Maggie

http://www.fillmorecontainer.com/default.asp That is the correct website for Fillmore Container. I pick up from there and they ARE very nice and great to work with. The last time I was there they forgot to load lids for one of the jar styles I bought. Keith called me and said they would ship them out. THEY paid the shipping and I received them the next day. I've been using another soyblend but decided to test the C-3. Poured a few candles with just the C-3 and they were pretty good. But now I've decided to blend another soy wax with it and I like the look and throw a lot better in what I've tested so far. Maggie

Hypnotic Poison, White Tea and Ginger and Butt Naked...off the top of my head. All poured in soy with a small amount of paraffin at 8%. I'm switching to all soy and slowly testing my fragrances...so far I have tested the Hypnotic Poison and Butt Naked at 8% and both throw great. I tested her Warm Vanilla Sugar in KY125 because I WAS thinking of going back to this soy/cottonseed wax. Great throw...but I'll have to retest in my new soy wax. Maggie

I used to use CBL129 for containers but never for tarts. It's been so long that I can't remember how much fragrance that I used though. They have CBL141 for votives and I liked it for my votives and tarts. Then I decided to use their straight paraffin 3035H...I add vybar and I add a little bit of container wax so it doesn't mottle. In fact I just finished an order this morning for tarts. I can use 10% with most fragrances but...really heavy ones like Sugar Cookie from NG and Country Gift Shop from KY I cut it back to 8% and use a little more vybar so they don't seep fragrance. You should not have to add anything at all to the CBL129...everything is already in it. I felt it was a really good wax. I like Candlewic for everything except their fragrances...although some in their Ultimate Line worked well. I haven't ordered from them for so long that I don't know if they still have that line. Don't try their Banana Nut Bread...it really stinks. It smelled like burning rubber. I've always added my fragrance oil at 180* no matter what wax I use when pouring containers. I use soy now and still add it at 180* so it mixes in well. Maggie

I don't mean to sound like a bitch but...you said you BELIEVE it had blah blah blah in it. Did you make it? If so then you should know what is in it. If you didn't isn't their an ingredients label on it? I have to agree...you should have called Poison Control or the ER right away instead of asking here. Granted this is different but...one of my dogs ate a lot of paraffin wax and the first thing I did when I discovered the mess on the floor was call our vet right away. They told us what to do. Maggie

Here is a place that has a great soy wax...the FH125. I had ordered 10 lbs. for testing and everything I poured had an excellent hot throw. I would have loved to continue using it but I found a supplier less than an hour from me that I'm using now. Farmhouse also has some kick azz fragrances. I'm not sure if this would be driving distance for you...but shipping might not be too bad since you are both in Jersey. http://www.candlesuppliesbyfarmhouse.com/store/Default.asp Maggie

I'm in PA and did not receive a letter from the state. This state is so f##### up. Hell...if I buy a roll of paper towels in Delaware that doesn't charge sales tax and bring them into PA do they expect me to send them $.10? Like I said....between the piece of crap governor and this stupid behind the times state...all they can think of is how can we get MORE MONEY!!! Maggie

I've had that happen too when I add dye. No frosting on the outside but once the candle cools down I'll see white spots through the middle. I poured 5 testers 2 weeks ago and the red candle (strawberry) has it and another candle I dyed to look like coffee with cream using a blend of coffee and creme brulee is completely frosted on the outside. 2 were poured without dye and the other one is butter pecan that I used a tiny bit of brown and yellow......it's perfect. These were all poured 70% C-3 and 30% 464. I would try 70% 4627 and 30% 444 or 464. I really like the 464 by itself but don't want to pay all of that shipping or I would have continued using it. I can get the C-3 locally so I'll break down and order the other soy to add to it. Maggie

I was adding the Comfort Blend to NG's joy wax because although it had a great hot throw...I felt the cold candle could have been stronger and it really helped. I was using it with the KY Perfect Blend wax too but changed my blend to the PB and a 50/50 parasoy. With both of those waxes/blends my cure time was anywhere from 24-48 hours for a great hot throw. I'm finding with the C-3 some candles aren't throwing well till almost 2 weeks later and that is way too long for me. So I've been testing adding 30% of the Golden Brand 464 and so far cure time for a good hot throw is less than a week in what I've tested. I am not familiar with the wax you are using but I do think adding 4627 should help with the throw and hopefully the cure time also. Maggie

JMO but I would start with a 70/30 blend. Try the soy at 70% and order some IGI4627 (Comfort Blend) and use that at 30%. It has an awesome scent throw. I've blended it with a few different soy waxes. If you don't like that blend just keep experimenting with your percentages till you find what you are looking for. Some people think it's a mess to work with but once you figure it out it's not bad. Right now I'm testing C-3 and not liking the long cure time so I'm experimenting adding another soy wax to it. Maggie

I tell everyone this story of what happens when candles are left burning unattended for long periods of time. One night my best friend and I had gone to pick up her son who lived about 2 miles away. We turned up the road to her house and see flames...NOT her house. But a neighbor about 5 houses away...her English tudor home is going up in flames fast. Fire department arrives and we watched them for a while but the home was already too far gone. The next day driving past the house...burned completely to the ground except for one wall. She lost EVERYTHING. Found out later that she had been burning candles in her bathroom all day and left to take her kids somewhere that evening. Maggie

From the description of GB464, it already has 2% of the USA in the wax. I would be careful adding too much more since using too much vybar in straight paraffin can inhibit scent throw. I've added too much vybar to my paraffin tarts and ended up with wrinkled tops. I would check with my wax supplier about how much more USA could be added. Maggie

I have signs posted with product prices and then in big red letters PLUS 6% SALES TAX. It is my understanding in my state that you are not allowed to incorporate the tax with the price of your products. It must be spelled out separately. But, I've bought things from other vendors at shows and when I ask about sales tax they say it's included in the price. For me, I would rather be safe than sorry. Maggie

That was my first thought too. Maggie

If you want to get into a real pi$$ing battle you could put them out at another show with HER business name on them. Maggie

Vanilla Pear didn't throw at all for me in THEIR Joy wax. I tested some others that didn't throw well either. At one point I emailed Dreama (who I understand is no longer working there) and asked about a particular scent not throwing in joy and what their results were. She replied that they hadn't tested that scent in joy wax. This was a couple of years ago so not sure now if they test all of their oils in all of the waxes they sell or not. Maggie

$ Tree for gift basket bags. And they are only $1.00. I have a big fat tube of cello that's taller than me and it's a PITA. Bags are much easier. Maggie

In the 6 years I've been pouring candles I've never had a problem with UPS or Fed Ex delivering my supplies. I'm home most of the time and my stuff is either on my front porch, or somewhere in the front of the house. We used to have our garage door up all day and both would unload cases of wax and jars and stack them in the garage. NEVER had to sign for anything. Now, USPS around here is a joke. I ordered Christmas gifts from amazon.com and was told they would come in 2 different shipments USPS. First shipment was delivered on my front porch and the 2nd shipment was sitting on top of our mailbox which is NOT in front of our house. We have 3 mail carriers on our route and depending which one is on that day we never know if we will even get mail. Our post office is so screwed up it's pathetic.

Just an FYI....maybe the Starbucks where you live doesn't do "refills". But the one that is located inside Target close to where I live does. Maggie

I think you both have hit on a great idea. I don't mind answering some of the general questions other candlemakers ask; but when someone has the ba##s to come right out and say that they are buying one of your candles because they are thinking about starting a candle business and then start asking you where you buy each of about 10 different fragrances from. This was a guy and his wife was quite embarrassed by his boldness. My stock answer is, online. Maggie

My bestseller is pina colada; even the little girls love it. Spearmint sold well too at a couple of craft shows. Maggie

I've done it a few times but have to agree with nantes about overspending on other vendor's products. If someone's sales are not going well you feel sorry for them and end up spending YOUR profit to try and help them out. Also just make sure you are all in this equally. I've been involved with someone who tries to hog the show as if it's HER show and the rest of us are her little puppets. I don't need her opinions on MY display and how it SHOULD be done. Maggie

Call them. I had a problem with PA's new system, filing online. I was totally shocked, they were great to help and had my problem fixed in no time. Maggie

Wisteria from Tradewinds. It literally sticks in my throat and I can't breathe. I decided to try it from another supplier and found that I could tolerate this one. Gotta pour it since it's a big seller for me. Maggie

December 20th...and today is November 15th. If you decide to cave in and order the scents that they want it will only give you about a month to test them. What's wrong with what you have now? What about a compromise? As far as them telling you how much to charge, if your candles are already cheaper than most in your area I would reaffirm that to them. It sounds to me that they want to run the fundrasier...and you. As much as you want to get your candles out there I'm not sure if this one is such a good idea. I said no to a fundraiser for a daycare center because they wanted the candles for almost nothing. Maggie

I bought F&M from AWE. I wicked up one size in a 10 oz. apothecary jar (double wicked with 51Z) and the flames are really low. But, I will say for having low flames the scent throw was good. If I can get the darn thing wicked right I think this will be a winner. Maggie