Michdj

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone has tried 1343 as a base with 4627 (or another container blend) for tarts? I have a bunch of 1343 left over from making fire starters and I'm nearly out of 4794. Has anyone used 1343 successfully? I'm wondering if vybar at 1% might help the FO retention? (Because I have that on hand too!) -Michelle

IMO UPS wouldn't have to do this if suppliers would start using double-corrugated boxes that fit more tightly around the wax slabs. There are some suppliers who do this and the wax arrives in perfect shape, as it didn't have the room to slide around, knocking against the sides and ripping the box. A thicker box also reduces the chance that the sides rip and cause UPS the trouble in the first place. I've received boxes from some suppliers that use single-corrugated boxes that are barely holding together by the time they arrive to me, or they only tape the bottom of the box with one pass of tape and the box is falling open. If a quality job is done at the supplier's end, it doesn't arrive in such a mess. This should be considered when one considers "customer service" from a supplier.

Soooo..... now I'm hungry! Yum!!

Pretty pillar! Really love the color mix!

I'm duly impressed. What a great display! I would have browsed for a long time! -Michelle

Looks a little too transparent to be butchers paper. I'm thinking freezer paper? Freezer paper is only waxed on one side, so that would be how the label would stick. Hmm... It IS pretty, though.

I found HTP 93 works well for me in 4627 12oz status.

Has anyone used black currant vanilla? In anything? B/B, candles, anything at all. I loved the scent and created a whole line of wax products for it, and I can't give it away! I'm wondering first, if anyone uses it and second, could it be in a blend? Ugh!

No kidding. I am just so anxious to get moving on my lip balm. This whole bath and body thing has me entranced. I love it!!!

... is really providing a lesson in patience and less-than-instant gratification. At this rate my order - placed Dec. 3rd - won't even be shipped until next Weds. Holy crap. Hurry up!!!

Cracker, I would contact your supplier. Explain the issue to them - this should not be happening for sure!

Hi y'all, checking with my fellow lotioncrafters to get info on baby-safe ingredients. I'm guessing to avoid the oils/butters from nuts. Are there any other ingredients that I wouldn't really want a baby to get a lick of? I was thinking of using avocado oil and shea butter... but what goodies should I avoid?

Love the Earth candle! How beautiful!

Beautiful! Nice job - very intriguing colors.

Made my first lotion today with a recipe from SwiftCraftyMonkey, but modified to play. It's a less-greasy winter lotion, but I used shea butter so it's really not less greasy. Live and learn! Used mac oil because it sounded really nifty but found it's very nutty-smelling, so I overused FO to mask it. ::sigh:: Everybody starts somewhere I guess! I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Awesome! Not looking for experts, just fellow partners-in-crime. Who else is a silent lotion crafter?

Ooh - would love to get Oakmoss and Amber in soap! Although my kid says it smells like middle-aged-man cologne! ETA: Beautiful work!

I have all the ingredients to make lotion and I'm nervous about it. I've noticed the forum has become more focused on candle-making. Any lotion crafters out there? I know TallTayl is, because he/she responds to all my inane questions. Anybody else? And what's your favorite type of lotion?

I have been getting horrific shrinkage on my candles lately with 4627 and I haven't changed a thing - following my same recipe, heating glass to 190, heating wax to 185, cooling in Styrofoam cooling boxes. The changes in temperature (cold to cool, cool to warm, etc) I think have been helping create huge "wet spots" on the sides of the glass - really big horrible ones that I have to reheat in order to sell. So frustrating, especially when I have to transport the candles to shows and back again.

Honestly it looked like Gulf Wax with a string!

::shiver:: Right now that looks like guts! Can't wait to see the inside!

After doing a little research, it sounds like that's her standard response to the question I loathe the most: "Is this soy?" As paraffin is food grade, etc. And I suppose technically you can ingest it in small quantities.... Ugh!

I nearly fell over laughing at a show this weekend. My competition had candles in mason jars, all of which had strange bubbles all over the bottom and weirder little streaks going straight up the sides. Me: "Is this palm?: (As that is the only wax I've seen make strange streaks (although this wasn't quite a feather - looked like it the streaks weren't there on purpose.)) Her response? "Our wax is pharmaceutical grade and food grade - you could eat our candles if you wanted to!" I suppose I could, if I really wanted that fabulous laxative effect - or death. I'm sure the FOs taste fabulous as well! So I asked, drolly, "So is it palm?" Her response? "Our wicks aren't even treated." And I realized that there are probably consumers out there who lap that up. (The inane marketing, not the wax. (Although according to her, they COULD!))

Help! I bought a mold like the one in this post: http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?26075-Bubble-Bars&highlight=bubble and I couldn't get my bubble bars out of the mold! The recipe says to wait about an hour to unmold them, but after an hour they were glued in. Even this morning, still glued. Are there any tricks to unmolding? Or maybe to prepping the mold? TIA! -michelle

Wow! Beautiful!