Wax Egg Suncatchers For Easter

(Don't forget to link your projects up to my Marvelous Mess party....each week I'll pick one project to feature on my sidebar!!)

I meant to get this post out earlier but I have been on vacation for a week and lost track of time (that's a good thing). :-) I'm working along a "wax theme" here....did you happen to see my solid Wax Eggs?? These eggs are really fun and easy, but because of the stove and hot wax this is definitely not a craft for younger kiddos...and even for older kids there should be supervision.

To make these you'll need:

Tin Foil

Small Pot

Paraffin Wax

Broken Crayon Pieces

Thread

Knitting Needle

~Put a single large layer of tinfoil down in the pot and shape it into a pot shape so that it will hold the melting wax without spilling into the pot. 

~Turn the oven on VERY LOW and add a block of wax to it.  Keep a VERY CLOSE eye on it....this is a project for Adults not Children, especially because melted wax can catch fire quickly.

~Add a piece of crayon to it to change the color if you like....a little stirring when the wax is completely melted should blend them together nicely.

~While it is melting, shape another couple of pieces of tinfoil into egg shaped bowls of different sizes so you can pour the wax into it. 

~ Very delicately pour the melted wax into the tinfoil shapes, adding small different colored pieces of broken crayon if you want spotted eggs (like the one above). I also tried melting the tips of a whole crayon and making spots on the egg shapes once they've cooled......but I think I like the crayon pieces trick better. 

~Once they've cooled, use a yarn needle to make a hole in the tip of the egg (not too close to the edge or it will crack) and thread some string through it.  Tie a knot to the end of the string and you can slide it right onto you curtain rods!!

I shared this post with these fantastic parties!!

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Maple Candy

         Don't forget to link up to my Marvelous Mess party!! I'll be picking one project to feature on my sidebar for a week!!

When you make your own maple syrup and take the time to go through all the steps of the process.....you might as well take one more step and make some maple candy. It's simple, simple, simple. And, quite tasty. You can easily make your own with REAL maple syrup (bought as a local farm, perhaps??) but you had better not even think about picking up any of that Aunt Jemima grossness. Just say NO. The real stuff is Sooooooooo much better. 

Here is an easy recipe for Maple Candy.

Ingredients:

2 cups pure REAL maple syrup

 1 tsp vanilla (optional) 

~Cook syrup on low heat in a high sided pan until the candy thermometer read 233 degrees Fahrenheit.

Find something fun and nearby to do while you wait. It takes a while for it to reach that temperature. Watch out that you don't have the oven up too high.....maple syrup boils over easy (hence the big pot).

~Once it reaches 233, turn off the burner and let it cool down to 100 degrees. This could take around an hour. While it's cooling, get your molds ready.

~Add a teaspoon of vanilla and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon. 

See how it thickens and the color changes from dark to light brown....this happens fast!! Be ready to pour right into the molds.

~Pack into molds and let cool. 

I could've been a tad fancier. But, what the heck. I'm a stay-at-home mom and, if the title of my blog doesn't clue you in........I'm not a fancy-pants. :-) 

 ~Tap on the bottom of the molds and the candy should pop right out!! 

This candy is so RICH in flavor. There is nothing like real maple syrup.....especially if it is homemade!!

I shared this post at these fantastic parties!!

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Show and Tell
Get Your Craft On