DECORATING with wax seals is currently popular.
These round-shaped memorabilia recall memories of a time when letters were mailed rather than emailed.
A classic ornament, it is true that receiving letters embellished with these seals gives a certain delight.
Every piece is unique, influenced by how the wax flows from the spoon to the surface and how the stamp is pressed into the pool of wax — every stamp is different.
During the Middle Ages, these stamp seals were used to authenticate documents by distinguished individuals.
Over time, it evolved into a seal with initials that was used by monasteries, guilds, aristocrats, and even common folk.
However, among the various ways to use it these days, it has become an aesthetic trend to include it on physical invitations.
Jumping on the bandwagon, I thought that, given my interest in stories of the past, I would love to have my invites sealed with these stamps bearing my husband’s and my initials.
When I decided on it, I assumed it would be a simple process. Little did I realise how difficult a task it would be.
Since I have to pre-prepare my wax seals rather than stamping them on the spot (which is time-consuming), I have to make the seals and then attach double-sided adhesive backings to them. Finally, dust them with glitter powder.
It wasn’t so much the pouring of wax into the spoon to melt and then pouring the melted wax onto the plate — it was the time spent waiting for the wax to melt.
And when I first started making my wax seals, I had trouble. I couldn’t figure out why the seals kept sticking to the plate.
At first, I had to dig the wax seals off of the plate using a tweezer. My plate was stained by the hardened wax, and my seals were unattractive.
During those three hours of trying for the first time, I only managed to make less than 15 seals.
Nonetheless, my persistence and perseverance led me to believe that I can and will do it — by hook or by crook. And I finally did it!
My efforts in creating these detailed pieces and the time I spent painstakingly waiting in front of the stove to cook the wax was not in vain as I also learned a few dos and don’ts in the process.
After much research and learning from my mistakes, I was able to make an average of 25 pieces in two hours, which was an ideal amount to be honest!
Using two stoves, two stamps, and a sufficient space plate, I managed to learn the followings:
Let them cool:
• I had trouble the first time because I did not let my wax seals to cool. It could take up to a minute for the seals to cool completely before I could remove them from the plate.
• Initially, I thought I had to pluck them immediately after stamping because it would be easier to do so while they were still warm. But I failed my science teacher by forgetting that warm wax equals sticky wax.
• The seals are much easier to pluck when they are completely cool as they fall with only a flick.
A covered stove is better than a pretty one:
• I made a mistake by getting a pretty stove to cook my wax on. As it requires fire, I have to do it outdoor. And, while I could control the wind indoor, the wind outdoor was unpredictable! The pretty stove did not have walls built beneath them, so the wind would disturb the fire and weaken the process.
• Meanwhile, I preferred using the ugly, wooden, covered stove. Because there was less wind penetration, the fire was calmer and stronger, providing a stable setting to burn the wax.
• When comparing the two stoves, the covered one burns the wax faster as there were no unexpected interruptions. I get my job done faster this way too.
The more the merrier:
• When we first bought a set from a quaint shop — Hana Zakka Store — in Bau, my husband suggested getting double of everything. From the stamps to the stoves, to the wax beads. He thought that if I had more, I would spend less time making these seals.
• This is true. But I learned that even with more items, there is still a waiting period for the wax to melt. Nonetheless, I had a chance to make double the quantity at the same time.
Don’t be stingy with the wax:
• During my initial try, I only melted three beads at a time, which resulted in a very thin seal that is easily torn and not as durable. The quality of the seals also suffered as a result of “stinginess.”
• This was also one of the reasons it was more difficult to remove since, because it is thin, there is no cushion to keep the seal structure from coming apart during the pull.
• So, I used four beads instead. It also produced a better-quality seal due to its thickness. I could also make a perfectly round shape out of it.
Make sure the wax is completely melted:
• A lot of things must be checked off a list in order to get the perfect round shape seal. Aside from increasing the number of wax beads to melt, ensure that the wax in the spoon is completely melted before pouring.
• When I was too lazy to wait, the seal would come out crooked because the wax hadn’t completely melted. There would be clumps of wax remaining in between the melted ones, creating an uneven surface — ugly seals.
• Overall, it took me six minutes to fully melt the wax to make a nice shape. No matter, I’d just do my work while waiting for it to melt.
• However, do not overboil the wax as this will make the hardened wax difficult to pluck as the cooling time will be longer.
Don’t overheat your stamps:
• One advantage of having extra stamps is that you can use the one that has cooled down instead. The surface of the stamps gets heated as you press the stamp into the melted wax. Over time, it overheats. When this happens, the quality of the seals deteriorates because the wax is constantly melted by the overheated stamps.
• Reading tips and tricks on the internet, I found that some people had wax stick to their stamps, resulting in a bigger mess. According to online suggestions, overheated stamps can be dipped into ice packs to cool down faster.
• However, I’ve learned through experience that once I’m finished with a stamp, I can let it cool on a cold surface, such as an aluminium cover.
For larger quantities, use baking paper:
• When I told the owner of the Hana Zakka Store that I wanted to use wax seals to decorate my invites, I was suggested that I use the baking paper that bakers used to place raw dough on to bake.
• The reason for this is that the silky surface and flexibility of the paper might help speed up the process of producing a large quantity of seals.
Use a cheap, thinner spoon rather than a thick, pretty one:
• Because melting the wax is a waiting game, using a thinner spoon speeds up the process. Not only does it burns faster, but it also burns more thoroughly than the fancy-handled, thick spoon.
Don’t throw away the ugly ones. Just re-melt it:
• We were intrigued by the wax seal process when sampling at the Hana Zakka Store. From how to do it to how to make sure it turns out nicely. I was hesitant to use the store’s beads at first, but the friendly owner assured us that it didn’t matter as she could re-melt the ugly ones I made.
• There, I learned that I could re-melt those I considered unattractive. I didn’t have to worry about wasting the wax.
Consider using a hot glue gun instead:
• A suggestion from the internet for those looking for a quick and easy approach is to use a hot glue gun. Just get the stick version of the wax, pop it into the glue gun, and voila, you have a swift stamp-making process.
