birdcharm

Soy wax usually makes creamy type of colors. I've been able to get a swirl type of pattern in a darker shade by painting some liquid dye onto the inside of the glass. Regarding the frosting, you may wish to pour at a lower temp. I like that little custard cup!

I think with some waxes, pine type scents can end up smelling that way. I thought I had a real nice blend last year with a combination of various pines, plus some pine needle essential oil, but in a soy candle, it went to the fuel smell thing. I'm thinking of trying it out in paraffin to see how it does. I'm not sure what you may be able to do to create a top note to it that will cover it up, but there probably is a remedy.

We've got some holidays coming up here ... which also means gifts to think about, and if you make candles, well, you already know about the sugarplums dancing in your head as to what you're going to try to put together. This is just a reminder that the clock is now ticking. Between getting designs together, scents, and all that other stuff, there is also the matter of curing and test burns ... so, let's see then, how much time do we have to actually make candles? If I start working with my designs this coming week, get some poured next week, let them cure, then test burn, I'll find myself in mid-Nov. with just enough time to either finish projects or do more pours & test burns. And I have experience, lol, I don't know what new crafters are thinking to tell you the truth when I hear that they want to make candles for Christmas gifts and haven't ever made them before, gee, they may in for a rude awakening!

Have you tried looking on ebay? I've seen some nice remnants and fat quarters offered there.

The TM symbol seems really out of place when it's put after common scent names we've seen available at suppliers for decades, as no company can claim it as their own. Certainly those names are not their creation. I think it looks tacky because those scent names are not "theirs" in any way and to mark them as though they've taken some sort of possession of them is ridiculous, as it's a false claim. Many of us have come up with creative scent names, but even if we place a TM next to it, it doesn't mean that somebody couldn't come along and actually register it, then tell us we can 't use it. Yet, doing so may offer some protection, I'm not sure. But, for common scent names such as these, that's puzzling!

This is interesting ... well, I don't know what to say. It sure looks to me as though they've TM'd these scent names, I'll let those interested look for themselves ... here (link).

I realize that some creative names for scents may be trademarked, but I recently was poking around and saw a candle seller who seems to feel they can actually trademark scent names such as French Vanilla, Butter Rum, Mint Chocolate Chip, Sugar 'n' Spice, Chocolate Mocha, Pina Colada, Mandarin Orange ... how can it be? Then there are others, which are scent names that I've seen available for years & years, Mulled Cider, Strawberry Fields, Cinnaberry. All of these names have a "TM" placed after them in their line-up. So does this mean that they think other candle makers or candle companies should not be permitted to use these scent descriptions? I'm confused. 🤨

I know whatever I'm about to say is probably going to come off wrong to some, but here it goes. It seems that there are WAY too many new candle makers who are not paying attention to the very basics of the craft ... not about containers; not about wick sizing; not about wick centering; not about mushrooming; not about air pockets; not about temperatures; not about fragrance oil percentages; not about all of those things that contribute to making a candle safe with a nice burn. What so many seem so much more concerned about is labels; scent names; smooth tops; jar adhesion; full melt pools real quick; adding stuff on top that shouldn't be there; taking pictures. It's as though they don't understand that they are making a candle, which could explain why they don't seem to put enough emphasis on safety concerns and making sure the recipient knows exactly what to do in the safest way possible. If some are not feeling responsible for making a safe candle, how are they going to feel responsible for any hazards?

How could they not be?

That can happen sometimes, where you just wonder what they were thinking when they mixed it! I recently ordered something that was supposed to be a forest type of scent and I swear every time I opened the cap, it made me think of a kitty litter box! I worked with it though, poured it into something that I knew would simply swallow it up, and it did. You have to remember though that these chemicals are toxic in the natural environment so they should be disposed of with care, some recycling centers accept household chemicals. I guess this is one reason why I have some old bottles of f/o that have lost potency that just keep hanging around!

At first I thought you may have meant something like floating candles ... that's a fairly safe one for beginners!

I think that's great advice! It's not uncommon for new hobbyists to want to create gifts, but I do feel that it's important to get a fair amount of experience behind you first, with lots of personal testing.

Maybe it's not paint that was used ... could it be hot wax with mica mixed in? I looked up "encaustic painting" also called "hot wax painting" ... a possibility?

I think it all depends on each individual scent, how you want it to smell according to your own tastes, and how you're going to use it. So, in other words, I'm not sure there is "one ideal supplier" of fragrance oils ... it seems every company has their specialties and unique blends. This is why you'll find so many threads offering reviews of so many different scents.

I'm not understanding how the scents you purchased from them aren't working for you ... did you try them?

It seems for some of the months, the coordinating flower would be a good choice, such as February with amethyst and violet ... but, with other months, you'd probably need to move into some other areas rather than the flowers. I think, for instance, peridot would need to be a "green" scent, or aquamarine an ocean type, etc.

What a fun guessing game! I think there may have been mica added to paint and it was brushed on, but it's just a guess! There is an additive for acrylic paint that allows you to paint onto wax, although I don't know how it actually works on a candle and candle paint isn't something I've ever explored, but I have read that micas can be added to paint.

As a follow-up ... I poured another one (not "just like the other one" ... older readers will get that, sorry), at about 120dF, got nice adhesion all around. The next morning, I poked around the center area, it seemed as though there was minimal air-pocketing, did my repour with "just melted" (no temp. taken) mixture I had saved in melting pot, and ended up with shine on the surface, not looking too bad. So, I'm think I'm going to continue to play with this blend, but, of course, these candles have to cure and I will need to test them to see what really happens, one has a CD12 in it & the other a CD14 since I didn't really know where to begin with this in a 2.75" glass and the blended waxes.

I just poked some holes around the wick with a metal pick (about the thickness of a tapestry needle or thinner) and although some of the poking met up with resistance, it seems as though a few of them surely did not. So, I'll do a repour tonight ... thanks! ... you must be the Agatha Christie of candle making! Sorry about my typo up there (to anyone reading my garble), I started to say "more 444 than C3" and changed it to actually tell what the blend is, but didn't take out the word "than" so it didn't read well. Also, forgot to mention that I used 9% fragrance oil ... my thought was 10% for the (2 parts) 444, 6% for the C3, so 26 divided by 3 ~ it held it well, no oily areas, and it's got CT. As for what I used, lol ... I'll just say it's something I'm calling "Sandalwood - Coffee" and I've got notes on it somewhere! I like it though. ☺️

I did my first pour with a blend (444 than C3 - 2:1), but I may have poured it too cool (?), at about 110dF ~ got a nice smooth top, no adhesion issues at all ... BUT, what do you think of no adhesion whatsoever? It was a complete and total pull-away, I'm not sure what to think about it. Actually, in some ways I like it. I'll do another one tonight and wrap the glass, place in a box, I didn't do anything to the one last night, just left it on the counter to see what happens. So, now I know, I'm still pondering if I prefer it this way or not. Maybe I poured too cool?

I remember when we first heard of this fragrance drift thing happening in soy, it almost makes me wonder if it would be a good idea to steer toward non-polar scents with soy.

I haven't used many of their florals. I think I sampled Lilac (but not "White Lilac") and I don't think I really liked it. Their Rose is nice; Geranium is very interesting, but it takes over wherever it goes, a strong, yet powdery floral; it was Snowberry that I adored.

I made a switch last year from GW464 to C3 and enjoy the 6% fragrance oil load, but I found that it does require different wicks & needs a little more pampering, although I like it.

Could the stearic acid cause any issues with it?

I keep seeing photos of candles with flammable materials sprinkled on them and in this case, within them. I'm going to share a tutorial page that started my head shaking and it is still, so I thought I'd share. Here it is ... (link) Okay, this is how I see it and others may not agree, but those innocent-looking flower petals absorb the mineral oil & fragrance oil in the gel and accumulate at the bottom of the candle, so eventually you've got yourself a real potential fire hazard. Now, this tutorial leads you to a fragrance oil that is not only NOT a non-polar f/o (the type of scent that should be used in gel candles that mixes throughout the gel and doesn't sink so badly), but it's also 140dF ... about 30 degrees (at least) lower than it should be. There is more I could say about this, but they did call it a "blooper" blog post, although it's still promoting this trend of the dried flowers and I feel they are especially dangerous in gel candles, esp. with lower flashpoint & polar fragrance oils. I guess I'm just seeing way too much of these decorations on candles lately and it's starting to get to me!!! 🥵