How to make Candles? Yes I'm a candle maker too!

Candle making is a fun and rewarding hobby that can provide a sense of accomplishment and relaxation. Whether you're looking to create candles for personal use or as gifts, this guide will walk you through the basics of candle making and provide tips for creating beautiful and fragrant candles. I wish I was joking. I've tried making and selling candles. Here's what you'll need.

To get started with candle making, you'll need a few basic materials. These include:

Wax (such as soy, beeswax, or paraffin) I prefer soy wax for jar candles. Use beeswax or paraffin for candle sticks and molded candles. Soy wax is a little greasy 

Wick (made of cotton, paper, or a wood wick)

a melting pot (wax melting pot or double boiler method)

A thermometer. But not necessary if your a pro like me.

Colorants (optional)

Fragrance oils (optional)

Silicone Mold (to shape your candle)

Types of Wax

When it comes to candle making, the type of wax you use can greatly affect the final product. Here are a few popular types of wax:

Soy wax: A popular choice for eco-friendly candles, soy wax is a plant-based wax that is biodegradable and renewable. My favorite for jars candles. Trust me

Beeswax: A natural wax produced by honeybees, beeswax candles are known for their pleasant, natural scent and warm glow.

Paraffin wax: A common and affordable wax, paraffin wax is often used for container candles and can be easily colored and fragranced. Not the best if you have pet or children. But great for outdoor pillars and candle sticks.

The Candle Making Process

Once you have your materials, it's time to start making your candle. Here's a basic overview of the process:

Melt the wax: Place the wax in a melting pot and heat it until it reaches the melting point.

Add the wick: Dip the wick into the melted wax and coat it evenly.

Add colorants and fragrance: If desired, add colorants or fragrance oils to the melted wax and stir well.

Prepare the mold: Make sure the mold is clean and dry before pouring in the melted wax.

Pour the wax into the mold: Pour the melted wax into the mold, making sure to fill it to the top.

Allow the wax to cool and harden: Let the wax cool and harden completely. This can take several hours, depending on the size of the candle.

Remove the candle from the mold: Once the wax is hard, remove the candle from the mold and trim the wick.

Tips and Variations

Here are a few tips and variations to help you create unique and beautiful candles:

Experiment with different wax colors and fragrances: Try out different combinations of wax colors and fragrances to create unique and interesting scents.

Add herbs or spices: Add herbs or spices to the melted wax for a unique and natural fragrance.

Use different mold shapes: Experiment with different mold shapes to create unique and interesting candle shapes.

Create layered candles: Create layered candles by pouring different colors of wax into the mold in layers.

Safety Precautions

When working with wax and heat, it's essential to take safety precautions. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Use a thermometer: Monitor the temperature of the wax to ensure it doesn't get too hot.

Keep the melting pot away from children and pets: Make sure the melting pot is out of reach of children and pets to avoid accidents.

Use a well-ventilated area: Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling wax fumes or fragrance oils. Vanilla is my favorite scent. Candle making was my online business. It didn't do too well. So back to blogging and acting. But it's a nice side hustle if you know how to sell and market candles. I'm sure the best market is women. Not to many men buy candles. Unless they're buying citronella candles for bbq's and camping trips. 

The coolest candle I've ever made.  Hope you enjoyed this blog post. Happy candle making!

Feeling stuck as a content creator?

 I hate to say it, but even I feel stuck as a content creator. I felt the same way when I was pursuing acting and modeling. I guess it's really about who you know. You must connect with people and collaborate effectively. Perhaps having some really great YouTube videos or something that goes viral. As you all know, if you don't know now. My name is Jeffrey. Laugh out loud. 

I'm an entrepreneur; I shouldn't be stuck. I've tried almost everything. I took a break from acting to start an online business. But I feel like I'm still acting to get through this crazy life. No, I don't need a therapist or better help. I need to go outside and touch grass. Maybe challenge myself and build this world I'm creating.

On the Meta horizon. 

You should check it out. It's a hangout spot I created to chat. It has a shop too, if you want to donate to the build. If you feel stuck and need to chat. I'll be in here from time to time. Pick my brain and throw some things. It helps me brainstorm ideas. Hopefully, you guys enjoy my content and my blog journey. It's content after all, and it's ok to feel stuck sometimes.

Enter the Metaverse haha! Backyard Off-Grid Camp 🏕

Trying to make a living online?

 If you're new to the blog, this might be a valuable resource if you're pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. I've been in and out of the entertainment industry, and pursued modeling, acting, and the music industry. I have a podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I'm an OEF War veteran who also wrote a short book, Life After War, which is available on Amazon. So, I guess I'm also an author now, too. I have music on there as well. Got my degree in Music Production. 

But yeah, I'm still trying to make a living online. My offline business had failed, sort of. I'm a landlord and still rent out my property in North Carolina, which pays almost all of the mortgage. Might have to start a subscription service. Like a photo or a candle of the month club. Needless to say, there are a lot of things to do online that can make some money. Blogging, podcasting, and selling products. 

Getting paid to take surveys takes a lot of time for a little reward. But Inbox Dollars is ok for fun money. I made like fifty dollars. Finding clients online through Tik Tok might help me find paying customers. But I'm trying everything now. Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Affiliate marketing. It's been exhausting. 

Thanks for this year, I might have to start looking for acting jobs or making more music. I know I won't be rich overnight. But trying to make a living online is not for the weak. So I won't give up. Still chasing my dreams by the way. I don't have to be in Hollywood to be rich and famous anymore. Some find their way out of the mud online after all. I'm now trying to make money by monetizing what I create in the metaverse. 

So we will see how that goes. 

Sincerely, Jeffrey Barkey

                                             I wish I could make money exploring the United States. I think there's a website for that. Yosemite Upper Falls, California

Portable Power...Is a Jackery Worth It!!!

 The Backyard Off-Grid Blog

Yes, I've come to the conclusion that I need to start a new blog. 

I'm an Actor, Music Producer, and Entrepreneur... I have the power to change the way I live.

So I needed some ideas and brainstorm these ideas. I know I needed electricity to power my camera, lights, and heated blanket. Yes having a warm body really brews up some ideas...lol

So power up your brain and Power up your tent with this Portable Power!

Yes, a Jackery 1500 Explorer. Just enough power to power up all the devices that I take on my Jeep Camping and tent camping adventures.

I also enjoy using it in my house to save money on the electric bill. With inflation going up on everything I have to save money where I can. Having a Portable Power Station is also great to have for those rolling blackouts or random times the electric company decides to shut off the power. For whatever reason, it’s just nice to have. You don’t need a fancy solar panel either. I’ve used harbor freight panels for over 3 years. They get the job done.

So try one out for yourself and if you don’t like it I’m sure someone on Facebook Market Place might buy it for close to full price. Have a good day and let's Go Camping!

Actor, Youtuber, Airbnb host, Blogger

-Backyard Off-Grid  (Jeffrey Barkey)

Ich Liebe Dich (Music Video)

Photography and Time!

 This topic of photography has really piqued my interest. I love photography. I use my camera on my iPhone for doing Tik Tok's, posting pictures to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. So I'd consider myself a self-taught photographer. I've also used my Canon EOS Rebel SL1 for taking random pictures and recording videos of myself for my YouTube Channel. So the reason for this blog post is. I think I should be doing this as a part-time job.

How many people are out there making blogs and posting pictures. I'd have to do a search to find out, right. Wrong, just seeing the number of pictures posted daily to the internet. Who wants to count the number of people? That takes up valuable time. So do I have time? Yes of course. I'll make time to learn how to get the perfect shot. If the photo looks better naturally or with a filter. 

I want to go explore. I want to create great content for my blog. My website and my social media channels. So it's important for me to be a fun and successful photographer. So if you choose to be a photographer. Start taking some pictures. Be your own model for your Instagram. 

Take some video, post it to Tik Tok and ask others if they enjoy your content. Follow me on Tik Tok and see how I made it work. It's not rocket science. It's Photography and Videography. I'm still going to school for Music Production. I would like to continue my education after I graduate and move to possible Film Production or Photography. Below are Actual images that I've taken as an Amateur Photographer. 

                                                    

                                                            Donner Lake Vista Point 

Photography By Jeffrey Barkey 

                                                             

                                                              Taken outside Santa Cruz

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. If you copy the pictures please give me some credit. Thank you!

*All pictures on this post are property of Oak Bar LLC

Please contact me if you want to use them.

                                                     

Work and School Grind

 Just recently started working with Door Dash. It gives me a chance to set my own schedule around my busy school schedule. Still getting good grades in a Music Production school. It's a nice side hustle to earn some money to pay for gas, food, and help with paying my car payment. I enjoy it! If you're interested feel free to message me on Instagram and I can send you a special link. Working from home online helps a little too. I like to spend a lot of time making videos on Tik Tok. Hopefully, Tik Tok never goes away. I like to share my journey of work, school, and travel on the best short-form video platform ever created.

I still like to do acting and have been getting into the dancing side of it as well.

I also run an online store selling shirts, hoodies, leggings, and a whole lot more. Feel free to check it out at www.oak-bar.com.