Tag: candles

Emergency Gear to Carry in Your Car

Posted by The Team –

by Misty S Bledsoe

What would you do if you were unexpectedly stuck in your car?//Photo courtesy of gracey/morguefile.com

You never know when you will be stuck in your car. Maybe there is a blockage on the freeway or a road gets blocked and you feel as though you may be stranded. If you have the kids with you, do you have snacks on hand? How about medications and water? What about warm weather preps?

  1. Start a box that is designated to stay in the trunk of your car or truck that is designated for emergency gear. Rubbermaid containers with snug lids work well for this.
  2. Put the jack and all necessary accessories to change a tire in this box or tub. Make a list of other things you could need.
  3. Include a first aid kit, a large water bottle for each passenger your vehicle can carry, and a spare change of clothes. The most important changes of clothes should be extra underwear, plenty of socks (in case they get wet) and t-shirts. Extra t-shirts/sweatshirts can be layered for passengers in the winter months or can be used to hang in the windows to block sun in the summer months depending on the situation.
  4. Carry things like a small bottle of aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen and Imodium. You can usually find these or their generic equivalent at your local dollar store. Carry extra medications you may be required to take in case of an emergency.
  5. Pack candles, flashlights and a fire source such as matches or extra lighters. Keep matches and lighters away from children. These can be used for light or to start a campfire if you’ve gotten lost in the woods or are trapped in a blizzard. 
  6. Consider word puzzles, coloring books and crayons and other fun type of games for kids and adults alike.
  7. The last important item: Toilet paper.

Even if you only have water, toilet paper and snacks you will be better off than if you had nothing. Do your best to be thorough however and customize the box to meet the needs of your family. Carry your emergency box whether you ever use it or not. You will find over time you will end up using at least one item and you’ll be glad you took the 30-60 minutes to prepare for your families safety.

Important!

**This list is not all-inclusive. Nothing can ever prepare you 100% fully for every conceivable emergency. You are still in charge of making your own decisions. Be as detailed as you can think of will only help you in the long run. Consult expert survival advice when preparing for dangerous trips or otherwise may run into dangerous rather than inconvenient situations while traveling.**

Getting Wax to Come off Your Crystal: Technique can be used for candlesticks and other crystal ware

Posted by The Team –

by Misty S Bledsoe

Cleaning wax off crystal candlesticks doesn't have to be a chore. //Photo courtesy of anitapatterson/Morguefile.com

Before you get started you’ll need:

Plastic spatula

Toothpicks

Hair dryer

Paper towels

Crystal candlesticks hold candles as they burn and depending on the shape and style, they pick up the candle light and cascade it around a room. Keeping them clean and free from regular wax drippings does not have to be a chore. If you have several candlesticks to maintain, gathering them all up and cleaning them at the same time could be possible. You’ll need to gather the supplies for the project ahead of time.

  1. Pry off as much of the wax as you can from each candlestick with a plastic spatula and place it aside. Use a toothpick for hard to reach grooves. You may not be able to get all of it out at this time. This is OK.
  2. Plug in the hair dryer and set the dryer to a medium setting. If you only have a high and a low setting to choose from, choose the high setting.
  3. Wrap the waxy area with a paper towel. If the wax that remains is inside, place the paper towel over the opening and down as far as the paper towel will comfortably reach.
  4. Turn on the blow dryer and hold the end of the blow dryer roughly six inches from the wax residue. If your dryer is on the high setting, hold the blow dryer roughly eight inches from the wax. The goal is to melt the wax without having the candlestick heat up too much. The wax should melt and absorb into the paper towel. Use care when handling the paper towel as melted wax can cause burns.
  5. Discard of the paper towels. Feel free to rinse the candlesticks under warm (not hot) water to finish cleaning them and dry them with dry paper towels.

Consider recycling the larger wax chips if you have the means to combine the waxy scraps and melt it down again for craft projects or making your own homemade candles. If you have many candleholders to clean, you might be able to talk a friend into helping to speed things up and make it more fun.

Avoid exposing your crystal candlesticks to extreme temperatures. Never microwave crystal and avoid putting it in the freezer as the extreme temperatures can damage the crystal. Never use scouring pads or other rough surfaces to clean or buff the crystal, as it will scratch. Do not pour melted wax down any drain as it can lead to clogging.

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