kfintoni

Good morning everyone and happy new year.

With the new year here I am thinking of "maybe" switching up a few things. Jan and Feb are typically slow so I figured I would concentrate on our website, FB and Etsy page. I currently have my domain at Go Daddy but use someone else fro my web site hosting. I am looking for something a bit cheaper than what I pay, $19.99 a month that is easy with a bit more flexibility. Here are a few of my concerns and wish list things I would love with the new website.

The first is I have had huge issues with our emails going into spam folders. I am unsure what I can do about this but it can be a hassle when sending out invoices or responding to wholesale requests and they never receive the emails. Now I am having to also send important emails from my personal aol account just to verify they have received them.

Gift certificates were another problem this year my web host could not help me with setting this up as when a customer would purchase one it would automatically add shipping. I worked with them on this but they could not get it straightened out between them and mals cart.

The next big think I am looking at doing is having a client log in area for my wholesale customers. The way the hosting is now I can only offer a $ amount or % off of everything. I can not set a different price per item or customer. I have a few customers that their wholesale pricing is different a they are older customers and I kept their prices the same when I went up on pricing last year.

Does anyone know of a web host that allows for something as above. I am not the best with computers but need to update our website a bit. Here is my site if you want to take a look: www.brookfieldcandlecompany.com

Any suggestions would be appreciated as I said I am not the best with the computer so I need simple, that is why I have not changed hosting before as they were pretty straightforward and easy.

Thanks,

Karen in MA

I also love when I see a candle vendor that states all natural essential oils and then has something like chocolate chip cookie or sex on the beach for example. Many of my customers ask me what I use to fragrance my candles and I let them know right away FO and not EO. I explain the candles would not be affordable and why waste a good EO to just burn it. It is always funny to prod them on a bit and ask them where they find the EO like that.

Karen from MA

I just tried Smoked Birch from Candlewic and it is a real good smokey scent. I have tried a bunch and I like this the best so far.

Karen in MA

Okay all you creative people I am trying to come up with a new name for Autumn leaves from Candlewic. If you have ever smelled this FO it smells like pine tree sap. It is amazing and I am selling a ton of it but now that we are expecting our first snow tomorrow Autumn leaves no longer fits. I want to carry this year round. Some one said walk in the woods but I already have that. Tree sap or pine sap just does not have any pizazz. I was thinking fresh cut tree but then people are going to think balsam or pine.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Karen in MA

Trappeur I received it today. Thank you so much. Please let me send you a Pay pal$ or something in return.

Karen in MA

I did scrape the floor last night but keep finding places it splattered. All day I have been using a cloth with super hot water and soap wiping the floor but it is a slow process. I think the sneakers are toast as the wax ran right into them so they are coated inside and out. The pants I think I will just run under water and wash in the tub and then they will become my new candle making pants as no matter how clean I get them they will probably have grease spots. I am using 444.

Karen in MA

So has anyone seen what 3 plus pounds of melted red hot cinnamon soy wax looks like when spilled? I have. I was pouring later than I should have last night and was in a hurry. Had my pouring bucket ready and was not paying attention and down it went. Down the front of me all over my sneakers, pants, 3 coats hanging on the back of a chair,  floor, walls, chair legs and table legs. I scraped it all up and went to bed but now I have no sneakers or coats.

Does anyone know if I can clean the wax off the sneakers or are they a lost cause. I really do not want to put this stuff in the washer and dryer as I don't want to get any residue in the dryer. Also any hints on getting the film off the floor?

Karen in MA

Okay I just went through it all and posted it in the general candle section check out my haul

http://www.craftserver.com/topic/105938-i-have-to-brag-my-craigs-list-haul/

Karen in MA

Okay so I found a listing not far from me on CL for some candle supplies. I just went through it and have to share as I know you will all appreciate it way more than hubby.

Miami Erie FO 2 Oz :  222 and  1  4 oz

NG 1 16 oz, 30 4 oz and 144 1 oz

ICS 13 4 oz  and 10 1 oz

Candle and Supplies 1 8 oz and 7 4 oz

CS 17 4 oz

Venus Candle Crafts 3 4 oz

Elements 11 4 oz and 2 2oz

RE 1 16 oz, 4 8 oz, 2 4 oz and 2  2 oz

Aroma Haven 5 4 oz, 11 2 oz and 4 1 oz

CS Dye chips 20 pack 45

ICS dye blocks 16

2 liquid dye from CS

Approx 400 Clam shells and approx 50 single block clam shells for soap

40 pounds of 416

20 pounds of 444 and approx 80 pounds of cb135

20 pounds of aroma beads

20 lip balm tubes with tray

8 oz of almond oil

1 lb of jojoba oil

1 lb of hemp seed oil

4 oz of vitamin E

20 shallow tins with lids

There are a few other miscellaneous items and a lot of half used tarts from that sc@@@sy company and bulbs for their warmers. Some of the oils appear to be older but I figure if half of them are good I am golden.

All for $100.00

Karen in MA

Nice! I'd have loved to have gotten my hands on some Miami-Erie oils!!

I have to say I think there are at least 50 one ounce bottles. I have not gone through them yet as I have to find a place for them first.

So I am sure this has been asked before but how long do they actually last? I happened upon a great deal on wax and supplies from an estate sale. About 6 drawers of assorted sizes of NG, CS and ICS scents. There are also two drawers of scents from Miami Erie Candle?? I have not heard of them. I figure I could use them in tarts and scent shots. I figure if I smell it and it smells bad I get rid of it. If it smells good I can use it? I also got two cases of clamshells and 4 large bags of smelly beads. Also a whole ton of dye chips from CS.

Karen in MA

Hello all,

Has anyone ever used Epson Salt and Mod Podge on the outside of a jar as decoration? I have seen it directly on a pillar but was thinking of adding some to the outside of a few jars to look like snow. I would then seal it with Mod poge over it. I am thinking it would look kind of cool with the flame behind it. I know that Epson Salt is non flammable so that is not a problem. Curious if anyone else has done it.

Thanks,

Karen in MA

Trappeur and Moonshine

I think I may just take you both up on your offers. I was thinking I would just order it from the few suppliers I found that carry something with the same name but then what if I liked them then that would be more FO to buy. If you want to send me a Paypal invoice to hiwaytrk09@aol.com I can pay you for the FO and shipping.

Thanks,

Karen in MA

Thank you but I need at least 8 oz. I hate this time of the year so busy.

Hello everyone,

I am looking for a substitution for Peaks Winter Wonderland. They are out and not expecting it until the end of the week. I need it for a new order.

I am desperate any help is appreciated.

Thank you,

Karen in MA

I just posted about CS on another thread where I went on a rant. They lost an order of mine that they said had shipped of 200 lbs of wax. This has set me back 2 days at a very busy time of the year. I was not a happy camper. They did overnight it but a casual i'm sorry does not cut it in my book. That is lots of $ out of my pocket. I need to do some serious searching and price comparisons on getting my wax elsewhere.

Karen in MA

Since my family will not understand my frustration quite as much as you all will I need to vent for a moment. I placed a large order, at least to me, on Friday for 200 lbs of wax and several pounds of FO with CS. I also placed several other orders that day. I was receiving shipping information I never received anything from CS. I logged into their new handy dandy website to check on shipping and it showed as shipped but no tracking info.  I called and they said it shipped but would have to email the warehouse to find out why no tracking info. The $ had also been taken out of my account for the order. I call back today and was told it did ship but they do not know why the tracking info was not updated but just in case they will overnight me my order. I wait today hoping my UPS guy had it on the truck as CS said it had been shipped and nope not there. I called them back to let them know that it had not arrived and again questioned whether it had been shipped. Heather stated all the paperwork said it had and the warehouse is not that big that they would notice the 5 extra boxes. Yes the apology was nice but now I am 2 days behind schedule on 5 wholesale accts I am working on.

Okay done venting I guess I will just try and neaten up my shop and do some paperwork while waiting for the UPS guy tomorrow.

Karen in MA

I sold out of my Lavender, Sage & Rosemary at my show this weekend. I personally hate straight lavender but can handle the mixes. The cocoa therapy is the BOMB. I use it in all my chocolate candles now. Cinnamon Cider is also great. I am pretty close to having them all now and plan on updating my website with all their scents. I figure if I am paying for the shipping for my jars why not get my scents from them also. They also carry my wax so it is a win win. I just wish they offered the weight discount for shipping. It was still cheaper for me to get 200 lbs of wax from CS rather than order it through FMC.

I will be pouring the Patch and Sandalwood this week so I will let you all know how it is.

Karen in MA

So I poured the Cranberry Plumb yesterday and it is wonderful. I cannot wait to place another order today.

I use 444 and have for years. I like the slightly higher melt point especially in the hot summers. I have very little problems with wet spots and when they happen I try not to freak out about it and take a trip to the local y**k** and look at their candles and forget about them. I have only as of late been having problems with some sink holes near the wicks but nothing that a few seconds with a heat gun and little left over wax can't fix. I dye some of my candles and leave others white. I hate having to be a candle sundial at out door shows moving the vanilla types out of direct sun. My biggest problem is with anything purple. It starts out a lovely shade of purple or lilac and then morphs into something. I have not been using much of those shades lately unless asked for specifically.

I keep saying I am going to stop dying the candles all togetherr but I think it sometimes makes for a boring display.

Karen in MA

I just love all of Fillmore's scents. I had an order delivered yesterday and it had some new ones in it. I LOVE the Cranberry Plum oob and will be putting it in wax today. I also got Grapefruit as I have been looking for a great straight grapefruit and think I have found a winner. I also ordered the Lavender Sage & Rosemary. I am not a Lavender fan but I know it sells so I have to make it. I also think the Red Apple may be just as good if not better than CS Mac Apple

Here are just a few that I have already.

Karen in MA

I have poured all of these. Cocoa therapy is now my standard chocolate as it is amazing. Cedar Garland is my new favorite winter scent and I have already sold a ton. The Pumpkin Spice Chutney is good and I have sold a ton of it at markets. I am on the fence about the Bayberry and Cinnamon but it is growing on me. I love all of Fillmores scents.

Karen in MA

SuzyK that soap looks wonderful. I had it at a show this past weekend and asked a bunch of customers what they thought it should be named and no luck. I smell more mint than berries. I am going to have to keep thinking on this one. I hate the renaming thing, I am not good at it. It took me forever to come up with a name for Reindeer Poo for the rest of the year as I really liked the scent.

Karen in MA

Okay so I managed to find a Masterbuilt on ebay. I am waiting for a cart to arrive tomorrow then gonna set it up. I did have a few questions for those that use a melter.

I had read somewhere that when I filled it I should pour some melted wax in first? I understand doing that for the first time but I plan on leaving the wax in it and turning it on at the beginning of each pouring day so the wax is melted all day. Is that what everyone does? I think it will hold about 25 pounds of wax. I am also assuming it will not hurt the wax to melt and be remelted I was thinking it would be more of a tempering process for the wax left in the pot.

Can everyone give me some tips o how to get the most use out of it.

Thanks Karen in MA

As our leaves are starting to turn here I was thinking of using real ones but maybe I will give it a go with the silk ones again.

Karen in MA