Creativity – and Candles – Multiplied

USA Today bestselling military romance author, Catherine Mann, is my guest today. This time we are introduced to another sizzling hero, Hugh Franco, from the Air Force's celebrated Pararescue Jumpers–"The PJs"– an ultra-elite force who put themselves at extreme risk in the most dangerous emergencies so that others may live. 

I haven’t had the chance to read HOT ZONE yet, but we were introduced to Hugh in Cover Me. I’ve been looking forward to reading his story.

Aside from creating hot military heroes, Catherine also uses her creativity in other ways, decorating candles. She tells us how to go about decorating. I’m certainly going to give it a try. I love candles!

Some have a theory that creativity needs to be channeled.  Certainly I can see that there has to be focus within a creative career.  However, I’m a firm believer that creativity is like bread.  Feed the yeasty starter, knead the dough, and watch it grow.

Along the same lines, I believe my creativity needs to be massaged and fed.  Luckily, I love to do creative, artsy things beyond my writing.

Over the years I’ve tried my hand at a number of artsy crafts.  Cross stitching.  Sewing.  Singing.  Guitar.  Crocheting.  Gardening.  Calligraphy.  Baking. Am I a master at them?  Not hardly. (Especially not gardening!)  But I thoroughly enjoy myself.

While writing is obviously my primary creative outlet, I indulge my muse by trying new creative endeavors.  This month?  My daughter and I decorated candles for holiday gifts.

This was one of our easier to tackle undertakings, with only a few supplies needed and simple to follow directions…

CANDLE DECORATING:

Supplies:

Candle

Tissue Paper

Pattern Stamp

Ink

Scissors

Wax Paper

Handheld Hair Dryer

Directions:

Stamp the pattern of your choice on a piece of tissue paper.  Cut out the pattern.  Trim fairly close to the edges.  Place the inked tissue paper on the candle.  Press wax paper over the tissue paper to hold it in place.  Direct the handheld hair dryer over the pattern.  Lightly move the dryer around until the candle wax begins to absorb the tissue paper – without changing the shape of the candle.   Be careful to avoid drips.  Gently peel away the wax paper.  Aim the hair dryer at the candle again and heat until the tissue paper can’t be seen and only the pattern shows.  Let dry.

Variations: Can place more than one pattern on the candle.  Or place the pattern all the way around the candle.  Also, while wax is still soft, rhinestones or tiny rhinestones can be pressed into the pattern.  We even used the leftover ink to stamp white paper lunch sacks, making our own gift bags!

As you can see from the photo, my daughter and I made a slew of candles for gifts this year.  Most have a holiday theme, but there are also some patriotic candles.  Those are for our family and friends with a military member serving.  We’ll be keeping one of these candles in our home as a reminder and tribute to those who can’t be with their families this holiday season.  Real life heroes and heroines like the characters featured in my air force novels.

And so, that wraps up my creative outlet of the moment.  Next up?  Chocolate fondue and dipped treats.

Thank you to Sia for sharing her blog spot with me today and thank you to each of you for stopping by to visit!

·        What are some of your old and/or new holiday traditions?

HOT ZONE  BY CATHERINE MANN  

He'll take any mission, the riskier the better...

The haunted eyes of pararescuemen, Hugh Franco, should have been her first clue that deep pain roiled beneath the surface. But if Amelia couldn't see the damage, how could she be expected to know he'd break her heart?

She'll prove to be his biggest risk yet...

Amelia Bailey's not the kind of girl who usually need rescuing...but these are anything but usual circumstances. EXCERPT

BUY:    IN STORES DECEMBER 2011 
Online:  AMAZON, BARNES and NOBLE, 

  

USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann writes military romantic suspense for Sourcebooks and Berkley, as well as steamy romances for Harlequin Desire. A RITA Award winner, she has over two million books in print in more than twenty countries. Catherine resides in the Florida panhandle with her flyboy husband, their four children and an ever growing menagerie of pets.  And yes, in a moment of creative inspiration, she once raided the pantry for the ingredients to bake homemade dog cookies for her local animal shelter!

For more information on Hot Zone and her other works, Catherine can be found online at:

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