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Good Sunday morning, my friends....
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 137439" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>G'day, Linda. My crowd are also planning to celebrate St Patrick's Day. As easy child 2/difficult child 2 said, "BF2 & I both work across the road from an Irish pub; why wouldn't we go there to celebrate?"</p><p>difficult child 1 has offered to be designated driver, so he will be in the pub and not drinking a drop (alcoholic). Our laws are VERY strict and he is still on his red (first year) provisional licence.</p><p>We had a really great day at church today - a visiting group, mostly Maori, took over the place and it was fun. </p><p>difficult child 1 & I talked to a couple of church elders and it looks like difficult child 1 & girlfriend will be able to get married here at our church, possibly November. It still has to pass the rest of the church elders but it shouldn't be a problem. girlfriend will be very happy - she will now get her wish to be married on the beach (in front of the church).</p><p></p><p>husband & I came home and began making the Paschal candle. Someone asked about this yesterday - some churches have a tradition where they have one large candle which is lit every Sunday. The candle needs to be big enough to last a year, and is replaced every Easter Sunday. Some churches have really elaborate decorations - husband's church when he was a teenager had some lovely ones, all decorated by one of the elders. The detail was amazing. </p><p>The decoration usually revolves around a cross theme of sorts, with specific symbolism. Traditionally, whole cloves were pushed into the candle at five points but these days it's simpler, more stylised.</p><p>You can buy these special candles already decorated at speciality religious shops, but for many years now someone at our church has made the candles. My best friend used to do it; when she left the church I took over the task. She used to decorate the candle with calligraphy on parchment which she then stuck to the candle with clear contact. The problem with this (although it looked wonderful) was that when the candle burnt down far enough, and if there was a breeze blowing, the decoration sometimes caught fire and became a second wick.</p><p>So I have tried to decorate with coloured wax - not easy, because it does need to be pliable, to get it onto the candle without being too brittle. So I cheat - I get my coloured wax from CHEESES! (if you read that aloud, you will get the very bad pun).</p><p>Edam cheese is coated with a malleable red wax which I pour into a flat sheet and cut into shapes and letters. Works for me.</p><p>But this year I'm going to be more adventurous (and hope it works). I'm going to try to use glass paints. Only some types work. </p><p>A few of you may remember, I was asking for last minute advice last year.</p><p>Well, this year it should work (hopefully).</p><p>I've got to have it done and decorated by Thursday, because that's when our friends from Philadelphia arrive and we'll be very busy after that.</p><p>We cast it today, it's about 3" diameter and 2' long, in a copper pipe. The trouble is, as a wax-filled shape like that cools, it shrinks from the middle around the wick, a long way down, and I have to keep the deep hole open so it doesn't close over and form a nasty air bubble (it would turn the lit candle into something looking like a flame thrower, at some stage during the year). I had to keep topping it up with wax all afternoon and keep the hole open. We also have to keep the wick lined up neatly in the middle, too. It's tricky, a brain-teaser challenge.</p><p>I get the wax from every family in the church, as well as anybody from the village who wants to be included. Visitors who light a candle (even if it's just for light, or to relax by in the evening) can contribute that candle and it all goes into the melting pot. Previous years' candles go into the pot as well, so many people now scattered around the world and not seen for years, are still connected to this.</p><p>A candle from a store might be tidier, might be prettier, but this is HOME. And community.</p><p></p><p>So there you have it. And now the copper column is outside cooling. Maybe tomorrow night we can unmould it and hopefully it won't break. Then it's trim. polish, decorate and keep it safe. Dropping it on the way in the door on Sunday is NOT a good idea!</p><p></p><p>So have a really enjoyable Sunday, everyone. I wish I could get a candle from every one of you, around the world, of all religious views and persuasions (including none) to put in this candle. Or maybe a CD candle?</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 137439, member: 1991"] G'day, Linda. My crowd are also planning to celebrate St Patrick's Day. As easy child 2/difficult child 2 said, "BF2 & I both work across the road from an Irish pub; why wouldn't we go there to celebrate?" difficult child 1 has offered to be designated driver, so he will be in the pub and not drinking a drop (alcoholic). Our laws are VERY strict and he is still on his red (first year) provisional licence. We had a really great day at church today - a visiting group, mostly Maori, took over the place and it was fun. difficult child 1 & I talked to a couple of church elders and it looks like difficult child 1 & girlfriend will be able to get married here at our church, possibly November. It still has to pass the rest of the church elders but it shouldn't be a problem. girlfriend will be very happy - she will now get her wish to be married on the beach (in front of the church). husband & I came home and began making the Paschal candle. Someone asked about this yesterday - some churches have a tradition where they have one large candle which is lit every Sunday. The candle needs to be big enough to last a year, and is replaced every Easter Sunday. Some churches have really elaborate decorations - husband's church when he was a teenager had some lovely ones, all decorated by one of the elders. The detail was amazing. The decoration usually revolves around a cross theme of sorts, with specific symbolism. Traditionally, whole cloves were pushed into the candle at five points but these days it's simpler, more stylised. You can buy these special candles already decorated at speciality religious shops, but for many years now someone at our church has made the candles. My best friend used to do it; when she left the church I took over the task. She used to decorate the candle with calligraphy on parchment which she then stuck to the candle with clear contact. The problem with this (although it looked wonderful) was that when the candle burnt down far enough, and if there was a breeze blowing, the decoration sometimes caught fire and became a second wick. So I have tried to decorate with coloured wax - not easy, because it does need to be pliable, to get it onto the candle without being too brittle. So I cheat - I get my coloured wax from CHEESES! (if you read that aloud, you will get the very bad pun). Edam cheese is coated with a malleable red wax which I pour into a flat sheet and cut into shapes and letters. Works for me. But this year I'm going to be more adventurous (and hope it works). I'm going to try to use glass paints. Only some types work. A few of you may remember, I was asking for last minute advice last year. Well, this year it should work (hopefully). I've got to have it done and decorated by Thursday, because that's when our friends from Philadelphia arrive and we'll be very busy after that. We cast it today, it's about 3" diameter and 2' long, in a copper pipe. The trouble is, as a wax-filled shape like that cools, it shrinks from the middle around the wick, a long way down, and I have to keep the deep hole open so it doesn't close over and form a nasty air bubble (it would turn the lit candle into something looking like a flame thrower, at some stage during the year). I had to keep topping it up with wax all afternoon and keep the hole open. We also have to keep the wick lined up neatly in the middle, too. It's tricky, a brain-teaser challenge. I get the wax from every family in the church, as well as anybody from the village who wants to be included. Visitors who light a candle (even if it's just for light, or to relax by in the evening) can contribute that candle and it all goes into the melting pot. Previous years' candles go into the pot as well, so many people now scattered around the world and not seen for years, are still connected to this. A candle from a store might be tidier, might be prettier, but this is HOME. And community. So there you have it. And now the copper column is outside cooling. Maybe tomorrow night we can unmould it and hopefully it won't break. Then it's trim. polish, decorate and keep it safe. Dropping it on the way in the door on Sunday is NOT a good idea! So have a really enjoyable Sunday, everyone. I wish I could get a candle from every one of you, around the world, of all religious views and persuasions (including none) to put in this candle. Or maybe a CD candle? Marg [/QUOTE]
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