Say Bye-Bye to Paraffin Candles This Christmas

There is something about candles and the holidays. Candles evoke feelings of peace and calm, and they can fill the room with delightful scents. However, paraffin, the waxy substance often used to make candles, has come under scrutiny as a possible health hazard.

Why Not Paraffin?

Paraffin is derived from crude oil, the same crude oil that is refined into gasoline and petroleum products. Waxes are made from the lubricating oil that is a product of the refining process. When paraffin candles are burned, they emit substances that may be carcinogenic such as formaldehyde, acrolein, benzene, toluene, and acetaldehyde.

Soot, which appears as a dark, dusty film on household furniture and around fans and vents, is said to be produced in greater quantity by paraffin candles than those made from natural waxes. Indoor air pollution is already a concern for many, and many people do not know that burning candles can contribute to this problem.

Another concern with paraffin candles – particularly scented ones – is the development or aggravation of allergies. Asthma, allergic rhinitis, headaches, itchy eyes, and respiratory congestion can all be symptoms of allergies brought on by burning paraffin candles.

Alternatives to Paraffin

There are other waxes that can be used instead of paraffin. If a candle is not marked, it is more than likely made from paraffin. Look for clearly labeled candles that note the type of wax that the candle is made from.

* Beeswax – Bees produce wax in their hives. They use it to cap the honey cells. People scrape off these caps when they harvest the honey, and the wax can then be used to make candles. You might associate beeswax candles with the honeycombed, rolled, taper style candles. These are, indeed, made from bees’ wax, but not all beeswax candles have that honeycombed appearance. Beeswax can be used to make solid candles, too, as well as jar candles and tea lights. It has a natural, honey-like scent.

* Soy Candles – Wax can be made from soybeans. One wonders if anything cannot be made from soybeans! Touted as the healthier option in candles, soy wax candles burn more slowly than paraffin. They are biodegradable, like beeswax. Also like beeswax, soy candles are made from a renewable resource that does not require the use of fossil fuels to manufacture.

* Palm Wax – The palm oil tree produces a fruit from which wax can be derived. Used alone or blended with other natural waxes, palm wax is a renewable, vegetable-based material that produces a bright flame. It is a hard wax that can appear almost translucent. Its hardness makes it a long-burning candle as well.

Make Your Own Cards by Made by Hand

Where to buy: www.amazon.com

Looking for a special present for a special child? ? The Make Your Own Cards set gets the children?s imagination going. It allows them to create beautiful and unique cards: Christmas cards, birthday cards or ?Thank You? cards. It comes in a handy carrying case to keep all the craft bits and pieces in one place. There are 20 different colored note cards and 20 white envelopes. In addition, your kids will love the 500 funky pop-out cardboard shapes, such as petals, flowers and circles, that can be used to decorate the cards with. They are ideal for smaller children as well, as no cutting is necessary. They easily pop out of their perforations.

There are lots of opportunities to give cards, and making homemade cards is a nice pastime your children will enjoy, especially during those dark winter afternoons.

Overall, I think that this craft set is very worthwhile purchasing. It keeps your little ones happy and entertained, while at the same time using their creativity and imagination to create beautiful cards.

Recycled Cardboard Boxes for Weed Control

Mulch that is made from cypress or cedar may look nice, but you can use much more readily-available materials for mulch and weed control. You will also save money. For controlling weeds, old cardboard boxes make excellent alternatives to wood mulch. Here is how cardboard boxes can be used in the garden.

1. Weed Control

Weeds can be a bothersome, labor-intensive problem. If you weed by hand, you have to get out and pull them nearly every week during the growing season. Weed killers are not good for the environment or your family (especially if you grow edible herbs or fruits and vegetables).

Cardboard blocks out sufficient light and air to keep weeds from growing. To fight tough weeds like poison ivy, lay several layers of cardboard over the poison ivy patch. Then weigh the cardboard down with bricks or rocks and leave it for several weeks.

2. Mulch

Water and air can pass through cardboard mulch, making it a healthy option for your garden. However, it holds in enough moisture to make a moisture-holding mulch. Here are some ways to use cardboard boxes to fit your mulching needs.

* Tear or cut up the cardboard into pieces and spread them around as you would wood mulch.

* Lay overlapping pieces of flat cardboard down around your plants and cover with earth, leaves, leaf mold, or compost.

* Before planting, lay flat pieces of cardboard all over the area you want to plant. Plant bulbs, seeds, and seedlings through holes you cut in the cardboard. Cover the cardboard with compost or other organic cover.

* If you have conventional wood mulch left over before you make the switch to cardboard, go ahead and make use of it. The cardboard can stretch the wood mulch – you need only lay an inch or so of wood mulch over the cardboard.

3. Soil Enrichment

As the cardboard breaks down, it enriches the soil. It makes a sort of compost as it biodegrades. In fact, you can recycle cardboard in your home compost pile. It will contribute to the richness of your compost. Beneficial fungus growth may be enhanced by the use of cardboard in your compost or garden, too.

You can obtain cardboard boxes by saving your own, intercepting them at your workplace, or asking your local grocery store to give them to you. While some sources caution against the use of printed or slick cardboard, other sources claim that in this day and age of biodegradable inks this is no longer an issue.

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