Making Candles & Potpourri: Illuminate & Infuse Your Home (Life's Little Luxuries)

MAKING CANDLES & POTPOURRI

Catherine Bardey, fashion editor and stylist, reveals the secrets of using candles and potpourri to set the perfect mood in any room. She explains how to make and use beautiful potpourri arrangements of dried fruits and flowers to infuse each room with the scents of the seasons or holidays. Whether you're making exquisite girfts or adding that special detail to a room, you'll delight in the joys of these simple and creative projects.

Catherine walks you through the different techniques of candle and potpourri making providing easy and insightful ideas for personal touches along the way. She also gives recipes for her favorites including:

CANDLES

BASIC VOTIVES for everyday use

SAND CANDLES for a unique gift

LAVENDER MINI PILLARS to add a quaint aroma to any room

HANDROLLED BEESWAX CANDLES for extra illumination

Candles in apples or pears for special dinners

Holiday candles to complement celebrations

POTPOURRI

LUXURIOUS SUMMER, a festive arrangement with an elegant orchid base

VIBRANT VIOLET, a burst of purples reds and pinks with a fresh apple scent

AUTIMN MEMORIES, a warm sensual mix with earthly undertones

SWEET SWEET DREAMS to help you relax and sleep

GIVE THANKS, a fall holiday mix

JASMINE DELIGHT, a bold mix with a luxurious feel

This is just the beginning. Use these examples as starting points for your own candles and potpourri to create the perfect environment for any occasion!

Create a relaxing oasis of serenity, comfort or romance in any room. Step-by-step directions explain the techniques of candle and potpourri making--from scented, hand-dipped tapers to decorative column candles to aromatic mood enhancing rose petals that readers can use to decorate and fragrance their homes.

Readers will find recipes for all occasions, seasons and places including spicy Christmas potpourris and elegant Hanukkah candles--all made from herbs, flowers and oils. A resource directory, safety hints and decorating advice help readers enjoy and explore the relaxing and soothing world of mood lighting and fragrances.

Catherine Bardey has been a stylist for Elle, New York and French Vogue. She has written for Glamour, Vanity Fair, Martha Stewart's Living and other magazines. Her previous books include Secrets of the Spas, Making Soaps & Scents, Making Candles & Potpourri and Lingerie, all available from Black Dog & Leventhal. She lives in New York City.

PART I: Making Candles

HISTORY

CANDLE MAKING, IN A NUTSHELL

WAXES, WICKS & MORE

MOLDS & CONTAINERS

DECORATING TECHNIQUES

RECIPES & TECHNIQUES

THE HAND-DIPPING METHOD

THE POURING METHOD

THE ROLLING METHOD

TROUBLESHOOTING

CANDLE MAKING SAFETY TIPS

PART II: Making Potpourri

HISTORY

POTPOURRI, IN A NUTSHELL

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

BASIC ELEMENTS & THEIR PROPERTIES

FILLER PROPERTIES

FRAGRANCES

FIXATIVES

DRYING METHODS & TECHNIQUES

DRYING METHODS

OTHER TECHNIQUES

DISPLAYING & PRESERVING

POTPOURRI RECIPES

HINTS & TIPS

Essentials