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I have had several people wonder how I made the photo candles in my gallery. Now... I cannot take full credit for this idea. Someone here on SCS mentioned printing on tissue paper to make these candles. I can't find the post now to give the person credit... but I wanted to say that it wasn't a completely original idea. I just took the tip and ran with it. Anyways... this is how I did it...
You will need:
Pillar candle
Tissue paper to match your candle
Printer
Wax paper
Heat embossing gun
*Hint: I bought my candles and tissue paper at the dollar store.
First I opened my photo in PhotoShop and sized it to the proper size for my candle. You can use whatever photo editing progran you have on your computer. This is where you can turn the photo to black and white... make the eyes colores, add a name, date, or whatever. You could also add a poem... or do a candle with just a poem. The sky's the limit.
Then cut a piece of tissue paper a bit bigger than the photo you are printing and tape it to a piece of paper. The original poster said to use regular printer paper... I used a piece of cardstock. The original poster said she used regular old scotch tape... I used double stick tape. Just make sure you get the top taped down really good so it doesn't stick going through the printer. I taped all the way across the top and then just put a couple of pieces on the bottom to hold it down. Make sure the tape is away from where your photo will be printed. If you aren't sure where it will print you could print the photo once on your paper so that you can see where it will be, and then cut the tissue paper and tape it to the paper. Then run the paper through the printer again with the tissue on it.
Then print your photo on the tissue paper. I used my Epson printer and had no problems at all on the 11 candles I made. I used the setting for "plain / bright white paper"... and the setting for "text & image".
Once it was printed I used my paper cutter to cut it out. I cut it out right on the cardstock because I was afraid it would tear if I tried to remove it from the cardstock first... plus its easier to cut cardstock than thin tissue paper.
Once its cut out lay the photo on your candle and get it in the proper place. Make sure it will fit and not hang over the edge of the candle anywhere.
Cut a strip of waxed paper a little more than the height of your candle.
Lay your photo on the candle in the proper place. Then wrap the waxed paper around the candle over the photo. Use your heat (embossing) gun to heat the waxed paper up. You will be able to see it "melt"... it sort of turns darker and gets wet looking as you go. Be careful you don't burn your fingers!!! Make sure you cover your whole photo, getting the egdes real well. Then carefully peal the waxed paper off.
And... Viola! You have a photo candle!!
These are mine...
If you have any questions just ask.
__________________ ~Sherry~
Last edited by ScrappinSher; 12-19-2005 at 08:25 AM..
Thanks, Beate. Like I said... I did 11 of these so far and did not have a problem with any of them printing. I look forward to hearing how it works for others. And if anyone comes up with any other tips for doing these, please post them for us.
How I wish I had seen this weeks ago. Now I have some really great gift ideas for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. For birthdays I'm going to find a baby picture to put on one side of the candle and a present picture on the other side. A wedding picture for an anniversary gift. Endless possibilities. TFS
I added the names to the pictures with PhotoShop before printing them out... at the same time that I made the photos black & white. You can use any photo editing program, PhotoShop just happens to be what I use here.
WOW WOW WOW!!! these are soo incredibly cute - i have a little photo printer and will have to try this out and see how it does... will keep you all posted!! thanks for such great ideas and instructions!!
:shock: Wow! These are gorgeous! What a fabu idea! Gonna have to try this.
__________________ ~Sharon~ I'm a Proud wife of my OIF III & OEF veteran! Mommy of two beautiful girls! Ages 17 years & 2 years! We *heart* adoption! My Crafting BlogOur Family/Adoption Blog
This is wonderful! I have also done candles but never thought to do pictures on them! This is great! I will have to try this! Thanks so much for sharing!
What a fantastic idea! I was planning on making some stamped candles...but now I'm really looking forward to putting photos on the candles. Thanks sooo much for sharing how you make the photo candles!!!
It may not be your original idea, but you sure did wow us all! It looks absolutely professional! Thanks for taking the time to put such detailed directions online.
Here's another I just finished. This is my dog, Rocky. I wanted to do a color picture to see how it worked... but he's black so its not really much different. lol
Thanks so much for sharing the instructions. LOVE the photos on the candle! Can't wait to try it. I've done the stamped tissue paper, so I'm looking forward to trying the tape-to-cardstock trick. What a clever idea!
Thanks for the great idea, Sherry. Like everyone else has said, I've been stamping tissue and putting it on candles for a long time and have never thought to do something printed from the computer. That opens up a whole new world to us!
I love your candles and your "little" dog too! LOL!
Merrie
__________________ A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
can't wait to try it!! thanks for the tips! how many days before christmas? i just started making clip boards and now i have to make candles!! thanks you!!
Here's another I just finished. This is my dog, Rocky. I wanted to do a color picture to see how it worked... but he's black so its not really much different. lol
I'm really curious about color pictures. Will you please post one if you do it? Thanks for the instrucition. I always wondered about using transfer paper to iron on tissue, but never thought about printing directly onto it. With me and technology, I can see the tissue paper being shredded somewhere inside my printer.
Wow is right! What will the amazing folks at SCS think of next.
I tried running the tissue paper taped to cardstock through my printer but the ink is very smudged. I will try using regular paper next to see what I get.
Can't wait to try this out!
Thanks for the great tips.
That does it! I'm selling all my rubber stamps and going totally digital! Ok...not really but this is so incredible....I can't wait to try it! I love you for sharing your technique!!!!
These are all so wonderful! Once I saw this I had to run and do it! Well.. I was so pleased with my product! Sorry I have not uploaded it yet and hey I did mine in color and well... it's so amaing! Not as dramatic as B & W but color never is and that's spoken from a photographer's point of view. So I decided to try one of my photo's that is also availabe on note cards and it's great! I love it... if I had time and extra money I would run to the store to buy more candles and make more gift for everyone! Thanks for the wonderful idea!
I can not wait to do this. When I saw your candle I immediately wanted to know how to make one. Thank you so much for sharing, and just when I thought I was done with my Christmas gifts!!
Standing ovation! These are really awesome and I can't wait to try this out!
I am continually amazed at the over the top talent exhibited here on SCS. These are going into my ever growing file of THINGS I GOTTA DO!
They say you can burn candles with tissue on them... but what you do is burn them until there is a hole in them and then you put a votive candle in there and burn that. I have not tried this yet.
Photo Candle Instructions
Beautifu Ideas
