Jazme Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 .Hi! I've been lurking for a while but since I broke the ice with a tiny little post I thought I should introduce myself. I've just reread my post and ,boy!, did I get windy. Feel free to stop reading at my name is Jacquie! My name is Jacquie R. I've just turned 71 but my brain refuses to feel that old. The body, however... I currently live in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson, Arizona, but I'm originally from the coast of Maine. I started making candles in 1970 when we lived in upstate New York. The 70's were the only time I did any selling. In the 80's I made them primarily for ourselves and as gifts. After that... (but I kept moving my candle making equipment all over the country.) I "caught the bug" with my first, unplanned, stop at The Candle Mill in East Arlington, Vermont, when we visited a friend who had just moved to the area. The next visit made me a convert. My first little candle making book was written by Tom Weakley, the candle maker and owner of The Candle Mill. I've been married for over 47 years and have two grown daughters and a few "grand"dogs as well as a "new to us" 6 year old Standard Poodle. I am currently retired after two interesting and rewarding careers. First as an inorganic chemist, then as a programmer and webmaster. When I found this forum, after deciding I really wanted to make my own candles again, I couldn't believe how things had changed. In 1970, I'm not sure I had even heard of soybeans let alone soy wax. Wick testing pretty much meant finding the right size of lead core wick for my various container candles and following Tom's recommendation for my tapers (from reproduction colonial molds) and waxes had to be blended yourself. Now I'm waiting for an order from Lonestar with some soy wax, a blended paraffin and a few wick samplers. I've never even bought a soy candle so not sure why I'm going to be experimenting with the soy but thought it deserved a look. Guess I've been a paraffin bigot. Finding this forum has had another effect on me. This inorganic chemist who hasn't made soap since O Chem lab in the 60’s has gotten the bug to make soap. Acids and bases were my thing, just not with organic compounds involved. I've been reading soap books, checking out pretty soap pictures on Pinterest and Instagram, watching technique videos on YouTube, visiting Dollar Tree, ordering from Amazon and even Brambleberry. I still need to get Kevin Dunn's Scientific Soapmaking, but after tomorrow's trip to Costco for oils, I'll be making my first itty, bitty,1 lb loaf of cold process soap. I've already got four of my own recipe ideas written down in my notes and tons more in my head for after the first couple of easy, test batches. I'm really drawn to much of the artistry I've been seeing in these soaps as well as to the good for the skin aspects. You folks do beautiful, inspirational work. Watch out for all my coming questions! Jacquie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Hello Jacquie, Very nice to meet you and welcome to the board here! I too am a New Englander. Born and raised in Vermont and then moved to Maine. Now I'm in Georgia for 27 years but end of this year moving back home to New England (Maine) by the end of the year now that my husband died and I'm by myself. There are soooo many talented soap and candle artisans here and so friendly everyone is. Please come and stay with us a while. Boy it sure must be different the way candles are made than when you did.....Will be a process for you,,,,but it's nice....I love making candles. I'll bet you are a natural and will pick right up! You will have to tell us stories of how you used to do them. I'd love to hear! Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incendia Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Hi Jacquie, welcome. I too am retired and returning, yet again, to candle making after my 'real' life as a biologist. I live on the left coast. There are a lot of people here who really know what they are doing and are very helpful. (You can also find a lot of information in past threads and 'search'.) But be very careful.. there are aspects of this endeavor that can be extremely addicting. And there are lots of enablers here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Welcome to the board and good luck with your new-old creations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 (edited) Welcome Jacquie! Glad to have you with us. I'm a retiree too as in I no longer work in the corporate world but am my own boss. I make and sell soap and candles to supplement my meager SSI income. Its my passion and it seems my life started when I started my soap and candle biz working for myself doing something I absolutely love. I've got Kevin Dunn's book too. I am still reading up on my other soaping books and his is the next one in line. I read one of his articles before so knew I wanted to get and read his book on scientific soapmaking. I've been making cold processed soap since about 2009 and love it! Soy can be very challenging to work with and everyone struggles to get it wicked right and have a great scent throw. Just have lots of patience and plenty of tissue at hand for all the time and money and tears you spend on R&D. If you love candlemaking then its worth it. I gave up on soy and ended up with my own proprietary blend of parasoy. That was a few years back, now I only work with palm wax and love it. Good luck and welcome to Craft Server! Edited April 12, 2017 by Candybee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazme Posted April 14, 2017 Author Share Posted April 14, 2017 I would like to thank everyone for their welcome. Trappeur, I've noted your wide experience with 464 and as that is the soy wax I ordered you can probably expect a question or two going your way. Where will you be settling in Maine. I'm originally from Cape Elizabeth and we will be there for a month this summer. I'd love to move back but my husband does not want to live anywhere that involves owning a snow shovel or snow blower. We tried Colorado when he thought we should be near one of our girls. The first snow which hit early October that year really did him in. Incendia, I have read most of the old threads going back at least 2 or 3 years. Guess I've been reading as well as lurking. That's how I've discovered how much things have changed. I'm also pretty good with the search button. Hope my research will have me starting not too far off the mark when I start my testing, hopefully this weekend. Candybee, I'm glad you were able to find some joy in your soap and candlemaking endeavors. I too started my "retirement" on disability though I suspect you're a good deal younger than I am. I'm looking forward to picking both your candle making and soap making brains as I get a bit further on. Jacquie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Welcome to the board! Enjoy what you find here and please share with us as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Welcome! Thanks for sharing. Yes, please share pics of those soaps, even the first ones. I love looking at them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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