AboutDodie Casey Expertise I am able to answer questions regarding: ceramics, beeswax candles, cleaning things from other things, working with wood/pinecones/etc. in the making of centre pieces & wall hangings. I also have a Christmas Village that is approximately 60 square feet in area & takes, at this time, 3 days to assemble for the Christmas Season, but only one day to take down. I also am a great baker & cake/cookie/cupcake decorator (I made my own wedding cake, my sister's for her 25th wedding anniversary, & for two of my friends weddings) & chocolate user for fancy stuff. I have done some small quilting projects & am starting something known as a "Farm Quilt". It requires taking pictures of people, animals & farm buildings on the farm you are using for a model. These pics are then transfered onto the quilt & "quilted" into it. Great fun! Great Family Heirlooms! I know a little about bisque, but more about ceramics. I also do sewing pictures. No, I do not do needle point. The pics are drawn & then various stitches are used to create a three-dimentional appearance.
Experience I have made many presents for others--Christmas, Birthdays, etc. Also, I sold crafts for several years. I have also worked with 4-h-ers for several years as a craft leader, goat leader, woodsman coach, & photography. Now, a friend & I have a business (more hers than mine:) making several varieties of pure beeswax candles. Not the cheepy ones you buy in the dollar store. We go through several hundred pounds of high-grade beeswax every year. It is more a natural, life-styles choice than just candles for burning. They are all natural in style although they take on various shapes as we learn more about versatility.
Organizations I am still a 4-H leader in crafts & gardening. "The Garden Bee" is the name of my friend's company. You can view it at www.thegardenbee.com on her website, should you so desire. Also, I have recently retired after 16 years of directing our Church Choir.
Education/Credentials I have a BSc in Psychology/Computer Sciences. As well, I have taken a couple of courses in ceramics & basic painting which have come in very handy over the years when doing various things with students & friends.
Awards and Honors Absolutely none, unless you count the numberous children & adults who have shown their gratitude for the teaching/coaching/helping/providing that I have done over the years.
Question I've got a yankee candle holder that was recently broken--all the pieces fit back together very nicely. I'm looking for a glue that is high-heat (since a large jar yankee candle will be burning), and also something that may "fill in" the other hairline cracks that have formed. The candle holder is glazed ceramic. Thanks for any suggestions!
Answer Dear M:
If the jar is not a gift you particularly prize, it is wiser to chuck it than to fix it. You can fix it with either canned condensed milk--not the sweetened kind, just the regular--by placing the jar into a pot of it & heating it slowly. Drain the milk & allow to cool. This works on good ceramic. Another idea would be just to use crazy glue. That works quite well.
The reason for the "wiser" advice is that I have seen jars that have been, and some that haven't, be used afterwards for burning candles. The problem is that, if they aren't sealed solidly-and even some that have--they will fly apart at the "seams" of the break & could hurt someone. Also, wax leakage may be a problem.
You can try if you want to. My advice would be to throw it out & buy a new holder. Sorry, but, in my books, safety comes first.
Good Luck...Dodie, Single Oak Farm, Nova Scotia
