Dipping Candles

I would like to make dipped candles for one of our weekly craft projects. We have done this project before and Little Man really liked it. For this project we have to get some suet from the butcher and render it down, strain it, and then we can use candle wicking to dip in the hot fat. The last time we did this we didn't have enough fat so our candles are very short.

Coloring Tip - A friend of mine has made candles and a fun thing that they did was to change the color of the wax. They grated crayons and added it to the melted wax, mixing it until the wax was a solid color. She said that they even made candles that were dipped in several colors, as layered candles. Sounds fun, I think that we are going to try this.

Marbled Paper

7/4/2013 - We will be making marbled paper as one of our weekly crafts. I found these instructions (here) and they seem to be very easy and child friendly. I'll let you know how it goes.

What You Need:

•  Shallow Pan (like a brownie pan)
• Water
• Food Coloring
• Cooking Oil
• White Paper
• Fork
• Cups

You need one cup for each color of food coloring you have. Put a tablespoon of cooking oil in each cup. Add a couple drops of food coloring to each cup – one color in each cup. Stir each oil/food coloring mixture really good with a fork.
Now fill the shallow pan about half way with water. Take each cup and pour a little of the oil/food coloring mixture into the water. Put each color in a different section of the pan. Swirl the colors with a fork. When you like the pattern, lay a clean white sheet of paper on top of the water. Leave it for 30 seconds and then carefully lift it off and lay it down to dry. Pretty!

7/11/2013 - I would like to know what brand of food coloring the author used. My food coloring is water based and all this project has taught the children so far is that oil and water don't mix. The food coloring did not mix with the oil, to be suspended on top of the water in the pan. It simply "broke" into little bits and when the oil/food color was put in the pan of water, the oil stayed on top and the food color fell into the water and changed the color of it. This was not the effect that I was looking for.
This is what I am going to try next:

 

Supplies Needed:

Corn Starch (to thicken the water)

Water

Shallow Pan

Acrylic Paints in several colors

Rubbing Alcohol

Lidded Jars to keep the paint

Paint Brushes (lots and lots of brushes)

Tape (to tape the brushes together) 

Paper

Newspaper

 

 

Prepare Your Materials: In the shallow pan, mix water and enough corn starch to make it the consistency of buttermilk. In each jar, mix a separate color of paint and some water to thin it. Then add a drop or two of rubbing alcohol to each paint jar and mix well. Tape a handful of brushes together at the handle ends so that the bristle ends will move when tapped. You will need a bundle of brushes for each color of paint. Have paper ready in a size that will easily fit inside your pan. Cover a nearby surface with newspaper so that you will have a nice place to dry your work.

 

Directions: Dip your brush bundle into the paint color of your choice, making sure that you have enough paint in the brushes. Hold the brush bundle over the prepared pan of thickened water and gently tap the brushes to splatter paint into the pan. Move the brushes around so that there is paint spots all over the surface of the water. Continue on, using several different colors until you like how it looks. Gently lay your paper on top of the painted water, starting with one corner so as not to trap air under your paper. Pull the paper up and let the water drip off, back into the pan. Lay your paper on a covered surface for a few minutes so that the paint can soak into your paper. Gently rinse the excess water off of your paper under running water. You do not want high pressure water as it will also wash away your paint. Set your rinsed papers on the newspaper covered surface to dry.

 

Extra Materials (Optional):

Wood

Nails

Wooden Skewers

 

If you want more than just dots on your paper, you can make rakes and combs using simple materials. See the video above for inspirations for your extra tools.

 

Other suggestions for tools were found here:

 

"* WHISKS (used to deposit color over the surface of the size): Collect broom straws from an old broom. They should range from 7-9 inches in length. Tie them tightly together into a bundle. Sizes can vary from large (many straws) to small (only a few).

* RAKES (used to create patterns by pulling them through the floating colors): Rakes are made by gluing toothpicks into the corrugations of cardboard box cardboard box pieces. Cut three equal lengths of cardboard and glue them together to form a handle. Lengths can vary from narrow to wide. Glue toothpicks into the corrugations. Space them apart as needed. "

 

  Here are some great papers to inspire us

Rock and Mineral Show

We went to a rock and mineral show on Saturday and had a blast. I will post pictures when I get a chance.

Rock and Mineral Show

We will be going to the Rock and Mineral Show in Chambersburg later this afternoon. I will post pictures after we get back. 

While we are there we will be talking to the Franklin County Rock and Mineral Club to see if we can participate in their field trips.

Here are the details if anyone else wants to go:
24-25—CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: Annual show; Franklin County Rock & Mineral Club; Hamilton Heights Elementary School; 1589 Johnson Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; adults $4, children (under 12) free with adult; jewelry, gemstones, minerals, fossils, displays, door prizes; contact Mike Mowen, 5979 Altenwald Rd., Waynesboro, PA 17268, (717) 264-9024; e-mail: mlmo@innernet.net

The American Toad - The Lifecycle Continues

Yes, we have thousands of them. We are hoping that they stick around in the garden to eat all of the gnats that have just arrived.

Bug Collecting

Sissy found a Luna Moth the other day and now she has decided to start a bug collection. We talked about it and she decided that a photo collection would be better than a collection of actual bugs. Here is her find for the day.

She will have to do research to see what kind of butterfly this is and write a page telling all of her findings.



The American Toad - Tadpoles

We have tadpoles!!!

Hello Mr. Toad

Backyard biology class introduced the children to the life cycle of the American Toad. Today marked the first day of breeding. There were about 6 sets of toads that the children observed.