Justjasen

hiyas

Patchouli... uggh! I have several customers who absolutely love this scent. I have to open the windows and have the main door open when I make them because the smell just destroys my nose and is awful to me.

I use wooden skewers to stir my wax/FOs. I also use popsicle sticks that I have drilled a hole in for my wicks. The popsicle sticks I got 1,000 of them for like $10 on Amazon. The skewers I bought at WalMart 100 for $1.

Now I want to know where to get these LOL! I have searched and searched on Google with no success

I would HIGHLY recommend crazzie. She has helped me with my new branding for my products (logo and labels). She is excellent at communication, very imaginative, and in my opinion VERY economical! I am in the midst of creating my website so my new branding has not been seen yet by the public, but here is the work she did for my main logo. She truly is great at what she does and I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending her to others. She has completed quite a few designs and helped me with my re-branding of my products (candles, tarts, and air fresheners).

I am a fellow 464 user and I also use ECO wicks. As with all waxes and fragrances... testing is key. I believe Lonestar has a decent wick sizing guide on their site... This is directly from their site and is a good reference point: Size Recommended Application (diameter)* ECO-1 Votives & Small Containers ( 1.25" - 1.5" ) ECO-2 Votives & Small Containers ( 1.5" - 2.0" ) ECO-4 Votives, Pillars & Small Containers ( 2.0" - 2.5" ) ECO-6 Pillars & Small Containers ( 2.5" - 2.75" ) ECO-8 Pillars & Medium Containers ( 2.75" - 3.0" ) ECO-10 Pillars & Medium Containers ( 3.0" - 3.25" ) ECO-12 Pillars & Medium Containers ( 3.25" - 3.5" ) ECO-14 Pillars & Large Containers ( 3.5" - 3.75" ) *These recommendations are based upon the wick being used in a soy wax. I personally found these to run a bit small.. in other words where it says to use an ECO 10 I have to use an ECO 12 to have a good burn pool and throw.

Me personally...I don't like the name. I had that opinion of it before I figured out what DD stood for LOL (I don't watch the show so I was oblivious). I'm sure you will get many differing opinions on the name. It made me think of candles but more so something that would either light the candle or snuff the flame...not the actual candle. Once you drew my attention to the DD reference...it does come off as kind of cheesy and not real imaginative. I don't say these things to be mean...I just believe in trying to be as honest as possible (I believe if you want others to be honest with you...then you have to be honest with others - kind of a karma thing).

The only scents I liked from LoneStar were Sweet Snow and Cabernet Sauvignon. I only use LoneStar for my waxes/wicks/labels now...I get my FOs from another Dallas area supplier.

I love the color of those! Great job! I have never tried mottling...who knows maybe some day LOL!

According to my testing notes I had good results with one CD20 in GW444 and GW464.

I love craft shows. Luckily we have 3 major ones right in my town (April/September/November). I am thinking about doing a few that are 90 minutes away next year as well..will just depend on how wholesale sales go and whether I will have time. Good luck at your craft show! Hope you sell lots!!!!!!!!

I just completed my last Christmas order that is to be delivered next week. I like to take a break from Mid December to New Years so I can relax and spend time with family. I tend to be slower in January and February (I think a lot of people are recouping financially from Christmas). My next craft show isn't until April so that gives me plenty of time.

Which is why I replied that ECO wicks were made for natural waxes ie. soy... and offered up the notion of CD wicks; which is what a friend of mine who uses Comfort Blend uses in her candles with success.

Looked through my testing notes and I had no issues with the ECO 14 in the 12oz Interlude jars. They had good throw and melt pool. This was done in soy wax; C3, EcoSoya 135, Eco Advanced, GW 415, GW 444, and GW 464. I have never tried the ECO wicks in paraffin so not sure. ECO wicks were actually made for natural waxes (Soy/Palm/Beeswax) and are primed with a vegetable wax. Have you tried a CD18 or CD20?

Yes hyperbole. NO ONE has said to tell people your RECIPE. Full disclosure for INGREDIENTS... but... Again... just because someone knows what's IN your candles doesn't mean they can make your candles exactly the same way...which is exactly what beaconterraone stated "unique artistry of design." It is our artistry/design/craftsmanship that make our candles unique.... 10 people can use the exact same ingredients...and have 10 various results...don't think so?? Just look at this board...some people use the same recipes, but produce individual results. I have stated my opinion repeatedly and have no further desire to engage in this "conversation." If you don't want to tell people who ask (for whatever reason) anything about your ingredients...then don't I will continue to tell people as much information as I want regarding my products

Trust me you won't piss me off. This is the internet...other's opinions don't piss me off. I was going to post a lengthy reply on your own hubris, condescending tone, and how duping can be easily done from an actual candle, but not looking to get into some flame war (no pun intended). So you go ahead and do what you do...and I will continue to do what I do....

I am in the research phase of lotion making. My fiance is looking at starting organic lotions and cleaning supplies...so right now we are just researching a lot. Our goal is to begin testing in January...and test test test for approximately 6 months to be ready for next Fall's craft shows. Trying to find out as much information as possible at the moment...so if you know of any good informative sites and would like to share that would be greatly appreciated.

Actually no one has even insinuated that giving out formulas/recipes to their customers is a smart thing to do...or that anyone should give out their recipes. The original question was regarding FO suppliers and that's it. Just because someone asks where your FOs come from does not mean they are trying to steal your creations. Could you recreate my candles if I told you where I got my FOs from? No because my FOs are one ingredient in a recipe...which I can guarantee is not the same as Joe Schmoe Soy Candle Maker's recipe. That's like saying you can recreate my mom's chocolate chip cookies if you knew that she used Tollhouse chocolate chips (which she does...and will only use tollhouse lol). You see how silly that sounds? Candle making is a CRAFT that takes skill, testing, formulas, and creativity...simply knowing one or even two things about my ingredients will not allow you or an unskilled person to recreate my crafted candles. If that were the case...someone could simply come here...ask a few questions...see a few pictures and voila..copy your crafted items. But we all know that is not the case...that making beautiful candles is more than a list of ingredients. Each candle I make is special...and uniquely mine through hours of testing and multiple failed attempts. Example: I create my own Lavender Vanilla scent; because my FO supplier does not have that scent. If a customer were to ask me I would simply tell them it's a blend of the two scents. If they then asked me percentages I would simply tell them "Not sure of the exact percentages...I keep all that stuff in my notebook because I cannot remember numbers to save my life." If they were a regular customer I would probably give them a ball park answer like "70% Lavender and 30% Vanilla...or somewhere around there." Do I think they are trying to steal my formula?? LOL no. But even if they were... congratulations you now know ONE thing about my candles...good luck finding out the recipe to make them though There are 4 people who know my recipes - Me, my Co-Owner and both of our spouses. My own mother doesn't know my candle recipe... and NO ONE in this thread has even remotely said that we should be giving our RECIPES/FORMULAS to any customers... So PLEASE stop insinuating otherwise. The hyperbole in this thread is astounding.

The ORIGINAL question was about what to do when a customer asks where you get your FOs. If a customer knows where I get my FOs from they are not going to be able to replicate my product...and assuming that is their intent is a wild assumption to say the least. No one in this thread has ever said they would give their recipes if asked. That's like saying to a baker when someone compliments their brownies and asks what chocolate they used..not to tell them Hershey's because they are going to copy you...even though they have no idea how many eggs, how much flour is used, or what temperature to even turn the oven to bake. There's a lot of needless paranoia being spread throughout this thread. Hopefully I never run into some of these people at a craft show and dare to ask anything about their candles. I have no issues whatsoever telling a customer: My FOs come from COMPANY X My wax is soy My wicks are a cotton blend My containers are from COMPANY X Even with that information...do you think you could replicate my candles? I mean I didn't tell you how much FO I use did I? Did I tell you at what temperature I pour? Did I tell you if I heat my jars? Did I tell you how I swirled the color? Did I tell you how I make my cosmetic grade glitter stay against the glass interior?? Sure you may know the ingredients... but ingredients are only part of the process...the recipe and the craftsmanship is what makes my candles unique. (I said COMPANY X because I'm not trying to make it look like I am advertising which company I use here)

I reduced mine according to what sold both in individual sales and at craft shows. I keep core scents (4-6) and then alternate in 4-6 seasonal scents for sales/shows. I gave a lot of my scents to a new chandler so she could test more etc

I just went and bought all my spring scents now. I find most people stop buying for Christmas 3-4 weeks before hand.

My top scents at the moment are orange cream and strawberries & cream. I personally like Muscadine, but find the name is off setting to people who think of Musk.

Welcome to the board. I really like the smoothness and colors of your candles (and yes like everyone else...just put a lil more in so so they look more filled hehe). Your puppy is so cute. I love dogs - don't have any of my own due to hectic work schedule (wouldn't be fair to the dog). Keep up the great work!

I saw something similar at WalMart and thought to myself "Self..How do they mass produce these??" I know how to do it on a smaller scale, but would think it would require all new equipment etc to do on a mass production scale.

I have no idea what the true answer is...so just giving my opinion. I wold think the oil is technically still in the wax (even though there is no scent) and adding any more oil could be troublesome. If it were me I would simply keep them around as emergency candles.