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Customer Reviews (1)

Best book for Beginners
This was my first time candle making.I went to my neighbourhood art store looking for something totally unrelated but when my eyes fell on this book, I made my boy friend "TOMMY" buy this book for me immediately.Candle making is a fun holiday hobby for the whole family and I made my candles for Christmas.This book is filled with wonderful step by step instructions on how to make candles for the novice.It also introduces you to some easy beautiful designs. A piece of advice for all beginners.Get the candle making kit as its cheaper.

Happy Candle Making !!!!! ... Read more

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Simple Pleasures of Candles provides ways to use candles to relax, decorate, and give as gifts. What better way to end the day than relaxing by a Candle Fire, even if it’s summer time! ... Read more

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Includes many creative ideas for candle use and presentation, both inside and outside the home. ... Read more

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How to make 104 different kinds of candles is described and illustrated with concise text and more than 1,000 beautiful color photographs. Includes candles for special occasions, holidays, dining, decorating gift-giving, picnics and parties using a wide variety of containers, scents, waxes, molds, and additives. Offers step-by-step instructions as well as inspiration to make hundreds of creataive variations. Introductory chapters cover basic techniques and materials in detail. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Fantastic Candles!
A friend of mine loaned me this book and I ended up buying my own copy! Very easy to follow and the candles are just fantastic. I used to see this type candle in malls when I was a kid and never thought I could make them. ... Read more

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The irresistible charm of a flickering flame makes the candle a universally popular choice for mood lighting. Handmade candles make stylish and beautiful accessories, and they are inexpensive and fun to create. The craft of making your own candles is enjoying a revival, and candlemakers now have access to a vast array of wax products, molds, and decorative materials with which to experiment.

THE HANDMADE CANDLE includes clear and simple instructions for making designer candles at home for a fraction of the retail cost. Choose from a wealth of creative ideas from simple rolled beeswax candles to iced, frosted, and textured effects to fabulous embossing and embedding designs. With a useful section on basic techniques, special effects, equipment, and additions, crafters can either make the projects as they are or use them as a source of inspiration and adapt them as they desire. Whatever your level of candlemaking interest, experience, or expertise, THE HANDMADE CANDLE will fill you with enthusiasm and fill your home with candlelight.Amazon.com Review
Luscious colors and bold geometric shapes are the hallmarks of designer Alison Jenkins's elegant candles, and she shares her expertise in creating them in this book. Magnificent photographs and excellent instructions explore molded, beeswax, gel, ice, embossed, frosted, embedded, and scented varieties, including stately bamboo-shaped tapers, an imposing Mark Rothko-inspired rectangle, soothing Zen stones, and a flashy number sporting iridescent glass nuggets. No one method receives highly in-depth coverage, but each is treated skillfully enough to give even novices a good grounding in the technique. A thorough introductory section details tools, materials, basic techniques, mold making, and special effects. Safety precautions, a troubleshooting guide, and a list of suppliers round out this terrific presentation. --Amy Handy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beautiful book and full of great ideas
Not only is this book beautifully photographed, but it is full of helpful, detailed information.Some of the candle books I have contain outdate and old-fashioned looking projects, but this book has projects full of contemporary candles and great design ideas. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Elegance pervades this lovely guide filled with dozens ofimaginative ways to decorate with candles. The author's background asan accomplished floral designer means that flowers (as well as fruits,berries, and other natural materials) play a prominent part in thebeautiful projects. Stunning photos and good step-by-stepinstructions, complemented by detailed color sketches, simplify theprocess of making sconces, centerpieces, candelabras, and othercandle-focused creations for everyday and holiday use. Styles rangefrom rustic (rope and seashells holding a taupe beeswax candle; adriftwood sconce) to seasonal (spring blossoms trailing over a pillarpedestal; clove-studded oranges filled with votives) to sophisticated(a candelabra draped with velvet and grapes; a towering candlestickentwined with greenery and limes). Some of the arrangements are easy;others require patience and practice, but the excellent directions andthe general techniques section provide all the needed information. Inaddition, a plant directory explains how to work with fresh materials,and a suppliers list offers extensive resources for candles andtrimmings. --Amy Handy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

technically a good book, but too strange
This a good book if you look a the technical merits. It has a wide variety of styles with perfect instructions. The photo quality was excellent.
The main problem I had with this book was that most of the ideas did not appeal to me at all. I was disappointed that the majority of the presentations were huge and impractical centerpieces.

I have seen better candle-decorating books elsewhere .

Excellent ideas and instructions
I review a lot of floral art books and I have to say this is one of my top picks for anyone wanting to arrange flowers with candles ,in a modern and innovative way.Spiral bound with unique fold out clear instructions, in this book you'll find the simple, the innovative, the stylish, all with the WOW factor! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (29)

Good Book
Bought as a gift . . . recipient was very grateful and has no complaints.

Great book
This is a very easy to understand guide to milk soapmaking. It includes easy to follow step-by-step instructions.The only problem I have with this book is that there are no pictures...the few that are in the book are hand drawn and not in color.I like to follow directions in pictures.However, I would still highly recommend this book to learn the techniques.There are also several really great recipes included.

Good, sorta!
Good information but more of a pamphlet, enjoyed the read/info but I felt as though I paid too much.

Soapmaking.
This book is one of my go to books when I need to know anything about soapmking. It is part of my menagerie of books on the subject. A great book for the beginer or seasoned soapmaker.

Great book
This is a wonderful book.One of the only really good ones I have found for Milk soap making.

It is really easy to understand for beginners and its also good for people who have been making soap for a while.It gives some great tips and debunks some myths on milk soap making.

It has a few recipes for some soaps too, I tried a few and they were all quite nice, I altered a few to make them more personal (scent wise), my favorite is the Oatmeal and cinnamon (I used Lavender instead).

I loved this book and if you want to try milk soap making or already know how its a good book to read.

I also liked that it wasnt a huge brick of a book and its written soap making friendly, so it can be left open while you make some soap ... Read more

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Includes a practical guide to making candles, from melting, scenting, dipping and twisting to eleaborate decorative effects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great idea book for candle makers
I really enjoyed this book, but it isn't what I thought it might be.I wish there had been a review of it.It has beautiful photos and beautiful candles, but it isn't really a teaching book with specific instructions.For those of you who are already adept at candle making, it is an inspiring book filled with good ideas.With that said, I think it is a better book for the "Martha Stewart" fans who are looking for great ways to arrange candles.Most of the candle making ideas are tried and true ideas (such as the snowball candle) that are simply arranged in more decorative ways.There are other books that work better for instructional purposes, but this is a beautiful book. ... Read more

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This is not just a "Little How To" book to make candles. This book will take someone that knows nothing about candle making from the beginning through to turning the hobby into a business. Included are lists of suppliers. Save many times the cost of this book in research and production time alone. This book will walk you through the steps of getting a sales tax license, and more. Ways to generate business and get FREE advertising is detailed. Creating a line of Bath and Body products and finding components. More than 170 packed pages of tips, Tricks along with photographs.A coupon for a CD is included on the last page of the book. Mail me the number on the coupon I will send you the Compact Disk at no charge. The CD is packed with things like "How to create a Business Plan" with a sample is included on the CD. The CD also contains a lot of reference material, forms, spreadsheets and more.This is a BONUS and is NOT packed with the book. My FREE GIFT to you ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Pretty Straight Forward
Pretty good book. Really helpful for those who haven't started making candles yet, but would like to start a business making them.

B to B Candle MakingBeginners to Business
If you are beginning your journey into candle making and business, this is a
"MUST HAVE" book.Very informative and motivating! ... Read more

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About Aromatherapy
ESSENTIAL OIL: An essential oil is extracted from certain species of flowers, grasses, fruits, leaves, bark, resins, roots and trees.Do not be fooled by "perfume" or "fragrance" oils, as these are usually man-made and contain little to no actual oils of whatever it is supposed to smell like.
AROMATHERAPY:A method by which the use of certain essential oils are either combined or used alone to promote healing & well being by applying the oils directly to our body or by inhalation.
SYNERGY:Combining two or more oils to bring about a more powerful effect than using just one oil.Mixing them together creates a chemical compound that is different from the lone oil itself.An increased potency can be attained with a synergistic blend without increasing the dosage.
CARRIER OIL or BASE OIL:An oil that has basically no aroma and can be used to dilute the highly concentrated essential oils, so as to use them for massage.For example:You may only need one drop of a particular essential oil for a particular treatment.Obviously, one drop won't go very far, so it is mixed with a carrier (base) oil to cover a larger area. Base oils are vegetable, nut or seed, many of which have therapeutic properties of their own.
The following is a list of some oils that can be used as a carrier oil, and some of their uses, depending on which particular problem you are trying to address:
• Sweet Almond: good for all skin types. Helps relieve itching, soreness dryness and inflammation.
• Apricot kernel: all skins types, especially prematurely aged, sensitive, inflamed and dry
• Carrot: premature aging, itching, dryness, psoriasis, eczema.Reduces scarring.
• Corn: soothing on all skins
• Evening Primrose: multiple sclerosis, menopausal problems, heart disease.Excellent for treating psoriasis and eczema.Helps prevent premature aging.
• Grape seed: all skins types
• Hazelnut: slight astringent action; good for all skin types
• Jojoba: inflamed skin, psoriasis, eczema, acne, hair care, all skin types; highly penetrative
• Olive: rheumatic conditions, hair care, cosmetics; soothing
• Peanut: all skin types
• Safflower: all skin types
• Sesame: psoriasis, eczema, rheumatism, arthritis; all skin types
• Sunflower: all skin types
• Wheat germ: eczema, psoriasis, prematurely aging skin; all skin types
In this book you will learn to mix oils, make incense, make scented and regular candles and more.All you need is collected here to make your own scents and use them to fill your home with an array of fragrances.

... Read more

Product Description
Since 1973, Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins have offered practical, hands-on instructions designed to help readers master dozens of country living skills quickly and easily. There are now more than 170 titles in this series, and their remarkable popularity reflects the common desire of country and city dwellers alike to cultivate personal independence in everyday life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Informative
This is very informative.I have never made any type of candle, but I've always wanted to learn.This book provides easy to follow instructions that are basic and result in beautiful candles.

Basic but very helpful
I found this book to be rather basic but easy to understand. It talks a little about the history of candle dipping and gives comprehensive instructions on how to make them. It explains termonology used in making candles and how different things affect the final product. If you ever wanted to try candle dipping I would recommend this book as a good place to start!

Best publication I have found on candle making
Being a lover of beeswax candles, rolled as well as dipped, I was blown away with this publication which is actually more complete than most of the candle making books I have that cost me way to much money. If you want a down to earth, easy to read and follow publication that covers the basics, troubleshooting problems, safety equipment and procedures, storage tips suppliers etc, this is the only publication you will probably need.

Making Hand-Dipped candles
Tired of having several large books for a project when you only use a portion of the info?Than this is the book for you.Small but packed with great information and intruction on how to make beautiful hand dippedcandles.This book is a must for the new or experienced candle maker. ... Read more

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A report on The Business Of Candle (And Soap) Making. ... Read more

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Learn how to quickly and inexpensively change store-bought candles into treasures.

In this comprehensive guide to candle embellishment, well-known author and artist Vivian Peritts shows readers how to transform ordinary candles into extraordinary decorations and gifts using everyday supplies with minimal effort and expense.

Step-by-step instructions make techniques such as adding color, painting, gradation, whipping, softening and twisting, easy to understand and follow. Pictures of the equipment and supplies make it clear to the reader what is needed to recreate the beautiful projects displayed in the book.

-Learn to embellish ordinary candles for extraordinary gifts or display
-Easy-to-follow instructions with more than 200 beautiful and clarifying photographs
-More than 100 quick and inexpensive projects ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

creativity booster
This book starts out defining terms and talking about basic techniques/coloring/scenting.It even pictures and defines different types of candles,which I haven't seen in any of the other candle books that I have.It shows: how to twist tapers, paint candles(interesting pics),rubberstamp candles, paint with crayons(I haven't seen this in other books either),use gold leaf with candles, use paper with candles, make photo frame candles (unique),how to make wallpaper candles,shows great wedding candles,how to use materials to make candle designs( doilies, stickers, vellum,matallic paper,beads,fabric applique', sandpaper,tinfoil,stones,mirrors,buttons,tree bark,reeds,
shells,charms,wire, metallic scratching,denture cleanser color effects(very neat)and,small spices/food additive candles).It also shows you how to make wax designs to stick on your candles,make whipped wax candles(some different designs w/ pearls,ect),make cracked candles,goldlog candles, string wrapped candles,dripped candles,stacked candles,iceberg candles,wire/jewel effect candles,and an assortment of beaded candles.It also shows different ways to make holders or candle assessories with beads,tassels,wire,vent caps,and more.There are gift bag ideas and some templates. Every page is covered with pics and as you can see there are endless ideas that are unique. Crafts include pics,instructions and material list for each project in easy reading format.I had forgotten just how many ideas that this book had in it until I sat down to write this review.I think this book would be just fine for a beginner and has inspiration enough for pros. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

great pics and some fresh looks on ideas
The first 17 pages of this book deals with safety,materials, molds,gel subjects,types of embeds,how to place embeds,wicks and positioning wicks, coloring/scents,using glitter, containers,and decorating containers.This is neat in it's own way because it gets that stuff out of the way, while other authors use it to fill up their books.

This book :looks at container use,using a glue gun to decorate,using sequins,making a small aquarium,using glitter stars,using mini tree lights, using charms,using chenille,using bells,snow candles,a very nice rock/gel candle in a plastic tub,using dried foods/spices,crystal look candles,shell candles,costume jewelry candles,musical notes with wire candles,a neat hoop of beads inside of the candle,jagged edged colored candles,layered, towers of colors inside of gel candle,pearls and goldleaf candles,and sushi candles.

This book would be good for the beginner because it lists many things in the get started part at the front of the book.I am the kind of person who has some ideas, but needs to see other ideas too.If you are this type of person this book does offer great pics throughout, directions, and material lists. This is not my favorite, but I'm very glad that I bought it for the ideas and some of the instructions at the front are very informing.Easy format. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (70)

Good book for starters.
This book is good enough. It's down to earth, presents the information clearly and gets to the point. I like the myth-busting spirit of the author, where she tries to make recipes not work and hence comes out with a formula that's simple for home soap-makers. No-frills, down-to-the-point book. I'm happy with the buy.

Good
Bought as a gift . . . recipient was very grateful and has no complaints.

Excellent starter book
The advice in this title is straightforward, readable, and quite usable.My first batch of soap in 15 years(created with the recommended recipe in this book) has turned out beautifully!The procedure is described in sufficient detail for a beginner and resources for further research are included.A must for the soapmaker's library.

Good Source of Information
Okay, so this book is pretty boring when it comes to graphics and what not.... but, it definitely has some valuable info on how to make soap and recipes. The only reason I give it a 4 is because it lacks essential pictures of techniques that newbies do find useful. It is priced right for the content and material. Overall, it's a good reference to have.

Good starter book
I had always wanted to try making cold process soap but wasn't sure where to start.After researching on the internet I thought I'd try it.I looked through reviews on how-to books and thought this one seemed to be more for true beginners (includes detailed descriptions of what to look for when making soap, what myths are out there and whether there is any validity to them, etc.).It has been very educational and helpful.I made my first batch of soap about a month ago and it turned out beautifully.The author explains what you need clearly and why you need it.I can't wait to make another batch.The only negative thing I can think of is there are no pictures of each stage of the process, but rather a drawing of the tools you need for each area (the soap area and the lye area) and then a written description of the layout, step by step process and clean up.I actually like the written information rather than pages and pages of pictures with one liners underneath. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

I adore it
I knew nothing about papermaking, but after reading this book I felt inspired to make my own handmade paper. Perhaps the most thing I like is that I won't need any special devices to make wonderful handmade paper sheets, everything is available within a reach. This book is full of inspiring projects and photographs, it tells us how to recycle paper and how to make paper from.. vegetables! I never thought this is possible.

I really like this book.

Excellent rep. of artistic quality in handmaking paper.
Book defines clearly how to make paper and what constitutes quality ingredients in doing so.Author has excellent summaries of each step for producing original handmade paper.Also, the book provides ideas/recipesfor adding your own artistic signature to each sheet of paper. ... Read more

Product Description
How to make beautiful gift soaps at home with instructions for coloring, scenting, molding, and carving. Selection of the Better Homes & Gardens Family Book Service.140,000 copies in print ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Good basics, but some flaws
I just borrowed this from a library, I have been making soap 6 months (have made about 12 batches, it's addictive) and I would say Bramson's book is good for basics and to get you going. She writes in a friendly and informative way and I found information in here I have not found in the other 10 books I've read on the subject. I would supplement with other, newer books if you need someone to give you more specific recipes, or go to the Lye Calculator online and see dozens of recipes there ([...]).

But a problem with her instructions is that she says to add water to the lye and you NEVER, EVER do that - it can cause dangerous eruptions, and the Material Safety Data Sheet for lye is pretty scary. You will have to IGNORE that part of the book, or scratch it out - LYE is added to WATER. ALWAYS wear gloves, and also long sleeves and eye protection, when working with lye. Preferably, mix the lye into the water OUTSIDE, where you have plenty of open air.

A wooden spoon has been working for me, but it certainly eats the spoon over time. The newer nylon spoons are better, but of course people have been making soap for hundreds of years and didn't have high temp nylon for their spoons.

You can use a stick blender (but be forewarned that if there is an aluminum end to your stick blender, the caustic solution WILL erode the aluminum) or your favorite KitchenAid mixer to bring soap to trace, and that wouldn't have been in a book this age. There are also other methods for melting - hot process, double boiler, crockpot, etc. - which she doesn't mention. But for the money, I'd say she gives a lot of information and is very inspirational.

eh...soap making from years ago
This book may have been the go to book way back when, but for the beginner in this day and age it's a flop. Who really makes soap with lard anymore? Do you really go to the butcher and ask for ingredients to put into your soap? Ew I hope not. Save your money and buy a book for this century.

Excellent, but some of the information is outdated
it's a good book from the mid-70s. Not the best book to start with if you want to start making soap, but if you want a clearer idea of how it's made, the history of soap and some tips on making pretty handcarved bars from a simple box mold, it's good. The reason I don't think it's a good beginning soapmaking book is because soapmaking has come a very long way since the mid-70s, the internet, people sharing information, the fact there is so much more information than there was then means that a lot of the information is out of date. Like she says to put the water into the lye in a glass juice bottle which can be dangerous. More current books explain how to mix lye into water more safely.
But the sheer amount of information on the history of soap was a lot of fun to read, and unlike a lot of how to books, her writing style is accessible enough I was able to read it from cover to cover instead of just reading the parts that looked interesting. Soap is a passion for her and her book was one of the first really good ones on soapmaking. Another thing is that most of her soaps are tallow soap, which means rendering fat to make the tallow. I like tallow soaps. In fact an awful lot of current formulations by major soap companies contain tallow, which makes for a nice hard bar of soap. More modern books focus on vegetable and nut oils that don't need hours of boiling and straining and have no animal by-products.
I do recommend it if you are interested in soap making and soap history.

Very informative
I know this book was a reference guide for many other authors, but, as a person just starting out in my endeavor to make soap, I found it very informative.It was very easy reading!

Foam Sweet Foam
Ever since my wife lost her job at the textile mill, times have been tough.As the sole bread-winner in our family (my days as a shoe-maker are long behind me), she sank into a deep depression made only deeper by her love of gin and Sean Hannity.

Looking for a way to break her out of her funk, I suggested she take up a hobby.

Over the years I'd read countless articles about how therapeutic soap-making could be, so I proposed the idea to my wife.If nothing else, making our own soap would also save us some money, so I considered it a win-win.It took some convincing, but eventually she embraced the idea so long as I provided her with the necessary resources.

My life-long interest in the history of soap meant that we already owned plenty of books *about* soap, but none about how to *make* soap.I was in a pickle.

After posting a query on a soap-lovers message board I belong to, I received more than a few suggestions to check out Ann Bramson's excellent, "Soap: Making It, Enjoying It."

Bramson does an excellent job of providing step-by-step instructions on the soap-making process, using a writing style that is detailed yet simple.My sometimes inpatient wife appreciated that.

The book is filled with useful tips on how to color, scent, mold, and even carve your own soaps from the comfort of your own home.Within a matter of weeks my wife was creating beautiful works of art - out of soap!

For what it's worth, my wife is still a crabby witch, but our home smells lovely and my hands have never felt so soft.
... Read more