to top this up with the remaining wax. (which you will need to reheat.)

Leave the candles to set fully over night and remove from the moulds the next day and trim the wicks to about 1cm.


There you have it a very quick but step by step guide to votive candle making, thank you all and hopefully I can get another blog up much quicker next time.

Steph x

Fabric Diary Cover

Being fed up of the same old hard back diary cover each year I decided to personalise it this year and make something different.   I found a wool scarf in a charity shop and used this as my base for 2012's diary. It also gave me an opportunity to use my new sewing basket I had for Christmas, I had to add the picture!



First you need to place your hardback diary on to the scarf and draw around it with tailors chalk leaving a 2.5" gap at each end to fold in to the cover to hold the diary in place and a 1cm gap on the top and bottom.

Next you need to pin around all the edges ready to sew on the machine, then carefully  sew these into place using thread which can either be the same colour or like I have used a contrasting colour.

Fold this around the diary as below to see if you are getting a good fit and make 2 small stitches around the top and bottom of each fold ready to fix into place with a blanket stitch.

Then the blanket stitch!  Go around the diary with a similar or contrasting thread to create a neat and cosy looking cover.  You also need to cut out a heart and do the same around the outline of the heart before you secure onto the diary.

Finally you need to pin the heart into place on the front of the diary cover before stitching into place from the back of the diary cover.

and there you have it, your very own diary cover.   Thank you for reading and catch me next time for some bakery.  Lemon and poppy seed muffins!   Until then....

TTFN

Stephanie x



Jam + Cath Kidston = Cute Cottage Style Preserves & New Year Enthusiasm.

I had to post these wonderful labels I received as a gift for Christmas, they are so cute and are great to make your preserves into a gift for a special friend or relative. Or just to make you feel even more excited about making jam.   I read in a book recently that making preserves evokes deep-rooted, almost primeval feelings of self-sufficiency and survival!   A notion which really interested me, do I just enjoy making jam or is it somehow in our blood, from the hunter and gather within us, waiting to be unleashed again?   Or is this all a bit too much?  

Either way I started the new year by stocking up on some new and some recycled jam jars and bought in a Kilo of Cherries ready to perfect my Cherry Jam after a rather disappointing disaster before Christmas.  They turned out rather well they just need a little more lemon juice and a little less cooking time, think its a matter of getting used to the new maslin pan!   The best bit was decorating them in these adorable Cath Kidston Jam labels I had as a gift for Christmas.  Don't they give you that cottagey traditional jam look?

I will be attempting some more preserves soon, traditional Seville marmalade next, trying to follow the seasons this year, although I need to find the elusive fruit first! I will be attempting some sewing projects too, next is the wooden mini bureau which I will be redecorating into a jewellery/storage box with fabric draws and buttons, this will become clearer when posted I promise!  I also made myself a diary cover on the weekend which I will be uploading on, if not before the weekend so stay tuned for that too.  I have also finally after 4 weeks of waiting tried my coconut soap, and it lathers up a treat, please try it and see what you think, its really moisturising.

I am considering selling some of my crafts this year, I am put off with the amount of people who don't think its worth the trouble but if I only make a few pounds here and there, then that's that, its worth a try.  I would be really interested in anyone's hints and tips if they have had any success or any inspiration stories of Friends of friends for example, please let me know.

So until then thank you for reading and I will be posting the diary cover project soon and starting my hunt for that Seville Orange.

Stephanie x

Ok, so finally the finished hampers!

So after a lot of hard work and panic, I finally finished the Christmas Hampers.  You know what though, I really enjoyed doing them.   I have lots to practise and learn and even though I have received 100% positive feedback on the hampers I cant help but feel I want to perfect everything in here so I can maybe,  just maybe! Make some money out of them next Christmas.

I delivered them Christmas Eve and as I went around in my car, listening to Christmas Music I delivered them to friends and family and it was the perfect start to Christmas week. 

I am going to spend the next year perfecting my jam recipes and getting to grips with my sewing machine.   I did not produce the quality of fudge I was hoping for and have decided not to let the fudge making process beat me, so this will be practised too.   Despite the hard work I enjoyed making these hampers so much and actually miss the stress of working with my crafts to the deadline so I am starting this week by getting some preserves ready.    I received the most wonderful Cath Kidson Preserve labels for Christmas so I am really keen to use these.  I will post a photo of these once everything has been done.  

So for now Happy New Year and here are some photos of the items in the Hampers, Minus the fudge of course which turned into 'White and Milk Chocolate Fudge Bites' as I was unable to get the setting as firm as I needed.

Steph x