Spellkast

If you're talking about the name- I know- I thought my cousin was "nicely" cursing at me when he wrote what he wanted. But thank you for your help- I ordered them both from SOS...along with two others that my mom and my husband love. So I think I have everyone covered for the holidays now! Thanks so much!! You guys always come through for me

If you're using a double boiler method, melt the soap down until it is completely liquified, but do NOT allow it to boil- then add your dye, if any, turn off the heat and let the soap sit for a while until it starts to form a small "skin" on the top. Stir in FO at this stage and let sit for a few more minutes until a thicker skin has formed. At this point, when you mix it with a spoon, it should be sort of like a slush- mix in your lavender buds and quickly pour into molds. M&P soap (as far as I know) does not need to cure. As soon as it's completely hard, I just pop it out of the molds and wrap it right away. HTH!

Ok, I really need your help!!! My cousin wants lotion in these two scents (FCUK- stand for French Connection United Kingdom, I guess and Aqua Di Gio) in some lotion for Christmas and I can't find them ANYWHERE! I tried the fragrance finder, and it says that FCUK is at WSP, but I can't find it listed on their site..and I found Aqua Di Gio at Universal Fragrances, but I've never ordered from them before, and I've never heard a thing about them, so I'm nervous to try them. If anyone has seen these anywhere, please let me know...thanks so very very much!!!!!

Liz, you crack me up...I really hope you're a fast typer, or else that would have kept you (or at least someone like me) up all night!! Good response- but unfortunately, you probably wasted it. People like that who have their first post ask how much money they can make off candles never return to the board. But everyone's right, you should make it a sticky!

My mom bought me this stuff a while ago from BBW called Smoothing Shower Scrub..it seems like it's just shower gel with something exfoliating in it, but I loved it when I got dye all over my hands...when I took a shower the dye would come right off with this stuff...I don't know where the ingredients are (were) on the package and was wondering if anyone has tried duplicating this with any success...? I've tried using salts and sugar in my suspension shower gel base, but it doesn't seem right, if you KWIM. Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks!!!!

Just so ya know, you're missing an "n" in romance under the soap petals category

I tried Nature's Gardens, but coming from a true chai fan (me!) it didn't smell right. A LOT of people I know LOVED it though, so maybe it was just my nose, but it was too spicy for me. ICS and Tony's both carry them, although Tony's was reformulating theirs and was out of stock the last time I ordered- but both of those suppliers are awesome! Daystar also carries it and WSP has an iced one, I believe. HTH!!!

Do you want to create your own website, or have someone host it and create one for you? Either way, I'd contact Prairieannie- she and her husband are running a $99 special, and that includes hosting for a year, they'll set up the merchant's account and they're super nice!!! They show you how to do everything and it's really easy! My husband uses a web hosting service that's $5 a month, and you pay for a year in advance ($60)- I'll get the name of it for you, if that's what you're looking for.

I don't really like christmas scents, but I LOVE festival of lights!!!! I think it's fantastic- I have no idea what's in it. It smells christmas-y though! And her peppermint/candy cane will knock your knickers off!

Ok, I don't ever use zinc wicks because I hate the mushroom- but some seem to have a much larger mushroom than others. Does this mean anything? Should I wick down on the ones with a large mushroom? Or is this just randomness from the mushroom gods? Thanks guys!!!!

I list candle safety and burning tips on the very last page of my brochure (I created an 8 page one with publisher) and I also have a page in the very beginning devoted to the scent list and their descriptions. If you're looking to do just a tri-fold brochure, you could leave out the burning tips, or put it on the back page where you usually just put your logo, KWIM? And if your scents are pretty self explanatory (like vanilla and cucumber melon) I don't see why you would need descriptions, but if they're creative (Superman for Drakkar or something) than you might need to explain what they are to potential customers. HTH!!! Michelle

I made two batches, one with equal parts butters, oils and beeswax, and that was so greasy and disgusting...then I tried another recipe that called for coconut oil, almond oil, cocoa butter and beeswax, and that thing was hard as a ROCK- Rubbing it onto your skin would have HURT- so I figured I'd play around with the recipe after the holidays, but I tried one more time and used 1/3 beeswax, 1/3 oil and 1/3 cocoa butter & shea (more cocoa butter than shea by about 2x's) and that one worked out much nicer, still a little hard though! I hope your quest for a good lotion bar ends soon!

Thanks guys!! I am so lazy that I have never gone through the whole fragrance list at WSP...how sad is that? Thanks- I need to place an order with them soon so I'll order from there. And when I first started candle making, I ordered from Gelluminations, and forgot all about them!! I loved their oils, so I'll try them too! Thanks again!!! Michelle

Ok, my ex wants some B&B products made with Clinique's Happy for Men...anyone hear of it? It smells so good, and I can't find it anywhere. I have found dupes of the women's perfume, but not the men's...maybe someone has seen it at a supplier I don't visit often...? Thanks for your help!!!

I am in LOVE with Peak's. More than half of my oils come from them, my next best is ICS, but some people on this board have had trouble with them, so test them well. Just Scent, I love Becky, she's wonderful, but when I tested her oils against some from other companies, hers lost...But I do love her Banana Nut Bread, best ever!! Nature's Garden has some great oils, and I know BCN tests their oils in soy, so you know they'll be good, I just don't like the way they smell personally. Tony's is great, although expensive and Rustic Escentuals has some incredibly strong, true smelling oils. I will be trying Tri-state soon (when I get some more money) because I've heard great things about them from Kimberly. All of these companies offer sample packs...order a bunch and then sell the ones you dont like on the classifieds

A wonderful slogan! It goes very well with your Logo!

If you're talking about the gel aroma beads that you heat up, I found that heating up a wick pin and sticking it in the spot where I want the hole works really well. It doesn't leave a giant hole at all, and it slides in really easily. Very easy to thread the string through as well. If you're talking about the paper air fresheners, I found a heavy duty punch at michael's on sale a while ago- they might be those leather punches everyone's talking about! HTH

Have you tried your local dollar store? I found a BUNCH of really nice christmas baskets for a dollar (obviously) and I haven't been able to find anything cheaper than that on the internet. Once you factor in shipping and all that jazz, they're way more than a dollar each. HTH!!

Hey Tess, looks beautiful! Gotta question: how much did that banner run ya? I've been looking for a decent size banner, and all the places I went to want $250 for ONE color!!! And I originally wanted my logo on it (2 different colors with shading and the works) Forget it!! I'm just wondering if you paid that much, or found a place that's cheaper than that!

That's a pretty good price- I get mine for around $3 each when I buy a WHOLE BUNCH! Just make sure they're good quality. I bought some stuffed animals from walmart one time, and when I dipped them all of their fur fell off!!! LOL...They looked like they were going through a mid-life bear crisis! So, I just put them around the house because they still smelled good! I'd say buy them and try it, and if they go bald, dress them up and give them to the salvation army or family and friends or something!

really? HTP's? I know they are the "recommended wick" for the wax I use, but they always smoked so badly, I couldn't stand it. I will try them next (I put RRD's in yesterday and I'm gonna burn them for a few hours today to see if they're even close) And Top, you'd be proud, I even double wicked one Thanks so much for your info- I'll definitely give the HTP's another shot.

Ahhh, the trouble with comfort blend...amazing people still use it...have you tried the harmony blend from IGI? Anyway, how about a low smoke zinc? LX's used to be my wick of choice until I found the LSZ's...they're great...and RRD's have a TOTALLY different way of burning than the LX or CD series...sometimes when all else fails with the LX or the LSZ for me, the RRD will work perfectly...I just tried out some on my new elevation jars and I'm hoping they'll do their magic!!! At least you have it narrowed down to two wicks The patience we candlemakers must exercise...it's exhausting!

I know! I requested a wholesale packet from her because I was gonna give up on them- and I'm still thinking about it...but I have yet to receive the packet So I guess I'll just keep trying

You got it to work with a single wick?!?! How?! I'll try ANYTHING! I love these jars- they're just the cutest! And I know soy acts differently than paraffin, but I know they're both very viscous waxes, so something you did might work!! Please, please, please share your secret!!!

Yeah, the stuff is great once you get it figured out- but sssssshhhhhh*****tttt, I just can't figure this stupid jar out. There's only like 3 oils out of the twenty that I've tested that aren't sooting- and their melt pool isn't reaching the sides of the container...I know that if I wick up, it'll soot just as bad as the others. I just feel as if I double wick, I'll lose customers. I think people see two wicks as the candle burning faster and then they think they're wasting their money. I'll give the RRD's a shot, and then the regular zincs...then I'll just throw them all out the window