LET'S GET CRAFTING....5th Annual christmas craft workshop

Well here we are, imagine, 7th of December, light dusting of snow on the ground and Christmas carols playing!!! Can it get any better than this?

As promised all the kits went out Dec. 3rd from USA and Nov. 30th from Canada to Thea and Dianne

Some are arriving..perhaps if you check your mail yours just might be waiting for pick-up!

Tried to think with everyone having such busy schedules as to wether or not we should find a day to craft together or my listing step by step instructions as per other workshops and make myself available should you need me.

Think the latter is what some of us decided...

We will keep this thread only for instructions..if you have any questions then we'll go back to our previous thread that way we won't have to go through the chit chat..

When all is said and done, this is what our Christmas craft will look like..yes they will!!! Don't say, no not mine, guarantee yours will be as lovely as this one..

In your kit I'm hoping I included the following


. Wood piece
. 3 glass voltive holders
. 3 candles
. Wreath
. Sandpaper
. Piece of graphite
. Wording
. Bag with yellow gold paint/ vile of tint Nd a vile of crackle medium
. Christmas treat

Think that's about it!

Step 1

Block may need a bit of sanding, perhaps more inside the holes drilled than anywhere else

Make sure all the sanding dust has been wiped off, maybe a slightly damp cloth

Step 2


Ready to paint the wood piece black...entire block, I would do the 1st coat by slightly putting a titch of water in the black paint you are using for 1st coat

Give a second coat and let piece dry completely before we move on to the crackling!

Step 3 and 4

Bet you thought I forgot you??? See you all nodding 'yes'!

It is very important that your piece is good and dry, not damp to the touch.

The next step is not difficult..you just have to focus and not rush the process or you will have few to no crackle on the piece!

You will need the vile that says crackle and the yellow paint out.

One thing about crackle paint is if you over work ie back and forth motion going over previous painted crackle it will not work.

I take a brush (can be a 1" or 2" sponge brush ) or any brush, larger helps but use what you have just not your liner. Lol

Put crackle medium on a plate or stero meat tray and work your crackle into the brush. Heavy is fine..

NOTE: set candle with best side showing .. ONLY the front will be done in crackle and

Now I find it difficult to make one swipe of crackle which will cover the entire front


You've got the brush well loaded with crackle, I like to what I call coax it across the surface..start top left side,and start dragging the brush across, as soon as you see you are starting to run out of crackle medium, reload brush and start where you left off..on these pieces I did upper 1/2 then bottom 1/2

I know you think, it would be easier to go from top to bottom but the crackle would be going in the wrong direction!

The crackle has to dry naturally..sometimes I take my blow dryer to dry paint when doing the base coat (black) but you cannot force dry crackle

You will see some of the surface may seem thick in places and that is alright, let it dry

Doing the golden yellow color is something you cannot due till the crackle is completely dry but you cannot wait to do base yellow later, AS SOON as you see crackle dry, paint your yellow gaur face (remember front only).

Note:

You may have to coax the color across as well, same as you did with crackle medium..now leave the crackle do its wonder..hopefully you will have nice cracks

A lot od time, humidity /dampness etc will make the crackle unpredictable..regardless of
What it looks like now, just smile!!

Your piece will look bright, you will say at this point it doesn't look nice, I say the same..it's in the ugly stage..next 2 steps will make you smile...

Don't loose hope

Betty, what do mean, as soon as crackle is dry, paint the yellow gaur face?

I believe the yellow goes across the front over the crackle...I do not have my package yet, but I have done crackle in the past and that is how it is usually done..

base coat, let dry completely. crackle coat, let dry completely. paint top color.

Yes, crackle goes over the black ( frond ) only

You will see the crackle area when dry will look as though you varnished it..glossy

When you are positive it's dry coat with yellow gold just on the same top side of candle

OK, I have mine painted black, and the crackle layer is drying. What do I need the liner brush for, or do I use all wider brushes on this project?

Liner will be for the wording

Once your crackle is dry to the touch apply your golden yellow and let it dry (will crackle during drying)

Step 5

I included graphite, thin black piece along with your wording

Place your piece with yellow side up


****** note

Make sure before you transfer your saying that the candle holder holes are on the top

Measure or eye the wording so that it's centered top and bottom and sides..

To make it easier tape the wording in a few places so it does move

Then take the graphite, before doing this you should put a piece of paper down and place graphite, make a mark and see if it shows on your paper, if it doesnt that means you have the graphite upside down, so now you know which way to put the graphite .

Slide the graphite right way under the wording trying not to move the wording you just centered

Take a pen and trace the wording..you might need to use a heavy hand

What I do, is press on one letter and peak to make sure it shows

Now if you try and rush this, meaning the beige paint is wet, graphite won't work

So please let your piece dry..very important

When you remove both graphite and tracing you should see the word clear enough to paint inside the lines with the liner

If you hold on, I'll go take photo

Pretend piece, all mine are accounted for

you will see shading on my piece, please disregard because I'm just trying to show you how I positioned the wording on my finished piece..

Sunday my cousin Linda will be coming to do hers and I'll take step by step when she is doing hers for those of you who have not started yet...in the meantime..


position wording


This message was edited Dec 9, 2011 6:06 PM

Now that you have positioned the wording and taped it to hold wording, slide the graphite under the wording so you can trace..remember, graphite facing the gold painted part of your candle otherwise you will have what you traced on the underside of your tracing..dah, done that quite a few times

Thing to remember, peak at your tracing, DO NOT REMOVE THE GRAPHITE OR YOUR PATTERN PIECE until you know that you can see the line work of the wording

This message was edited Dec 9, 2011 6:07 PM

Bdetty - how did you get the shading on the gold on your piece? It looks darker around the outside edges or is it just me???

That is what I was saying, it's the very last step..mine are finished so I just took photo's to give you an idea of placement...get as far as painting the letters then I shall explain

Got it. You know me by now!! What and how?????

Step 6

With your liner brush and black paint, do the wording, take your time and paint between the lines

step 7

Again, important part is making sure your black is completely dry otherwise problems with bleeding of the black lettering will occur..

Take out your vile of tint, set on on stero plate or dish etc.

If you try to pull the tint across the piece it will not go into crevices nor look smooth.

Lay your piece, painted side up

With a large brush, maybe the one you used for base coating dip in water, remove almost all of the water..brush across ..if too dry you'll have missed some of the surface, if too wet it will have water beads..if this happens wipe it off and do again...

Immediately with damp brush pick up tint and work across top and lower bottom (speaking about your candle holder of course.) lol and continue working from one side to the other side taking more of the paint from center..you want your brush to just lightly tough the surface otherwise you'll remove most of the shading..

If you find you shedding is too light, let the piece dry and give another coat in same manner


Hard to explain without you sitting in the room with me..

Good luck..remember, if it's not turning out, wet your brush, go across your piece and wipe off with damp cloth and try again

finally!!! had swaps to mail out, now im painting first coat

Did my two coats last night....putting my crackle on!

how exciting is that!

ok here it is will clear coat tomorrow then decorate

Oh Liz, love it. What did you use on top of the lettering? The tint Betty supplied or something else?

Beautiful Liz..once put together it will be lovely..we will all be burning our candles Christmas Eve, Christmas Day I bet!

Debbie, think its the same mixture, maybe just put on differently

yes same thing betty sent i used a little more water and diluted the tint and rubbed it with a damp paper towel

good thinking..are you putting a finish on it Liz? Please add finished photo for us to oooh and ahhh at

Brushed it on Liz...then rubbed with towel. Or applied it with the towel?

no i first brushed water on peice very little,
then i diluted the tint, and put a light coat some was dark some was light so then i decided to take a paper towel and dampen it and i gently rubbed off the more heavy area,so it came out like that lol.

i was being good doing one step a day but i rushed the staining lol and betty knows how i like to rush

Liz that is what I did on the "first side" and when I went to rub it off...I rubbed the paint off too. I think I dampened it a bit too much. Thanks for the "steps".

yes, trick is not to rush, let it dry completely, especially after you have the golden color on the crackle

I let it dry from 6:00 last night....until 11:00 this morning I did the lettering. That is drying now.

Once your lettering is dry, then take your dark color paint, thin it a bit and brush it on all over, then with a damp paper towel, gently wipe it off. You can do it in sections to if you want. As it dries kind of quickly. If your yellow underneath is dry, it won't come off.

and if you let it dry comletely again if you are not happy with the shading i.e. too light then you can do it again!

Don't see anyone doing their candle project, did I lead you down the garden path and not something you enjoy doing...

Drats, not good is it?

I am wishing to do mine, just do not feel up to it :( can't paint well when coughing like crazy

The crackle and gold is done now on mine and Sean's. Now I'm waiting to have an hour with him to do the lettering. It seems everyone wants a piece of him this year. Last year it was constantly "Can I come to your house Grammy?" I haven't heard it but once this year!!!! I don't like that he is growing up like his big brother. Wish they could stay young forever.

ok all done..

betty thank you for hosting another wonderful workshop

That looks really nice Liz!

As always, work of art Liz..can smell the candles scent from here