TxSioux

I have Pyrex measuring cups in more sizes than I ever knew was available! The one thing I've learned to look for is the different styles of pour lips. Some are more flared out & allows the wax to pour too wide, so I always look for the more narrow & defined pour lip. Just my preference. Pyrex is too handy -- you can pop 'em in the microwave, or you can 'store' left over wax & pop it in the oven to heat up when you get around to using it. Susan.

I always sell tons of Bayberry, but I do special packaging w/ the Bayberry Poem. I just finished pouring 20 more for a last minute order. I charge $6.00 for a 3oz candle, so didn't mind! Anything spicy is selling well here. Susan.

Some fo's just won't throw in soy & everyone has a different opinion as to what works best. Personally, I never could get any Peak fo to throw well in pure soy. You didn't mention the fo's, but I'd buy a few sample packs & test away. Are you letting the candles cure long enough? Some scents take a good 2 wks to set. Isn't soy fun!?! Susan.

I agree w/ Mindy -- you have to know the breakdown of every single item you use to determine your cost ... but that being said, I only use that as a guide to make sure I'm not selling myself short. I'm very fortunate to sell to a high-end clientele & push my price as high as the market will bear. You can always lower your price, but it's a lot of work to barely cover your cost & try to raise your price every time your supplies go higher. Give yourself some wiggle room. As far as scent selection -- start w/ what you can afford & what's popular. It won't be long till you have more fo's on your shelf than you can pour! Susan.

Don't know how convenient it is for you to get to Grand Prairie, but I highly recommend Green Leaf. I worked w/ EZ Soy for the last 6 yrs & thought I was happy till I got the GL 70/30. I'm absolutely in love w/ this wax & it's far easier than any soy I've tried. I've always used additives to manipulate the wax so I can also make votives & it still makes a 100% frost-free candle that takes color beautifully. If you REALLY want to work w/ pure soy drop me a line, cause I have over 50lbs & am just down the road! Susan.

I saw a Nat'l news story tonight saying the cost of groceries was going to hit everyone hard after the 1st of the yr w/ most prices rising 5%. One of the crops cited for the cost increase was soybeans ... that's no doubt going to mean another price hike on soy wax. Has anyone heard anything from suppliers about wax costs for '08? Susan.

How about trying to pour just enough wax to cover the wick tab & allow that to start setting up, then pour the rest of the candle. I wouldn't think the sticky tabs are the problem, but if it is, that would give you a sealed layer of wax around the tab & contain any air bubbles. If it still happens, then you've eliminated that theory. Susan.

I did mine in Photoshop, but it's not a user-friendly program for me ... so there's a day of my life I'll never get back!! Susan.

Heaven -- do you think there's a difference in how the scent throws between using an organza bag vs. the paper envelope? I like the idea of the envelopes better. Maybe I'm being too picky, but I'm not getting enough scent off anything I try. I take that back (kinda), the bags will scent a drawer very well, but I'm in search of enough throw to work well in a car. Am I asking too much? Susan.

OK, I know the plastic rules, but I found one that doesn't fall into the right/wrong classification that I've always heard. I wrote to Reynolds & asked what kind of plastic their wrap is made of & explained why I wanted to know. They wrote back telling me it is polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin. Since they only test for use w/ food, they didn't know if it would pull scent out of candles. BTW, when I searched, I found a Reynolds thread in the soap makers area & it was determined that this wrap works fine for soap ... would that also mean it's suited for use w/ candles? It seems to work well, but I thought I'd check for anyone who knows for sure. Susan.

You might try calling Taylored Concepts & asking them. If I recall correctly, Robert is a chemist & will copy scents by request. There are a few others, but past posts have indicated it's a pricey venture. I want to say Royal Aromatics is one. Good luck. Susan.

I'm an absolute junkie for great packaging ... guess it's the old theory of 'perception is reality'. I don't buy or make melts, so I may not be a good judge, but I think the price sounds low. You have a lot of work in those & if it's a good product, it will sell. I know it all breaks down to the market, but I'm selling 3oz votives for $3.00, & really think you can go higher. Susan.

Wonderful packaging ... so how much are they? Susan.

Absolutely beautiful presentation -- great work. Susan.

I've had thoughts along this same line ... if a house burns & the source is cited from a candle, how can someone even 'reasonably' prove who manufactured the demon candle? In theory, you'd be pretty stupid not to try & blame one of the 'big dogs' that are insured to the hilt, instead of a local crafter. I know 2 Fire Inspectors for Farm Bureau Ins & have seen a few cases where candles were to blame. 1) a candle was placed in a window & (you guessed it) the window dressing took off like a torch ... no doubt the owner of the house was an idiot, but why not sue Levelor for not manufacturing a window dressing suitable for the possible misuse of a candle? 2) a candle was placed on a shelf, & after burning into the upper wood shelf, it ignited towels ... another idiot, but how about suing the home builder, for not being responsible enough to warn that candles may set wood on fire? 3) a candle is placed on a crocheted doily, atop a wood table ... the family cat jumps on the table, gets spooked, & jumps off the table ... this causes the candle to fall to the floor, the carpet ignites & burns the house to the ground ... geez, was it a defective cat or carpet to blame? I swear, these were actual cases & you can bet your life Farm Bureau went after someone, cause all 3 of those homeowners were given checks for their loses. So, if you're unfortunate enough to be the guilty candle manufacturer, you're not going to court against the idiot customers, you're going to battle w/ a giant Insurance Company trying to recoup their loss. Guess who's going to win? It's easy to sit in your kitchen making a great candle, but the reality of what you're selling is VERY scary!! It all sounds really stupid, but it happened. We live in a time where the truth is rarely found in a courtroom. You just can't test enough, or buy enough insurance!! Susan.

Welcome, good luck & get used to the testing ... cause it never seems to end! I've been at it 6 yrs & am in the middle of more serious testing than ever before. I'll settle on things for a long stretch, then just get an itch & start reformulating. I've never combined soy waxes, but I've heard of some who do. It just seems like too much product to buy & keep on hand -- seems like you'd be better off finding 1 wax that works well & maybe tweak it w/ additives, like beeswax, coconut oil or PSA. Wicks are tricky & there's no 'right' answer. The best wick testing tip I ever got was to buy a sample pack to test all the sizes. Get an old cake pan & set the wicks in the pan & fill w/ wax -- make sure the wicks are set far enough apart to allow for the recommended mp. Light all the wicks & document the burn results for 1 through 4 hr burns. This is a LOT easier than testing wicks & containers & gives you written results for exactly how each wick will burn in the wax you're working with. You can get free wick samples from Wick It in NJ http://www.wicknclip.com/ -- I was amazed at the amount of 'samples' they sent & am testing the flat braid cottons this weekend. This is a great forum for help, so hope you get the answers you need. Susan.

I don't work w/ that wax, but I'll take a guess. Did you fill the whole container w/ one pour? I pour my soy in layers, or it will sink as it cools. I'd suggest poking relief holes around the wick & top it off w/ a final layer for a smooth finish w/ no air pockets. One pour waxes are not always one pours! I never had this problem till I started using additives. Also, keep in mind the cooler weather helps soy play more tricks on you. I've seen a lot of people think they have soy conquered, then post pics like yours when Winter rolls in. Your candle looks very nice, other than the sinkhole! Susan.

What I'm looking for is a chart that tells you how wicks compare to one another. Like, in my case, I'm switching from zinc to cotton & want a suggested guide for which size cotton wick is equal in performance to a 51z. I've seen a chart that gives a comparison for all the wicks available. It sure makes switching & testing a LOT easier. For the 700 series there are 13 different choices for a 3-4" container! That's a bit overwhelming when you try to narrow it down & start testing. I'm going to give Wick It a call, but thanks for the help. Susan.

It's crazy & I can't explain it, but I've had total NON-sellers turn into top-sellers with a name change. Susan.

I tested the container I frosted w/ a marathon burn of 18.5 hrs w/ absolutely no problem. I even scratched at the container w/ my nail to see if the frost would give way to the heat. Then I put the container in the oven @ 170 for 30 minutes, wiped it out, let it cool & washed it w/ soap & water -- held up beautifully & the frost wasn't weakened in any way. I'm pretty excited about being able to frost any container I want. Susan.

OK, I know I've seen this, but just can't find it. I've used zinc wicks for 6 yrs & want to switch to the cotton 700 series. There are many more cotton size options, so I'm looking for a chart that would tell me which size cotton wick is equivalent to the different sizes of zinc wicks. Did that make sense? I know it all depends on the wax/additives, but I've seen a chart that compares various wick types for a good testing start point. Can anyone help? Susan.

This is an interesting question & I get the theory of the answers, but I've never bothered w/ a 2nd cure after remelting. I don't see how it's any different than doing a marathon burn & achieving a deep MP ... as far as the wax heating up & reformulating. It's kinda like I don't get the idea of not refilling suitable containers, but we all use votive holders over & over again (must be magic glass used only in votive holders!). I do most of my candles at night & seldom have time to re-light one by the time I've melted & let it cool completely, so I'd guess I usually wait at least 24 hrs before I light it up again. I've never seen this discussed before, so looks like you need to test & do what you feel is 'right'. Susan.

I'll drop a votive in it tomorrow & do a marathon burn to test it, but I think it will be fine. The can says it can be washed w/ mild soap/water, but not to put it in the dishwasher. The frost can be removed w/ acetone (nail polish remover). Still thinking about how to color it ... Delta has a bunch of paints for glass, but that would probably mean sealing w/ polyurethane. I know that stands up to heat, cause I seal my labels w/ it already & have tested that many times. Susan.

Very good fo's. Susan.

I've seen a few posts lately about certain containers being discontinued in the frosted version or not being offered at all. I've found the frosted versions cost more & are generally more difficult to find. For those who don't mind an extra step to get what they want ... I've found a nice solution. Rust-oleum makes a specialty frosted glass spray http://www.rustoleum.com/product.asp?frm_product_id=38&SBL=1 that I picked up at Home Depot for $4.50. I just sprayed a clear glass flower pot votive holder & it looks JUST like the frosted glass I have such a hard time finding. Krylon also makes this, so I'll check Wal Mart to see if they carry it. I'm going to try spraying over the frosted glass w/ color, for some Christmas containers. BTW, in the past I tried the brush on glass etching sold at Hobby Lobby & it was a total pita. Very messy & uneven results. I'm so excited about finding this & it looks beautiful! HTH anyone needing frosted glass. Susan.