Jane42

Thanks for the replies! We are planning on using it with paraffin (4630 and 4794) and if we really like it, m&p soap. We had tried a few different vanilla's from JS, but weren't too thrilled. Of course, we weren't looking for a plain vanilla at that time either, so we may have to revisit those.

We now carry Vanilla Bake from Cajun, but recently we have been getting requests for a good, true vanilla without the buttery tones - just plain vanilla. I have to send orders to Just Scents, Candlescience, Peaks, Cajun, Nature's Garden and Candles and Supplies this weekend (yeah, isn't it ridiculous -and we tried so hard to narrow down our suppliers!! lol) Any recommendations for a good vanilla from any of them? Thanks! Jane

Top - I have been following your testing and I have a question. We are testing Crystal Palm Pillar I really, REALLY want to have a full shell left after the pillar has finished so I can then put a tealight in and continue to enjoy it. I have tried quite a few self-trimming wicks, since that is all we use for our jar and votive candles (LX's) Also CSN and CD's. If I want to have the melt pool stay round and not go oval, like it does with the self-trimming, would it help if I tried a wick with wire in it...does that make sense?? We have avoided those wicks because people STILL think they are lead wicks...:rolleyes2 I have tried off and on for two years trying to get this right, and I continue to get the sides burning down - which is not what I want. I know customers are not going to want to "work" to get this......be told to turn it constantly, etc. Maybe what I am looking for is never going to work?? I even tried wicks so low it tunneled....lol....but that didn't work either!!!! Any words of wisdom? Thanks! Jane

That's great!

DARN - I am sorry I was too late with that!!! lol I sliced my finger - not bad enough for stitches, but enough to make me want to pass out!!! lol I am not sure why they have to make them so sharp!!

These sachet envelopes are made to be put in drawers. We put the base in the tea bags, then put in the envelopes. I had forgotten about the vermiculte! We had tested that along with the corn cob way in the beginning! Maybe we will try a little batch of vermiculite with our lavender FO...thanks. I did receive an email back from the Candlemaker's Store and they indicated that they had not had any complaints and that they sold pallets - so it must be being used. I am stumped as to why we are having this problem!

If we sell them directly, they are $2.25 each. In the consigment shops, they sell for $2.75 ea.

Welcome Back!! lol Yes, putting them in the oven works very well for melting the residue. We liine our pan with paper towel, then tip the jars and votive molds upside down so it melts into the paper towel. It used to make me nervous having paper towel in the oven, but if you keep it on low and ALWAYS use a clean paper towel (don't use the same - the wax buildup will not be good!), you should have no trouble. If you still need to wipe excess off of the metal votive molds, BE CAREFUL - those puppies are SHARP! If he can smell the scent, it probably means you have "candle nose" from smelling it all day. Try sniffing some coffee beans or taking a walk outside and coming back in and see if that helps.

We do the same as ladysj, then we staple a hangtag on the polybag. I used to print them myself on cardstock and punch a hole at the top to hand on our display, but just this year, we have had the hangtags done at the printers. We are able to have color and I think each hangtag costs us .04 - well worth it to me not to have to take the trouble to print and cut.

No need to apologize - I appreciate you helping me!! I don't think I am always very clear....lol So you use the regular sachet base in your envelopes? or the corn cob? I had ordered the start-up kit from the Candlemaker's Store and then I ordered another container of just the base. I can't remember if we had this problem originally or not. I went on their site to see when I had ordered the extra base, thinking I could pinpoint that for them, but I don't find it in my order history. Probably couldn't remember my password when I did that order.......:rolleyes2

We did test corn cob when we first started making the sachet bags, and then switched to aroma beads - just because they looked better in the organza bags. I wondered if we would be able to use corn cob in the envelopes - and we could try that - but I really wanted to know: 1) Who uses the sachet envelope base from Candlemaker's Store and have they had problems with it smelling funny after sitting around for awhile and 2) If you don't purchase your base from the Candlesmaker's Store, where do you purchase it? Thanks! Jane PS - My misspelling of "Envelopes" is driving me NUTS!!! lol

That is what we are using now, xixo - sorry for the confusion....

whoops - no wonder I couldn't find it on the Elements website...we didn't get it there - we bought it from the Candlesmakers Store.......:embarasse But thanks anyways, wickerstix! Anyone else buy a sachet base that they recommend?

We have been making sachet envelopes for several years. Recently, we have noticed that they have a "different" scent - and it's not nice! We thought it might be the envelope or the label - but we made one using aroma beads and it smells wonderful, so we have narrowed it down to the actual filler that we purchased from Elements (I can't find it on the site now). It must be a couple years old, so that may be the problem. Any suggestions as to a supplier that carries this and that you have used and been satisfied with? Thanks so much!

We have been testing this pillar wax, off and on, for two years.... We have tried CSN and LX's. First we tried the CSN, then we went with LX 26 (WOW - too big! lol) then started moving down the LX's and I just started one with an LX18. The LX18 had a tiny flame, so I switched it out for an LX20. Ours burn in an oval (probably because it is a self-trimming wick) and as much as I would like the full shell so that you could then put a t-light in and enjoy the patterns, we just keep losing the sides. I am just into this test, so we will see how it goes. If it does leave a shell, even if it an oval down the middle, I am tempted to call it done!!! What I REALLY want them to look like is Top's candle that he is testing now!!!!! Nice circle, nice shell....ahhh, that would be heaven!

We use 4794 and it contracts a lot during cooling. Do the self-centering wicks have a metal core, to keep them straight? Since the bottom of the wick pins fit well into the molds, we do not have to worry about it going off center. I believe we are the ones that actually bend the wick pins when we have a stubborn votive to remove...then it is easy to remember to check and straighten it back up if we did bend it. I haven't tried the self-centering, so I can't comment on those but when we use the wick pins, it is pour and walk away......no checking to see if wicks are staying centered. If I ever get a chance to try them, I will...I am curious now....

And if you do decide to do consignment, don't be afraid to negotiate the percentage they receive from your product. When I approached a new shop, they said they took 30%. I explained that the other shop we were in took 25%, so she agreed to match that. You never know.... Jane

We have a turkey fryer that we can fit enough jars and our pour pot in. Since we pour in the basement, it is pretty cold and the jars ended up looking nasty if they weren't warmed. If we needed to pick up the pace and pour more than that at a time, we may have to look into pouring in a warmer area. The other problem I see is that when we pick up our jars from the manufacturer, they have a film on them and we have to wash them all. We tried just wiping with a baby wipe, but you pretty much have to wipe the whole thing down - outside so the name/logo label will stick, outside bottom sothe warning label will stick, inside bottom so the wick stickums will stick and the upper inside so there is not a foggy look to it after the pour. Two big problems if we ever get "big"!!! lol

Interesting...what type of wick is "self-centering" ? We use LX's now and are happy with them, but if I can save some time and get the same results, sounds good to me!!

I would love more info on the self-centering wicks also!

I would never reuse a candle jar because I don't know the answers to these questions: - was the jar rolling around the back of their car for months until they remembered to drop it off to me - clanging and hitting anything in it's way? - did they drop the jar at any time, causing a small fracture in the jar that cannot be seen? - did they let it power burn for 12 hours straight and not trim the wicks so they had a small fire in there for several hours? These things can happen to any candle at any time - but, hopefully, your candle jar is sturdy enough to be able to take some "stress". I love the glass you can get at the dollar stores also - but don't feel comfortable using them for candles that we are selling. We only use jars that we pick up from the manufacturer and that are sold to be used for candles.

We make gingerbread scented gingerbread boy melts around Christmas. We have had several men stop by our booth and say "I'll take a 1/2 dozen" - we say "do you realize these are melts, not cookies" - awwwwww, they get such a sad face on and say "oh, nevermind". Next year we should make gingerbread cookies so that these poor guys aren't so disappointed!

We tell our customers the same thing, but they don't listen!! I had one customer (friend of mine for years) tell me our votives only last an hour or two!!! I was totally confused and started asking questions...did she mean the scent only lasted that long, or what?? She said that it stopped burning after a couple hours...then I asked her what she burned it in and she said "a plate".....Oh, good grief....why do I bother....lol But I have to remember that when I was buying cheap votives, they would stand alone and not consume themselves - just burn down the middle. Sorry for hijacking the thread......:tiptoe:

I am testing Candles and Supplies citronella - blech!! That stuff is disgusting - I am hoping the skeeters think so also!

The frog containers are out of stock!!! YEAH! First time I was ever glad that something I ordered was out of stock!! :rolleyes2 But I do want to try citronella candles this year so I will find a more appropriate container.