TxSioux

I think I'll have to give it a try & hope it's a novelty for my dog theme. Maybe I'll rename it Puppy Tummy or Puppy Paws, since it's grass & dirt. Thanks for the help. Susan.

I had a dog (Gabby, that I loved more than life) that blew out her ACL & needed TPLO surgery. Very soon after her recovery she blew out her other ACL & had to go back to Texas A&M. Total cost was a bit over $5,000. Literally out of nowhere, I decided I would make candles to help cover the costs -- ROFL!! So, after several yrs & several thousands of $, Gabby has passed on & I have a wonderful passion that reminds me of her every day. I decided immediately to make my logo a copy of her pawprint, but I couldn't think of a company name I loved. One day my husband & I were talking about how pets plow into your life & walk over your heart. Without thinking, I said: they leave heartprints. That was it ... HeartPrint Candles. Here's my logo: And a story card that goes out w/ every candle: http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h240/txsioux/Candles/scan0001-1.jpg BTW, I live pretty close to Carole & smile every time I drive N & see the exit sign on the Interstate that says: Bugtussle Lane. Susan.

Thanks for the help. BTW, how did it sell or did yall rename it? Susan.

I don't think you'll have much luck applying a rub-on decal directly to wax -- it takes a fair amount of pressure to rub them out. Here's an idea: cut a pretty paper band to wrap around the pillar & connect the seam w/ a sticker or wax seal -- you could even add a hanging tag label from the wax seal. Looking forward to seeing a pic of what you come up with! Susan.

Has anyone used this fo & where did you find it? TC describes theirs as: fresh cut grass w/ hints of fresh dirt. I have a dog theme, so think it would be a novelty for my line. Susan.

Here's a link http://www.fragranceoilfinder.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=sugar+cane for all the Sugar Cane's that came up on Fragrance Oil Finder w/ descriptions. Doesn't look like any of them are the same as BC. Susan.

I actually remembered to call & spoke to one of the new owners. He said to let everyone know the new website should be complete within 2 wks - they were re-doing the entire design & it's been a slow process. They have everything in stock & you can call to place an order. I should have asked if he was planning to have a re-opening sale! <ha> Susan.

I know a couple women who have gone the SBA route, but the paperwork was a hair-pulling nightmare, from their accounts. If you go to a local bookstore or google, there are step-by-step books to get through the process. From what I've heard, I'd highly recommend it. Seems like most cities have a SBA office to answer questions. Good luck -- Susan.

Ummm, sure you CAN pour any wax down the drain .... ROFL. In my 6 yrs of candlemaking, we've had to snake our kitchen drain once & that's a colorful memory I don't want to revisit. I tell customers that soy wax spills can be cleaned w/ hot water & a mild cleanser, but I'd NEVER recommend pouring that much wax down a drain. That's really stupid. I agree w/ you -- pour the wax out & wipe up w/ a paper towel, then you can wash the container w/ hot soapy water. Keep doing things the right way & know her bad choices will eventually come back to bite her squarely on the ass!! <still laughing at how crazy she must be!> Susan.

I tend to assume there's a lot of product sharing between JBN & GL, since the owners are related, but I certainly don't know this for a fact. I've been to JBN & the owners are very nice, but I prefer GL. I can't rave enough about how much I love the GL 70/30. I was told it's an exclusive blend, so I'd suggest doing a little testing, crunch the numbers & go w/ works best for your needs. Susan.

I see The National Candle Assoc is pushing for everyone to use the new symbols to illustrate the 3 key rules for fire safety. Are any suppliers selling the new labels yet, or does anyone have a link to download the symbols? Susan.

I did rub-on decals w/ full color on an ink-jet printer. I really wanted to use these, but found them to be a major pita. I think I ruined more labels than I could use! I kept wrinkling the paper when I added the sticky sheet. Also, I had to seal the decals w/ either acrylic or varnish, or they would smudge. Spraying them 1st created a prob rubbing them on, but spraying them after hit the glass. Then, most of my logo appeared too light on the decal & didn't show up well enough, especially against dark colors. Too many probs & way too time consuming, so I gave up & went w/ regular white stickers. Water slide decals sounded even harder. Good luck - Susan.

Thanks, Grama -- going through that link helped. I don't want to waste shipping & just order the one fo I know I need, so was hoping to go through the site, but it sure is a LOT of work. It's sure a shame to see a good supplier lose this much business. I'll *try* to see if I can call & let everyone know what they say. Susan.

OK, it's been quite some time since this supplier changed ownership, but the website has not been updated. I know the name was going to change, but I'd think the old site would either redirect or give new info. Does anyone have any info? Susan.

It will vary from State to State & Company to Company, but in most cases, it doesn't matter that the source of fire had nothing to do w/ candles. If you were doing anything against your policy, the policy becomes void & you have zero coverage. It's far better to find out what your provider will allow & switch companies if there's a problem. Generally, the problem isn't so much w/ candles, it's operating a home based company. If you make candles for hobby, probably no issue, but if you sell a product made in your home ... better to be safe than sorry, especially after the fact! Susan.

Those are sure large containers for a wedding. Is she requesting very many? I have a friend that saves her Colonial ovals & I refill them for her. Here's a short oval at Green Leaf: http://www.glcandlesupply.com/9-oz-Oval-Container-Glass-with-Lid_p_61-382.html Here's a cool oval from Indiana Glass: http://www.indianaglass.com/prod_detail.asp?ProdID=586&Cat=5&Category=Special+Markets Here's one at Riekes that's hard to make out, but looks oval: http://www.riekesglass.com/omaha/product/view.asp?id=140 Another at Riekes that looks closest: http://www.riekesglass.com/omaha/product/view.asp?id=236 HTH -- Susan.

Green Leaf has a bunch of unusual & exotic fo's. Susan.

The heavier oils usually have a deeper natural color to them & that color will set in the wax. I've poured a Gardenia that sets up very yellow & most of the vanillas will pull a tanish color. Keep that in mind if you're trying to get a different color. If you're working w/ an oil that appears deep yellow & you want to end up w/ pink or green, that yellow is going to throw everything off. That's when you pull out the color wheel, or work w/ the natural color of the oil. Susan.

Just out of curiosity ... what health issues did you encounter from paraffin. Could you work w/ a 70/30 blend? I found EZ Soy or 415 to work best for my needs for pure soy, but I was really tired of fighting the natural tendencies of soy. The GL 70/30 blend makes a beautiful candle (no frost & colors perfectly), you can cut the slab w/ a butter knife & it still cleans up like pure soy. Susan.

Not sure what it would do for the wax, but I sure can't imagine anything good happening to the wick! Did they happen to have a video & show the candle burning? I've seen some very questionable tips from DIY before & really wonder how much research they put into what they write. Susan.

Decoupage can be done w/ Mod Podge & we all seal containers w/ it, so I really can't see how that would be a fire risk. I have some beautiful rice paper that I'm going to use on flower pot votives w/ Mod Podge as the sealer, so I'll let you know if anything disastrous happens! Susan.

I agree, the scent varies. I gauge plumeria against the Bath & Body Works scent -- they kinda made it famous & that's what most people are looking for when they request it. It's been awhile since I've used this scent, so I can't help there, but I'd suggest swinging into BBW to get an idea of what the scent 'should' smell like. Susan.

LOL -- I say that about Christmas EVERY year! I pulled my display out of a shop this year & sat around reading yalls posts till I got inspired. The last 2 months have been nothing but custom orders & testing. I switched from EZ Soy wax to GL 70/30 blend & am more excited about my candles than I've been in the last 6 yrs. I love this wax. So, I didn't do squat in sales, but I'm fired up for '08! Susan.

Mine came pre-loaded when I got this laptop 2 yrs ago -- it says Photoshop Elements 2.0, so I'm SURE it's a very basic (& probably antiquated) version. Working on my logo was the most time consuming & complicated thing I've ever done w/ Photoshop. It's a very expensive program & certainly not worth the money for my basic needs! Susan.