You might recall back in March when I made a candle from beeswax candle remnants and used a jar to contain it – because moulds were prohibitively expensive for a potentially one-off experiment, and my dabbles with other moulding options were not overly successful.

Then a couple of weeks ago, when browsing in the surprisingly interesting craft section** in Kmart (I cannot even begin to remember why I was doing this), I found the exact silicon candle mould of my imaginings! For a mere $5!

Honestly there was nothing for it but to buy it – and a bag soy wax and a roll of wick and give it a crack!

On with the pix …

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Supplies! Most interesting to me was that there’s a hole in the bottom of the mould to thread the wick through. Who knew this was all there was to it?

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We’ve been here before …

I still adore the shape of this jug! Look at this spout!

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L: 250g of wax for the mould
R: a tiny sliver of red colouring from the kit I bought at my candle-making class – in the hopes of achieving a pale pink candle

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Poured! After filling, there was some remaining wax, so I made a tiny tea-light.

When buying supplies, I also bought a packet of pre-made wicks because I wasn’t sure which were right for the mould – these will be super-handy for more tea-light sized candles.

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Waiting …

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Unmoulded!

The temperature had changed quite a lot in between the day of pouring and the unmoulding, so the candle surface was a bit sticky for a couple of days. The InformationSuperhighway tells me this is normal for soy wax – and fortunately it resolved itself without my intervention.

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Action shot!

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I was really happy with the outcome! It was very fun, simple and satisfying. I see more candles in my future.

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** while I have extremely mixed feelings about fast fashion, fast furniture, and now fast crafting. I think it is wonderful that craft supplies are so accessible – a brilliant way to try something new without a huge investment.

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You might remember the cowls I recently knitted (here and here) which heralded the return of my knitting mojo.

I finally got around to blocking both and it definitely does make a difference! They really do look much superior to when just off the needles.

But how do they wear?

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Sadly this was one of those yarns that is quite soft on the ball, but itchy itchy itchy on my neck.

May need another soak?

Honestly? Probably unlikely to be worn.

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This remains ultra-soft, but is very floppy. I’m not convinced about the level of warmth it will afford.

It does look pretty though. I wish my wardrobe consisted entirely of garments in this colour.

I do still have another ball, I’m considering unpicking the bind off and adding further height.

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I only have two Very Long rows and very long bind off remaining on my Be Kind shawl/scarf/wrap.

I’m hopeful this is a regain-softness-when-blocked, because it is another that isn’t feeling like the wonderfully soft balls it started with.

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the show had not commenced at this point^^

Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert** this evening. Spontaneous in that we bought tickets yesterday with a “why not?”

It’s now quite late and I’m very, very, very tired.

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^^ I’m not one of those people, though photography is permitted

** Rachmaninov 1 and Korngold: Symphony in F-sharp

Then there’s the Liberty smock dress. My intuition told me the dress would most probably not suit me, but I wanted to buy it anyway, to be a woman who could look dainty in a loose, ​old-­fashioned dress. All clavicles and flatness. Buying the dress was a rejection of my body, which would not fit the image of me in the dress that I had in my head.
from I’ve Been Single for Decades. The Effect on My Finances Has Been Staggering. via Jessica Stanley

Not a Liberty smock, but somewhat equivalent. I removed this recently acquired pinafore from my life today. When I bought it I had grand visions of myself as a fabulously arty-crafty pinafore wearing lady, swanning about confidently doing all manner of fabulously arty-crafty things.

Mostly I looked kind of dumpy and frumpy. I really am more suited to less voluminous garments with defined waists.

The pockets were quite excellent though.

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Alas, I did not go outside at all today and I ate lunch at my computer. This is way too much of a recurring theme recently.

But on the upside, I did slay at least 4 of the evil monsters that were gnawing at my psyche and very much harshing my mellow.

My day off tomorrow will be glorious.

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on the walk to the train

I’ve been working in office Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday for maybe 6 months – even though I really only need to be there 2 of those days. Tomorrow though, I’m just noping out and working at home.

I’m really overwhelmed by mountain of minor annoyances and aggravations right now and I need to smash some of them – or at least make an uneasy peace with them. And breathe – and do some nourishing things. Maybe even go outside!

11 sleeps until holiday.

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I am now flu vaxxed! Yay for science!

My visit to the dentist on Friday revealed a tiny chip and even smaller crack. And another crown required to replace an elderly filling. [insert your choice of swear words].

It’s eye-wateringly expensive, even with health insurance – I’m ever thankful that I’m in a position to be able to afford it. Of course I’d prefer that I didn’t have to.

Also I need a night guard because it is very likely I’m clenching my teeth quite hard during sleep. Perhaps it would be better to just stop working? Thereby removing all stress!

It’s really interesting (and quite awful) that we’re so conditioned to think that any teeth (or health) issues are the result of poor choices – but actually sometimes you just have shit teeth.

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(I intended to post this in a weekly wrap up – but it has been a day, it’s late and I’m very much out of ideas!)

day three: remnant of a favourite pencil

One from a three pack of pink and white pencils bought in Tokyu Hand in Shibuya on our first trip to Japan in 2016.

They sat in a drawer in their packaging for ages until I remembered I had them. I didn’t realise when I bought them that they were addidas branded – I love them anyway.

They’re 2B, write wonderfully and use up fairly quickly. This one was in a pencil holder for a while – I’m definitely not dexterous enough to write with such a tiny thing. Of the three, one is lost who-knows-where, but I still have one in daily use for morning tarot journalling.

I can confidently say I have never had a pencil last like this.

Tininess: 3.6cm

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Only 23 rows remaining! But with 551 stitches on the needle, each row now takes about half an hour to complete.

Maybe I’ll be done before we head off on holiday, but I will not pressure myself.

Hopefully I do not run out of yarn. I’m already on my third ball and it may be tight.

This shawl/wrap is going to be enormous and may not have any practical applications, but it has been a really fun knit.

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day two: NewKitty and BabyKitty fridge magnets – gifts from Joan and Joe/Frank’s trip to Taiwan in 2017

tininess: 3.5cm

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I’m not necessarily intending to post these daily – the capture and the list is the thing!

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