Mitch23

Thanks, everyone for the help! When I did my first batch I only used four oils, and felt like I wanted to do more with it, so that is the main reason for me adding a few more to this one. I'll decide after I make this one if I still want to use more/less. Carrie, thank you sooo much for that. I had seen it (or at least one that looked very close, diff color if memory serves me right) before, but couldn't for the life of me remember where. Got it printed out now! Now it's just to decide where I want to order my coloring from... sooo many choices! Mitch

Thanks everyone! Really appreciate it! Here goes: Olive- 17.5%- 11.2 ozs SAO- 12.5%- 8 ozs Mac Nut Oil- 12.5%- 8 Castor- 5%- 3.2 EPO- 2.5%- 1.6 Coconut- 15%- 9.6 PK flakes (same as coco) Lard (same as above) Shea butter- 5%-3.2 Water- 24.32 Lye- 9.1 Now, the thing I'm worried about is the olive (trying to keep it low). Don't want this batch to come out like my first, SLIMY, and if I remember right that is what does it. If so, is it low enough? Also, hoping to get enough time to TRY a swirl maybe... see any probs with that? TIA! Mitch Oh, pooh forgot to add: From Sooz: Hardness-36, Cleansing-19, Condition-55,Bubbly lather-24, Creamy lather- 21, Iodine- 61, INS- 144 (????????? lost here!)

To critique a recipe for me? Just want to ask before I go ahead and post it... I'm sorry if I'm getting to be a pain lately, just reaaalllyyy bored and am driving myself crazy trying to decide... Mitch

When all of yall first started in b&b, how many different things did you make? I mean, I like making soaps, if I could ever decide on a recipe, now I'm gearing up to try a bath bomb, thinking of making my daughters some gel soaps in their fav scents (to use as bribes), and I'm really thinking I could make a better shampoo (eventually), than the ones I've been using, and those sugar scrubs (even though I've never used one) sound awfully yummy, and the bath melts... heck, I might even do away with my trips to Wal-Mart altogether! Does this sound crazy to any of you, or do you remember being like this? I'm thoroughly afraid I'm going nuts! I've always found science so much fun, so maybe that is why? Any suggestions on what to try first, or second, then third, and then, well, once you've made those, you'll want to try these out... OK, I admit it... I'm actually bored! Sorry... Mitch

I think Daisy d'Lights is soo cute, but then again, so is Ladybug Lane... (hmmm, couldn't be because that's what my mom still calls me at almost 27!) hehee Mitch

OK, so I got curious and picked up one of those big bath bombs in the dollar section at Target a few days ago... and my two girls went crazy! I think I'd like to try to make a few for them (ok, maybe me too), and was wondering if I could use those thin plastic flex molds to make them. They are both crazy for butterflies, so I think that might be something special I could do for them... Also, if I could use them, how many should I get just to be safe? In other words, would just one be good enough, or do they take a little while to 'unmold', so get more? I'm soo glad *I* like Pink Sugar as much as they do! TIA! Mitch

Thanks, everyone. Michi, I had thought about that this morning, when the cat slid a lot further than he usually does in the morn. Laurie, I'm not sure if they'll smear yet, don't have them and have to get more ink before I can try. They are the kind made for inkjet, but I was kinda wondering about that myself. I'm thinking of putting either a clear glossy over it, or maybe just some tape. The font is Amazone BT (el cheapo PrintShop 15 program). Avery DesignPro (the free one) has one that's very close called French Script, it's just not exactly as "swirly". Thanks, again. Mitch

And came up with this. Now I know it's sideways, and looks like it's kinda big, sorry about that. I was trying to come up with a simple label for the body sprays (hey I like even stuff for me to be pretty!, plus I don't want to leave a blank bottle on the counter... goodness knows I've had to throw enough of those away b/c of forgetting what's in them). Planning on printing them on gold foil, and trim into two with those deco edged scissors. The only size I could find that were even close to being able to work were the 3 1/3 x 4. I know it has a 'biz name' on it, but that is what I am planning on way in the future as long as no one else down my road takes it. Just didn't look right to me with "By Michelle" at the top. Weight is just a guesstimate for now. Not too sure about what I put on the back. Even though I'm not in biz, I'm trying to figure out what has to be there, just to be safe. Any suggestions? I'm just so chunked with this! Mitch

How many are you looking to share? I could use a few sheets... maybe 10 or so. Mitch

Thanks again for the help finding some bottles. A thought hit me last night, and I can't figure out what to search for to find the answer, so thought I'd ask. Do 2 oz bottles hold 2 fl. ozs or two ounces of weight, or is there not really enough diff between the two to worry? I'm trying to figure out how much scent I'll need to mix up so I can bottle it up and start spraying soon as the stuff comes through the door... TIA. Mitch

package you pies? I've got some of those cute little ?clamshells? to put them in, but how do you let people know they are candles? Asking because my two girls wanted me to make them one for their teachers, and the youngest's one was going to eat it until dd told her not to, or so she wrote to me. Think before she finished the first bite she would've figured it out. I had put a note in dd's folder, but the teacher didn't see it before... Just curious. Mitch

Thanks so much yall! I knew someone would point me in the right dir here. I knew I had seen some like I wanted before, but wasn't exactly looking for them specifically right then, so didn't pay attention then. Found them now. Mitch

Does anyone know of a place that sells 2 oz plastic bottles? (Hopefully with cyclo too.) Have a couple of scents that I'd like to try to mix up and make a body spray with. It'd be just for me. Thanks. Mitch

I might be asking this too soon, and I'm sorry if I am, just stuck in a position and am looking for a little guidance, please. How do you know if you are ready to start a business? Now, the thing is I don't want an actual business, just to be able to sell some of the stuff I make... legally. Right now it's just one kind of candle I'd feel comfy selling, but still working on a couple of other kinds. I gave one to my husbands nanny last week, and now her daughter is wanting to bring them into her office to sell for me. My neighbor's GF wants to put some in her salon for me. I'd give anything to be able to do this, but I'm terrified of the whole biz setup? Hubs is trying to talk me into it, and I sat down with him and explained it the way I thought it was done. (1st-ins, 2nd-acct'nt, 3 registering with every biz dept in the state, and half the fed ones...) He said "So, what's the prob?". I know I haven't been at this for long at all, so I shouldn't even be thinking of this yet, prolly. Believe me I am not looking to get rich. I know alot of people might see it that way. I'm just hoping I can get a few bucks here and there to help pay for some of the things I like to mess with. I'm actually starting to feel guilty and find myself hiding some of my orders from DH. I can understand needing ins even if it is a hobby, but will I have to go through all of the biz stuff? Any thoughts? Mitch

Oh, WOW! That second one is gorgeous!!! Man, I wish I could hurry up and get all of this right so I could have something like that with my name on it! I'm so jealous of all y'all... Mitch

I don't know if I'd be considered a critic here, but when I pictured it... seems like if the butterflies would be a darker color it'd help. Maybe do the bigger one with a pretty blue color? Don't know about the smaller one. But then again... I think it looks very pretty like it is... Mitch

Thanks sweetie. Just the info I was looking for. Mitch

Whew! Gel wax is sooo much fun! Just had to get that out there first of all... OK, so I made my first few pies. Seem to burn ok, but I have another couple of diff wicks I'd like to try before I say it's good enough for me. I'd like to add a little whipped dollop (guess that's what it would be called) to the top. Been reading lots on whipping, but confused. I'd like to ask if yall think it'd be ok to try some of my soy container wax? (Pretty much all I have right now) The only other one I have is a crystallizing pillar, and a little bit left of gel (which will change tomorrow thanks to hubs generosity, he's letting me splurge and get the expensive bucket of gel from Michaels...unless I decide not to, still debating with myself.) Sorry, got off topic there... Should I mix 50/50 gel/soy, try 100% soy, order a diff wax, or just give in and buy the premade whipping wax? I'm horrid at making decisions like this... Any suggestion? Somewhere to look? I'm kinda scared that the container wax just won't work... Thanks for reading... Mitch

Never mind... found the answer. I am wondering why it didn't come up in the search I did... Mitch

Brighter Scents? They say they've got the biggest selection of gel safe scents on the net (I know not to believe everything I read, though..), and they have quite a few I'd like to try, but wanted to check here to see if you have any thoughts about them. They've got the pecan caramel swirl scent I've got (nope, didn't buy it from there) so I'm kinda hoping... http://www.brighterscents.com/ Mitch

Thanks for the suggestions! For some reason I hadn't even thought of doing that. And here I was very near tears because of the fact that thanks to my VERY stubborn dad I have close to 100 # of container wax from hell (or at least it looks like it's from there, hehee). I hate the way my candles have been looking after the first or second burn, and I REALLLY want to try something else to help me feel like not so much of a flub-up! Now I can use some of that up, and have more time to get ready to do the raspberry tarts hubby wants! Hmmm, gotta get searching for a gel safe raspberry first... Thanks so much for all the help! I wish I could send all yall something for it... Mitch

Well, there goes my whole plan... The main reason I didn't want to scent the gel is that my fo isn't gel compatible, which now that I think of it might not have been a good idea anyways... ahh, well. Maybe I could use the yummy smelling pecans I'll now have to make for no reason at all to top off the plain jane containers I'll have to use the fo for? WELL, at least one good piece of news for me today! Finally got my baby Maxxies pic to work for my avatar! Yippee! Hmm, me thinks I might need to start cussing at pies so I can get something right with them ... it got the pic to work anyways! Thanks for letting me know. Back on the search. Mitch

Awww, that would have been a wonderful candle for Mardi Gras!!! A row of purple feathers or gems around the bottom would have made it perfect... Mitch

if this is even the right section to ask it in, but... I've been wanting to get into making the pie candles for a couple of months now. I've read all of the info I could find (which really wasn't all that much). I'm fairly sure I understand the basics of working with gel. I think once I get a chance to actually play with it, I'll understand better... the 'hands on' thing. OK, all that said, I'm planning a pecan pie first off. Now the way I want to do it. I've got an amazing pecan caramel scent. I want to make my pecans with this. The crust will be scented in... gasp...pie crust! hehee Will this be enough smell good in there? I kinda don't really want to scent the gel if I don't have to (and have absolutely no idea why!). Will this work? Do any of you with experience see anything that will or could possibly go even the slightest bit wrong here? I figure I've got at least two weeks before I even think of getting any kind of gel wax,and then maybe another week or two before it's actually put to use, so I've got that much time to tweak the plan. Also, would a HTP83 wick be ok? Or should I order some of the zinc? Or possibly one of the WickIt series, Performa, paper core or RRD? (I've got all of these except for the zinc.) It'll be either a 3" or 5" pie. Haven't ordered the mold for the crust yet, so that is really flexible. So sorry to write a book with this. That is why I try not to post too often. Being a housemom can make you sooo long-winded with anyone other than family... UGH, ok shutting up for now... Mitch

I'm not 100% sure this is what I'm getting, but hopefully yall can let me know either way. So I startred testing some C1 (Christmas pressie from my dad... 100#'s of it). I poured my first 10 oz candle. Looked UGHLY!!! Rough top, weeping by the next morning... started reading around. Decided to try to add some UA. Poured another one, it helped a little, but think I need to add more next time. Anyways I woke up this morning to see little, tiny white dots all over both of them. In patches. Well, I knew I had to change the wick on the latest one, so I'd do that this afternoon. Pulled the old one out, put the new one in, then started with my hair dryer to smooth out the top. Well, after I heated it up, I noticed it went from lots of tiny spots, to a big bubble about 1/4 inch in size! Should I try pouring a little cooler with the UA? Both of these were poured around 170ish. (Poured that hot cause that's what worked for me with C3) I have to make this wax work for me! Could it be something else I need to add? Guess my beginners luck is starting to run out...:embarasse Mitch