Wednesday.

 Today was really a take it easy day but there were a few things accomplished.  I was up early to hear about the New Orleans event.  It's a crazy sad world.  

Yesterday I talked about votives and today that happened.  Our tall Advent Candles become candles because votives are set in the top of a pillar of wax. We have a blue set, a purple set, and a set of multicolored candles. Purchased votives have very thin wicks.  That produces a very weak anemic flame.  Thicker wicks produce a flame that can be seen throughout the sanctuary which is very large.  By using a small prayer candle with a thicker wick and inserting that candle into poured wax, the votive can produces a large flame.  Today was flame day.  I collected broken candles at church to melt and then left them there on Monday.  I had some used wax here along with all the other things I needed so the morning was productive with 33 votives ready for Advent 2025.  I can put that job on the shelf and call it finished.

                                        Everything is ready to get the job completed. 

Making them took all of the morning doing 6 at a time.  It was spraying the glass votive with wax release.  Melting the wax and pouring it into the coated glass votive. 

                    Melting the wax in a pan that is setting in boiling water is the safest way to go.

 Inserting the candle into the wax.  Putting the candle into the freezer for a few minutes until the wax was hard enough to loosen with help from the wax release coating.  

                                        Five minutes in the freezer is usually enough time. 

I'll be making more when I remember to bring the broken candles home.  Dah!

                                                Today's stash.  There will be more. 

The afternoon was easy.  It was more football with news breaks and of course watching Ohio State and Oregon football was a must.  

During the day there was a lot of bird waiting and watching during the votive process.  

I took time to prepare plastic bags for Bread and Bowl although it will be another week until it is our turn to serve.  But my bag preparation is finished.  

So, that was January 1, 2025.  There was a smidgen of snow if one was looking out of the window at the right time.  The temperature helped to make that happen.  The squirrels got a New Years Day treat of peanut butter on pinecone sprinkled with sunflower seeds.  Lucky squirrels, I would say.