Mei-Mei

Hmmm, I'm confused now. You're correct that it doesn't say soy on the IGI website, but on the Candlescience website it says paraffin/soy blend. I guess IGI would know their own wax, but it is a little confusing.

I love 6006. It's a great wax. I looked on the IGI website but I couldn't find the exact percentage of soy. Since they list it as a paraffin/soy blend (rather than a soy blend or soy/paraffin) I assume the wax contains 50% or more paraffin. The phone number for IGI is 1-800-852-6537; maybe they'll tell you if you call? Or maybe not, it could be a trade secret. HTH!

I think almost anyone would have a hard time selling a candle called 'fart in the wind.'

Which of these methods, if any, do you use to keep notes on your candles? I really need to update my system. I keep taking notes on scraps of paper, and that's just not going to work.

Girl, you are just too hard on yourself! Too bad about the 'cow pattie' but the second ones don't look all that bad. They remind me of the big bubblegum balls I used to get from a machine when I was a kid.

That happened to me too with Caramel/Coffee from Bitter Creek using the 70/30. Maybe it just happens to us Louisiana girls????

Thanks Heather! The ingredients give me a good place to start.

I think it sounds pretty gross too, but I guess the guy just loves the smell of seafood boiling! It's funny because people usually burn candles to get rid of the smell of seafood, not the other way around.

One of my friends has requested a candle that smells like crab boil for a co-worker ! Anyone know of an FO or combination that smells like boiling crabs? I guess any boiling seafood would do. Apparently my friends co-worker really goes nuts for that smell.

The palm candle I made earlier this week has a really wonderful scent throw. I use Candlewic palm wax.

LOL...that's exactly something I would say, too! The shop carries Illume right now (and I think Voluspa) so I definitely need to keep my things in a higher price bracket. I wanted to do that anyway, because in my area the market responds to more 'boutique-y' things. Thanks for the advice I've gotten so far!

I'm excited but nervous. I was in the French Quarter with a friend today shopping at a little specialty clothing boutique that carries a large line of candles. I was looking at the candles (and marveling at the poor quality--bumpy tops, sweating) when my friend said to the owner, "My friend here makes candles that are much better than these!!!" She then goes on this little spiel about the different scents I make and how nice they smell. Well I was mortified, but the owner of the shop was intrigued. She said she really wanted to carry candles from a local chandler, and that I should bring her some samples. I can't believe it! Seriously, I'm in complete and total shock. The boutique was really nice. Very high class. It would be a coup if one of my candles was in that boutique. I'm nervous because I don't know what to do next! Obviously I should make sample packet, right? But what happens after that? edited for spelling!

Wow, I really like that!

Thanks for the tip. I've got plenty of LX26. I'm going to stick it in my 3 inch pillar and see what happens.

I think you're doing it right. Explain it to your friend this way: if you make a cake for 4 people with half a cup of chocolate and 4 eggs, and you want to make that same cake for 2 people, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll use a quarter cup of chocolate and two eggs. If she knows anything about cooking she'll understand that. It's not necessarily a matter of multiplication or division. That is the art part of the art and science of candlemaking.

Those look fabulous. I've been making palm pillars all week long, wish I could get the wicking right on the durn things!

I've only been doing this since October, but I would like to add that to me testing also means re-testing my combinations a few months down the road. Even when I think I have a perfect combo of wax, wick and FO I try to re-test it later just to make sure.

As someone has already said, candlemaking is both a science and an art. As for your specific questions, what I'm trying to get you to see is that they are USELESS to ask, save the question about the opinions on WYW. Ask a forum full of 100 chandlers what paraffin wax they like and you'll get 100 different answers. Same with soy wax. Same with fragrances. Same with wicks. In addition, since you're new to candlemaking you may not be aware of the fact that chandlers guard their exact formulas as closely as the KFC secret recipe. No one will say, "I get a perfect candle if I use blank wax, blank wick and blank amount of fragrance oil." It's just not the done thing to ask. I admire your desire to learn. I think you probably have potential to have a lot of fun with candlemaking. But before you go further I'd advise you to do a search on this site. Pick a wax, any wax, and search for info about it. Or do wicks first. Or fragrance oil. Whatever. eta--Once you make one candle with your kit, then go from there with your questions. For instance, if you don't like the scent throw on your candle you can ask, "I made a candle with XXX wax, and added FO at XXX degrees. It smells like crud. Why?" You'll get a lot better response once you sound like you are a working chandler, rather than someone who is trying to cut corners.

Geez, I need to read through the responses before I post. I said almost the exact same thing as Grumpy.

You're so right Brenda, those are just awful! Maybe you should send 'em to me so I can get rid of them for you? You still have my addy, right?

It was rather rude. PrairieAnnie's advice was very sound. Once you start making candles you'll determine what's best for you. There is no exact formulation. Different wicks, waxes and scents work differently for different folks.

I like the colors on it a lot. I think it looks good, even though you didn't do it the 'traditional' way.

I think those are beautiful.

I always thought it was La-Di-Da. That's a really wonderful name, by the way. edited to add: I looked it up. Do you know it's actually in the dictionary? LOL. Anyway, the dictionary lists it as la-di-da or la-de-da.

It throws extremely well for me in my 70soy/30para blend. I've also tried it in pure soy and it threw beautifully. Now that I think about it, it is one of my best performers in terms of scent and throw. You can definitely smell the spice. I'm not too fond of it personally, but everyone who has tested it for me adores it. I guess it's just a personal preference.