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Finally joined after several years of lurking. lol


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Hi everyone!

 

My name is Christina Whippo and I am a fragrance addict!  Seriously though...  I think I am one!

 

I have a small home fragrance business that started back in 2014, and I finally just signed my first commercial lease and moved out of my house and into a large production studio!  I primarily make candles, including wine bottle candles. Actually wine bottle candles is what started this whole business... we use to own a winery, sold our share of that business, and invested more time and energy working with other wineries to make a better product than what is on the market now. We have grown slowly over time and I really couldn't be happier with how things are going. 

 

So...after years of stalking this board I decided to finally sign up, stop hiding, and reveal myself. Thanks again for sharing all of this information and  for letting me join. :)

 

If anyone is in California, hit me up! lateharvestcandleco@gmail.com  I'd love to chat about suppliers, etc. because shipping and doing business in California is SO MUCH FUN! not!!! (can anyone say not business friendly or taxed to death?)

 

That's it for now!

 

-Christina

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Well, HOWDY!  
Ex-Stalker huh? Ahhhh... I remember when I first found out I was being stalked on this forum (sighs) seems like it was only yesterday... Wait... Oh yeah, It WAS yesterday morning... I was thinking this "Guest" is looking at me? Came back to see if someone had gotten online and the "guest" was at the last topic I had read... I thought, OMG! I think somebody's following me! I doubled back, and sure as hell "guest" WAS following me!!!! They were in the EXACT SAME ONLINE SUBGROUP I WAS IN!!!! Wow! I got CHILLS!!! Talk about OVER THE MOON!!!!! I was like OMG! Someone is following ME!? Why, I have no idea but I'll take anything I can get! I'm not picky... <blinks> O.O 

 

Hi! :hello:

 

Cheers!  :biggrin:

Sponiebr: The Executor of Bad Ideas and Sundry Services 

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Welcome! Glad to know another "Central Coaster" - I'm pretty sure there are at least a few of us on here! =) I took a quick peek at your website - looks great! I'm in the process of trying to get mine set up now... mostly by sheer stubbornness, haha. 

 

And I agree completely with your last statement about shipping, taxation, not business friendly, etc. We have much to be thankful for living in "sunny CA," but there's always two sides to the coin! It's certainly contributed to why I have taken so long to move forward - all the business requirements plus my own fears of messing it all up has been daunting. Grateful for the info and advice on this board on so many topics!

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  • 5 months later...
On 5/26/2017 at 7:07 PM, ChristinaJW said:

Hi everyone!

 

My name is Christina Whippo and I am a fragrance addict!  Seriously though...  I think I am one!

 

I have a small home fragrance business that started back in 2014, and I finally just signed my first commercial lease and moved out of my house and into a large production studio!  I primarily make candles, including wine bottle candles. Actually wine bottle candles is what started this whole business... we use to own a winery, sold our share of that business, and invested more time and energy working with other wineries to make a better product than what is on the market now. We have grown slowly over time and I really couldn't be happier with how things are going. 

 

So...after years of stalking this board I decided to finally sign up, stop hiding, and reveal myself. Thanks again for sharing all of this information and  for letting me join. :)

 

If anyone is in California, hit me up! lateharvestcandleco@gmail.com  I'd love to chat about suppliers, etc. because shipping and doing business in California is SO MUCH FUN! not!!! (can anyone say not business friendly or taxed to death?)

 

That's it for now!

 

-Christina

Hey Christina, I'm curious about your candles in wine bottles.  I've started cutting my own bottles, pouring, and am test burning now but I see there are some who feel that wine bottles are an unsafe venture, that the bottles aren't made for this and could crack.  What say you?  Are you pouring them or using votives?  Any safety issues or concerns?

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On 5/26/2017 at 7:07 PM, ChristinaJW said:

Hi everyone!

 

My name is Christina Whippo and I am a fragrance addict!  Seriously though...  I think I am one!

 

I have a small home fragrance business that started back in 2014, and I finally just signed my first commercial lease and moved out of my house and into a large production studio!  I primarily make candles, including wine bottle candles. Actually wine bottle candles is what started this whole business... we use to own a winery, sold our share of that business, and invested more time and energy working with other wineries to make a better product than what is on the market now. We have grown slowly over time and I really couldn't be happier with how things are going. 

 

So...after years of stalking this board I decided to finally sign up, stop hiding, and reveal myself. Thanks again for sharing all of this information and  for letting me join. :)

 

If anyone is in California, hit me up! lateharvestcandleco@gmail.com  I'd love to chat about suppliers, etc. because shipping and doing business in California is SO MUCH FUN! not!!! (can anyone say not business friendly or taxed to death?)

 

That's it for now!

 

-Christina

Welcome...I'm new to the forum also..its a great resource for info.  I'm sure California has their share of taxes...but it can't compare to Ontario Canada...can it???

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  • 1 month later...
On 11/7/2017 at 11:51 AM, rhoops said:

Hey Christina, I'm curious about your candles in wine bottles.  I've started cutting my own bottles, pouring, and am test burning now but I see there are some who feel that wine bottles are an unsafe venture, that the bottles aren't made for this and could crack.  What say you?  Are you pouring them or using votives?  Any safety issues or concerns?

Hi! I haven't been on the server for awhile (holidays).

 

When I first started, I checked with my insurance carrier first. Got it approved. Then I continued perfecting the sanding & cutting to make sure there wasn't any cracks or anything else with the edges (there are a lot of companies who don't do a fine inside or outside bevel edge). I also did the heat/temperature differential tests that the Candle Association recommends (thus documenting all of my findings incase there was a future problem). I have only had one candle crack on me (and it was mine), but this was from power burning the candle for about 8-10 hours, and I saw it had a chip at the top. The candle didn't explod, it just had a hairline fracture down from the chip.  

 

So, yes there are a bunch of concerns, yet most of these are mainly general candle making tips. I suggest checking with your insurer, and cover your ass on the warning label. LOL.

 

These type of candle take A LOT of labor..... I am a perfectionist, and thus this leads to way more labor than I actually wanted to spend on a single candle (but I want my quality to be better than what is locally available). I'd suggest asking yourself first on how labor intensive you want the container itself to be.  And then determine if your willing to take the risk.  Good luck.

 

 

oh----double check your wicking for when at the bottom of the vessel. Be sure that the tab doesn't slide of the punt. If it does, that will create a dangerous situation.

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  • 2 months later...
On 1/6/2018 at 5:55 PM, ChristinaJW said:

Hi! I haven't been on the server for awhile (holidays).

 

When I first started, I checked with my insurance carrier first. Got it approved. Then I continued perfecting the sanding & cutting to make sure there wasn't any cracks or anything else with the edges (there are a lot of companies who don't do a fine inside or outside bevel edge). I also did the heat/temperature differential tests that the Candle Association recommends (thus documenting all of my findings incase there was a future problem). I have only had one candle crack on me (and it was mine), but this was from power burning the candle for about 8-10 hours, and I saw it had a chip at the top. The candle didn't explod, it just had a hairline fracture down from the chip.  

 

So, yes there are a bunch of concerns, yet most of these are mainly general candle making tips. I suggest checking with your insurer, and cover your ass on the warning label. LOL.

 

These type of candle take A LOT of labor..... I am a perfectionist, and thus this leads to way more labor than I actually wanted to spend on a single candle (but I want my quality to be better than what is locally available). I'd suggest asking yourself first on how labor intensive you want the container itself to be.  And then determine if your willing to take the risk.  Good luck.

 

 

oh----double check your wicking for when at the bottom of the vessel. Be sure that the tab doesn't slide of the punt. If it does, that will create a dangerous situation.

Thank you very much!  I too, have put in a lot of time cutting and finishing these for the same reason you do.  I want something of a higher quality and that isn't locally available in great quantities.  It's a lot of work but I enjoy it.

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On 11/7/2017 at 7:14 PM, Gary in Canada said:

I'm sure California has their share of taxes...but it can't compare to Ontario Canada...can it???

I just sit here laughing when anyone complains about the cost of wax..or shipping hahahah...try buying it from Canada ....oh and don't forget our dollar is worth diddly-squat! Anyways forget all that we do it for the love...right? or in my case to use up my stash...dare I say hoarders collection of fragrances. Anyways WELCOME Christina!!

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 1/6/2018 at 5:55 PM, ChristinaJW said:

Hi! I haven't been on the server for awhile (holidays).

 

When I first started, I checked with my insurance carrier first. Got it approved. Then I continued perfecting the sanding & cutting to make sure there wasn't any cracks or anything else with the edges (there are a lot of companies who don't do a fine inside or outside bevel edge). I also did the heat/temperature differential tests that the Candle Association recommends (thus documenting all of my findings incase there was a future problem). I have only had one candle crack on me (and it was mine), but this was from power burning the candle for about 8-10 hours, and I saw it had a chip at the top. The candle didn't explod, it just had a hairline fracture down from the chip.  

 

So, yes there are a bunch of concerns, yet most of these are mainly general candle making tips. I suggest checking with your insurer, and cover your ass on the warning label. LOL.

 

These type of candle take A LOT of labor..... I am a perfectionist, and thus this leads to way more labor than I actually wanted to spend on a single candle (but I want my quality to be better than what is locally available). I'd suggest asking yourself first on how labor intensive you want the container itself to be.  And then determine if your willing to take the risk.  Good luck.

 

 

oh----double check your wicking for when at the bottom of the vessel. Be sure that the tab doesn't slide of the punt. If it does, that will create a dangerous situation.

I agree 1000%!  Making the bottle candles is labor intensive but I enjoy it so much and I take pride in creating a much better and smoother edge than most others I have seen.  I can't believe what some folks turn out as being a finished product.  You might think they hacked the bottle in two with a machete and then wicked and waxed!  Thank you for your reply!

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  • 5 months later...

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