First Post of the Day
You asked for it, so here they are - blackened beeswax ornaments.
First, their history, which is pretty cool in and of itself. (I give this out to people who ask about them at the Feast or Kalamazoo.)
-------
Blackened Beeswax Ornaments
An Old German Art Form
History
The art of molding beeswax into holiday ornaments is a tradition that is centuries old and began in Germany with Lebkuchen bakers. The bakers used their Springerle and gingerbread boards to mold the first beeswax ornaments. By the mid 1500s, Christmas markets were thriving in German towns and there are records of merchants who made wax souvenirs which people took home and hung on their Christmas trees. (Source: O Divine Night Blog, December 7, 2008)
The custom of wax ornaments hanging on the Christmas tree was brought to America by early German settlers. During the 17th and 18th century, the ornaments might be left as is, painted, or even “blackened” by taking cinnamon and rubbing it over the beeswax casting while it was still warm.
How I Make the Ornaments
These beeswax ornaments are made from just two ingredients - triple filtered pure beeswax and ground cinnamon. There are no dyes used to artificially blacken or color them nor are any oils added to enhance the cinnamon scent. (Interestingly, the beeswax scent generally is stronger than the cinnamon when the ornament is finished.)
While I’ve used both the old fashioned wooden Springerle molds as well as silicon molds, I’ve discovered that the removal of the ornaments is easier from the silicon molds and only use those now. (Although the nice thing about this art form is that if you damage the ornament when pulling it from the mold, you can just toss it back into the pot, melt it down, and pour it again!)
Care for Your Ornament
Beeswax has a melting point of 140 degrees Fahrenheit so don’t leave your ornament in a closed car on a hot summer day. I would not store blackened beeswax ornaments in the attic, and would keep them out of direct sunlight, too. Other than that, they require no special care.
All ornaments are $8 plus shipping except where noted. Any with an asterisk by the name are out of stock. I may make more before Christmas if I get time, but I cannot guarantee that.
Email me at horsiemama8@gmail.com if you want to order anything. Thanks.
Assortment One
Top Row: Snowflakes/Stars (version 2), Old Fashioned Santa with bells
Second Row: Snowflakes/Stars (version 3)
Third Row: Snowflakes/Stars (version 1, version 2, version 3), Santa Moons
Fourth Row: Christmas Bells, Santa Moon, Oval Christmas Bells
Fifth Row: Tree of Life, Honeybee, Oval Christmas Bells
Sixth Row: Dragonfly, Honeybee, Oval Santa Face
Seventh Row: Roaring Lion, Heart Angel
Assortment Two
Top Row: Double Bunnies, Leaping Horse
Second Row: Double Bunnies, Ram & Lamb, Leaping Horse, Pegasus
Third Row: Cardinals, Squirrel, Howling Wolf*, Pegasus
Bottom Corner: Bear Cub*, Owls, Lion Portrait (Due to size, these are $3 each.)
Middle Bottom: Bison*
Right Bottom: Double Horseheads, Horse Portrait (Horse Portrait is $3 due to smaller size)
Something I have begun noticing with my own beeswax ornaments is that, as time passes, some are getting a silvery finish. I think it's lovely, but thought you should be aware that that may happen to your ornaments.
One last tip - I've not had any issues with loss of that cinnamon smell, but just in case, I plan to pop in a cinnamon stick with my own beeswax ornaments when I take down the Christmas tree this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment