Cissy

I ordered a 1-lb sample of CBL-129, smooth top on 2nd pour, threw great. I then ordered a case April 2006. I used same FO, same %, heated and poured at same temp. After 2nd pour the top looked like a souffle'. I think I'll just use my Pumpkin Souffle' and cobbler scents in this wax and tell the customers it's supposed to look this way. (LOL) . This might work except that the scent throw is not nearly as good. Too much vybar must be binding up the FO. If this was a problem they had and resolved years ago, then I wonder why I got a case of it in April '06? Anyway, I just put this case aside and still haven't taken the time to try to salvage it yet. I wonder if I could add some 1288-B wax, maybe some stearic. This would decrease the overall percentage of vybar and maybe release or "loosen up" the FO. It would at least probably make for smoother tops. Could this work? I'll give it a try when I find the time to play with it. If I figure it out, I'll post my results. If my customers like the souffle' look, I'll let you know.(just kidding...... or am I???)

Thanks for all the tips. I'm placing a wax order with CS Monday and will try the Spiced Wassail 1 oz. I will also try the Apple Juice at BCN on my next order. I haven't yet ordered from Bluegrass or Just Scent, so haven't tried those. Debra, I do have some green apple from Snowtop I've had for a long while. Hope it's not too old. Now, to find it in my mountain of FO's I don't use. I really should post the newest FO's I'm not using in the classifieds. I think if I can just find a great apple FO I really like to blend with FO's I already have, I would have the fresh apple cider scent I'm ISO. I should have started getting my formula down pat before BCN's Fresh Apple turned rancid on me. I won't drag around next year 'til the last minute lining up more fall and Christmas scents as I did this year. I've settled for a few scents to add I'm not thrilled with until I find better ones to replace them. Always trying to improve and find the "best" does get costly. I'm just too darn picky. I suppose I'd better start in January working on my 2008 Christmas scents.(LOL)

Thanks, both of you. These FO's sound similar to what I'm searching for. I did try a Cinnamon Cider from another supplier and liked it ok, but not exactly what I was looking for and it didn't last long enough in tarts, even at a high FO load and with a low wattage warmer that didn't burn the FO off quickly. I'll have to give these two suppliers a try.

I have spent so much $$$ and time trying to find the perfect cider FO. Before I started candlemaking, I use to put fresh apple cider, slices of fresh orange, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a simmering pot and my house smelled sooooo wonderful during the holidays. I ordered a bottle of WYW and BCN regular line of mulled cider and really dislike a mulled scent. I have a bottle of Fresh Apple FO from BCN I bought first of this year, but it has turned rancid. I already have cinnamon, clove, orange FO's, so could blend this myself if I could just find a great apple. I have CS's McIntosh apple, but just don't like the McIntosh scent. Where can I find the best tart, fresh red apple FO to blend or a fresh apple cider that will smell close to the blend I use to put in my simmering pot?

Just reread your post and saw you don't have a Walmart in Italy. I don't know the specs on my heat gun (just looked and can't find the manual and box it came in). All I can tell you is that it says 1200 watts on the heat gun itself.

I use the 100 gauge PVC Shrink Tubing from Packco with tarts and use top and bottom labels, haven't done any votives, though, which would be more difficult to hide any melt spots. I use the Wagner heat gun from Walmart, set on low. I wear a soft cloth, thinner type garden glove (from Walmart) on the hand not holding the heat gun. The glove deflects some of the heat as you're moving the heat gun 'round and 'round. The glove allows you to shape the wrapping around the tart or votive as you put heat to it, without burning your fingers and helps protect the shrink wrap. I wouldn't try shrink wrapping without my glove. Occasionally the glove gets a little too hot, so I take it off a few seconds to cool (LOL). That's my technique and might not work for everyone, but it works great for me. The gloves are cheap, so you might try this before giving up on the shrink wrap you have on hand. I personally wouldn't want anything thinner than the 100 gauge for my tarts. It will hold the scent in longer than the 80 gauge since it's a little thicker. Forget to mention: After I seal both ends of the tubing, I use a safety pin to punch a small hole through the tubing on each side of the tart. The allows air to escape when you put the heat gun to it and the wrapping will mold to the wax easier and faster.

Today I decided to blend Sugar Cookie FO with BCN's "Jingleberry" FO 70/30, and to me it smells like the crunchy Christmas cookies you buy with the little candy things on top. I like it better than Yankme's Christmas Cookie. Anyone else who has the Jingleberry and Sugar Cookie FO, try this and give us your opinion. Don't anyone order these FO's just based on my opinion, though. Maybe someone else will give their's.

I just noticed, your 1st of 3 posts was a complaint when it should have been a post asking for or giving advice (if you have any!) pertaining to candlemaking. Even your first post did not reflect a 'biblical' (quote), generous, helpful, nature that you seem to wish to condemn others for not having.

Basically what I'm saying is: Don't give out detailed info to lazy people who can't do some research first. When I became interested in learning about candles, I never asked anyone personally anything. I googled until I found this board, lurked for a while, then when I read enough to learn to ask a half-way sensible question, then the board members were willing to help. I don't wish to help anyone who is lazy and not willing to put in some effort first and just want info handed out to them. Have you joined this board to learn, or just to immediately start complaining? You're really off to a good start with the complaining aspect.

Dan I noticed you just joined this board last month, so I'm assuming you are new at this unless you learned from other sources about candles, soaps, etc. When and if you ever decide to pursue candlemaking or any other business full time, and your survival depends on the sales of your craft, then you will quickly have a different opinion on sharing your secrets and formulas with nosey, lazy people who could potentially take money out of your pocket by copying you, that is if you are naive enough to give out this info. These people don't have to sell a product to a first-time customer that is equal to the quality of yours. If the customer gets to them first, then you have lost that one sale and the customer might never find out your quality is much better, especially if they are transit customers. If their quality is poor, then they won't get that customer back, but they at least made that one sale that you lost. For those who never intend to or don't need to make money at this, then, I can see why they would be willing to share every detail with others.

SoapMom, no I haven't shipped out anything with DHL, nor have I had anything small shipped to me. The boxes my warmers were in measure 24"x18"x17' (6 very large, heavy boxes) for the shipping rate I quoted. I have no idea what wax would cost shipped by them, but it might be worth asking suppliers to compare rates on wax or large boxes, who are now shipping UPS. I also don't know if DHL goes up on their rates as frequently as UPS. I just started using them this summer and only through this supplier for warmers. UPS seems to be the "King of the Road." I can't figure out how DHL can make money with the rates I paid, if UPS can't seem to do so without a 41% higher rate hike on my shipments.

My electric warmer supplier also ships by DHL. I have read some bad reviews online about them, but the only minor problem I had out of several shipments was that once my order arrived separated ( I received half one day and the rest the next day.) Otherwise, my shipments have arrived as quickly as UPS's. I didn't try to track my order, but just read a negative review on Epinions.com about their tracking system. I wish more suppliers would offer DHL shipping. They were so much cheaper. Here are freight charges from two identical (pkg. weight) invoices to show the difference: I ordered 72 warmers August, 2007. UPS shipping was $89.70. I ordered 72 warmers November 2007. DHL shipping was $52.95. Total weight was about the same on both orders....same # of boxes and boxes were same size and shipped to and from same locations. This is a hugh difference of $36.75. (approximately 41% cheaper rate than UPS). UPS needs this competition. I would tolerate a little inconvenience myself occasionally for the difference in price. If I start having any major problems, then I'll have to switch back to UPS.

Yep, that's what I said...me and my testers. Maybe I was shipped some from a bad batch. I even made a candle with less FO than I put in my tarts and still didn't like it. I certainly haven't reordered anymore of that FO from NG to find out if it smells the same. I have ordered Christmas Splendor samples from two other suppliers that didn't smell sour. That's the only FO from NG I have been unhappy with. I have never smelled a gift shop that smelled like this NG FO. I don't think it's so "strange" that everyone doesn't like the same scents.

I originally named mine Autumn Harvest, but customers wanted it all year, so thinking it strange to sell them in the spring or summer with labels showing autumn, I just leave the name "Harvest Spice" all year. If I'm "giving" them to a friend, they are lucky if they get them shrinked wrapped and a hand-written label unless what I have on hand is already packaged. Hey, if it's free, they shouldn't complain about the labels.

i ordered several bottles of NG's CS last Christmas because of the reviews. I never smelled a fuel smell, but thought it was the most "sour" FO I have ever smelled....maybe because I like fresh, sweet smells. My testers agreed with me. I ended up blending one part to 4 other parts of JBN's Christmas Berries, .....and orange juice, cinnamon, and apple to be able to tolerate and eradicate the sour smell.

I also don't like NG's Black Cherry Bomb "nose hair burner". Not in tarts, anyway. It sooooo strong, but doesn't last long...doesn't seem to have any bottom notes to it to make it last. Guess I'll have to try it in a candle so it will be more "time released". I like a strong, but smooth black cherry scent, with depth, that doesn't give you candlenose the first 30 minutes you burn it. Guess I'll have to try some of the above mentioned suppliers. Glad you started this thread.

This is a long thread, but if you go back to the beginning of thread, it refers to the black oval cups and their source, The Webstaurant Store. They also have the black 1 oz and 2 oz round souffle cups with the clear lids sold separately. As I mentioned in one of my many previous very detailed posts in this same thread, the oval 1 oz size does have a #5 on the cup.

Are you referring to the black oval cups or the transparent type portion cups?......haven't been to McDonald's lately....not my favorite fast food place. I had no idea they or any business would be so generous. If so, their generosity won't last long when we all pay them a visit, will it! (LOL)

Most restaurants I've seen use the cheaper portion cups or the round black souffle cups. Certain areas of the country might have progressed to the oval cups, but I, myself, haven't seen them in restaurants yet. I really don't eat out frequently except for fast food, so I might have missed something.

Another update: I decided to pour 1/4 oz plain Red Hot Cinnamon FO into the 2 oz souffle up and let it sit up to see if it would 'eat' thru the plastic. It's been 17 days now and it has not softened the cup any. I filled up a few cups with RHC FO and wax and will let them sit for a few months to see if they lose any scent. The 2 oz cups actually hold 45-46 grams...wish they would make a 1.5 oz size.The partially filled cups will take up useless storage space. If I decide later to use these, I will fill them as close to 30 grams as possible to keep my price as is. I'm sure some customers will wonder why they aren't full and think they're getting cheated....too much explaining. BTW, I looked thru the entire box of lids (1000) and ended up with around 50 damaged lids, but this particular box had a few extra lids anyway. Some of the warped ones will work once you snap them onto the cups. The damaged lids had mfgr's defective edges and not usable. Most of these somehow ended up on the top in my initial search. They were not damaged during shipping, but were actually manufacturing defects. I still don't know what type of plastic the 2 oz cups are made of, but they must be stronger than they initially appeared to be since the FO hasn't affected them yet. I am still on a search, though, for a better packaging method with a professional edge, cost effective, and less labor intensive than shrink-wrapping.

I haven't tried Lone Star's peach, so can't compare. I have tried peach FO's from CS, BCN and KY. KYs is the ultimate. It is the most realistic peach of all I have tried. You can even smell the fuzz. I have tried it so far only in tarts, not a candle yet, and I always use more than 1 oz per lb, so I don't know how strong it will be at that %. I just know it is the most amazing and realistic peach I have tried.

I'm not good at renaming either, but how about "Magnolia Orchard" or, if you smell the peach more than the raspberry, just shorten it to "Peach Magnolia".

If you can formulate this scent, I'll buy some. I love scents that remind me of my mother in the cozy kitchen cooking Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Anything that smells like my favorite foods, I love. (LOL).

UPDATE ON (2) oz SOUFFLE CUPS: I just received the 2 oz size black oval cups today. They are definitely not the same quality as the (1) oz size. They do not even have a recycle # on them anywhere. Holding them up to the light, they are much more transparent than the 1 oz ones I previously ordered. Also, out of 25 lids I pulled off the top of bag, 19 of them have warped edges on the lids. I just wasted $45 bucks (including shipping - $13.33), assuming they would be exactly the same quality as the 1 ouncers. Unfortunately the size is not the only difference. I emailed Webstaurant a couple days ago to inform C.S. that the (1) oz. ones do have #5, not #6 as she said the mfgr told her. She emailed me back, saying they might have changed something, so she always calls them when she has an inquiry. Now, even if I wanted to make the 20 gram tarts, I would be afraid to order them again, afraid they might decide to change them also. If any of you decide to order either of these souffle cups, please contact them first, although I'm not sure if their advice would be accurate. Sounds like it's just a gamble to order these from them. Sorry if any of you got all excited about these. I am disappointed, also, and broker. Thought I was close to a solution of saving lots of labor. Now, I am back to the drawing board. Guess I better get busy shrink-wrapping again. (Darn!)

Thanks for the tip. I'll try this if I decide to do more tarts with the 415. Currently, I'm using a paraffin/pillar blend for my tarts and they do pop right out of the molds. I do like the shiny creamy top of the GB 415 tart I did...don't know if the top will continue to look that way over time.