KristineG

Very nice. Great color coordination. Great pictures. Easy to navigate. Great Job.

Unfortunately, I haven't found any flat lids to fit these particular NG jars.

To Everyone: You are most Welcome. Also ONE IMPORTANT THING I FORGOT! If Buttercream Frosting is approved, we can't use "Buttercream FROSTING" but the way I understand it, we can still use "BUTTERCREAM" ON B&B. No Claim to candles. Hmmm....what about Buttercream Icing? DisclaimerNO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "BUTTERCREAM" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN Type of MarkTRADEMARK

Here’s how I research TM’s. Open 2 browsers. Go to: www.uspto.gov on both browsers. You’re going to use one to search TM’s and the other to search correspondence from the USPTO office. First Browser: On the left hand side of the page, click on the link “Trademarks” then click on “Search Trademarks” When the page opens, in the center of the page you’ll see a box titled “Select the Search Form”. You want to click on the third option: Free Form Search (Advanced Search). Once that page opens go to the box labeled “Search Term”. I’m going to use two examples here for you to try to kind of get the hang of it. Example 1) Searching for all Trademarks submitted by a company: Enter in the Search Term Box: Jaqua[ON] (You must capitalize the first letter of Jaqua. You must use squared brackets not parenthesis and you must capitalize the letters in the brackets. In this example, [ON] stands for Owner Name. This will search all trademarks that Jaqua is applying for). Click on: Submit Query This will bring up everything that Jaqua is attempting to trademark. Look for Buttercream Frosting. It’s the 2nd entry. To the left is a column labeled “Serial Number” Highlight and copy the serial number. (you’ll also see in the far right column a term Live or Dead. If it’s Live it’s pending or being reviewed. If it’s Dead, it’s been declined or they dropped it. You can search both live and dead serial numbers. Now, go to your other open Browser. Click on the Trademarks Link and then click on “View Full Files”. When that page opens, you’ll see: Search Method: Paste the serial number you copied into the box labeled Number then click submit. When the page opens, you will see their file list. Notice of Publication means it’s being published in the Gazette. Click on Notice of publication and read it. It gives you the date and a link to the gazette along with instructions on how to oppose. Another document in the list that you’ll want to read is: Offc Action Outgoing This is the letter that the USPTO sends stating whether its approved, approved with conditions or denied. I think I’ll stop here and wait to see if anyone has questions. Next I will post how to search a fragrance name for candles specifically to see if it’s truly registered, pending, or denied.

You're welcome. To make it easy for everyone here, I'm going to put a document together with instructions and examples and then post it. I should have it completed later today or tomorrow morning. Also, the TM office asked me if I would be interested in presenting a seminar to advise them of our concerns and what we do on such limited funds to help them to understand us so that when a request comes in, they'll know first hand how it will affect all of us. I pretty much gave them the gist of it but was thinking of putting together a powerpoint presentation that I could email to them. If I decide to do that, I would appreciate any advice comments or concerns that you feel need to be mentioned or brought to light regarding Candles, Bath and Body Fragance and product names.

I had a conference call today with the Chief of Staff and Sr. Advisor of the US Trademark office. The call was very informative. The trademark office is aware of filings of common fragrance names which they are reviewing very carefully. If the term being requested is too descriptive and common, they are NOT approving them. For instance, Wild Plum and Vanilla candle fragrance was recently denied because it was too commom. I've done a search on Bigger candle companies and you would be surprised how many fragrance names are dead and/or denied. Also, did you know you have 5 weeks to protest the issuing of a company's trademark? For instance, Buttercream Frosting is pending. According to the USPTO The mark identified will be published in the Official Gazette on Apr 10, 2007. Any party who believes they will be damaged by registration of the mark may oppose its registration by filing an opposition to registration or a request to extend the time to oppose within thirty (30) days from the publication date on this notice. If no opposition is filed within the time specified by law, the USPTO may issue a Certificate of Registration. The bottom line is if you do the research, you'll know what you can and cannot use. If you don't protest or take the time to respond to a publication for a TM, then you have nothing to vent about on Candletech or anywhere else. To oppose a TM, it will only cost you the time used to write the letter and a stamp. So far, I have 3 hours of time wrapped up in this and am 300% more aware and informed on TM's. Also, just because you receive a C&D letter doesn't necessarily mean you have to comply. Check the USPTO site first to make sure the Fragrance name is registered.

I use NG's jars and never had a complaint about the plastic melting. If it does, I don't hear about it. However, we discussed this in the candle section not too long ago. Unfortunately, the methods suggested don't fit NG's jars. http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45888&highlight=smelly+jelly

WOW....looks like a lot of hard work went into that. I think it needs simplified. Keep your stock with you but don't display it. I would display one of two of each item. It looks a bit overwhelming to me. I know that when I go to craft fairs as a customer, I browse and buy what catches my eye. There's just too much there to catch my eye.

I'm not sure if the SBA would be helpful or not. I received a response straight from the top so I will be patient and now wait 5 business days to give him time to return from traveling and research my issues.

I just received this email: Christine, Thank you for raising your concern with me. While I am currently traveling, please know that we have experts already reviewing the issues you raised, and we will respond shortly. Thanks again, Jon -------------------------- Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld (www.BlackBerry.net)

Most Sr. Level Executives see properly laid out business letters every single day. Speaking as a former Sr. Executive, I can tell you that when we receive a letter like that, we skim through it and toss it down to line staff to be researched and we expect a draft response. We proof the draft, ok it, change it, whatever to it then our assistants type it up, we sign it and off it goes. Now, I can tell you that when alot of us receive a letter, that appears to be written by someone other than the legal department or executive assistant of a company, we tend to handle those personally. There's something fullfilling about helping the "little guy". So, with that in mind, I wrote my letter off the cuff. I threw aside proper business etiquette and wrote from my "crafters" heart. I would suggest that if you want to write a sincere letter about how you feel and what the TM'ing of all these fragrances will do to you and/or your business, write off the cuff or from the heart. It has more of a sincere ring to it. JMO. If anyone wants to write, I'd be happy to review it for you. Christine

I sent my email to the general mailbox as well as The Honorable Jon W. Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office Edited to add: As of now, I have not received a response. I think I will wait till tomorrow afternoon then call.

I wrote a letter to the USTPO and emailed it yesterday morning asking for an explanation as to why they are allowing trademarks of such common names/phrases with the obvious attempt of companies larger than us trying to corner the market. The letter is very detailed and gives them an insight into our market. I wrote the letter from my company's email address. I will wait until 3pm EST today for a response. I will post the response here. If I don't receive one, I will follow up with a phone call to that office. I don't know if it will do any good. I just felt the need to speak up. Edited to add: And yes, I pasted Jaqua's pending list into my letter to show the obvious attempt to corner the market.

Imagine you work in this office. You have no idea how a candle or particular B&B product is made. You know they have names that describe the scents. Since you're just there to approve the name, why wouldn't you? Nobody has brought the process and hardships of the small crafter to light. You have no idea that someone is busy in their kitchen making a candle that they plan to sell and call it Buttercream Frosting. As an employee of this office, you are clueless to this market of hand poured/handmade Candles, Bath and Body because you buy all of your stuff at the mall or from the big guys. Isn't it up to US to make the noise about this obvious attempt to corner the market? Isn't it up to US to write to the USTPO and ask them why they're are allowing trademarks of this nature to go through? Or, do we just quietly sit back and let it happen while reading about here on CT?

Thanks Kim. I'll be waiting and watching for your release.

I was using chips and having all types of problems, then purchased liquid dyes from the board. I only use liquid dyes now.

I had the same problem not only with the dark red but with red, christmas red, brown, dark pink. I was so frustrated with color chips in general that I was thinking about making all of my candles without color. I finally purchased some dyes from someone on this board to play around with and all I can say is that I'll NEVER go back to chips again. The dyes are wonderful, distribute the colors evenly and no little unmelted chips. My colors are the same from batch to batch. I also noticed that my colors are much more vibrant. I know this doesn't answer your question. I never did figure out why they never did completely melt.

Has anyone found this dupe yet?

CORRECTION: 2 TEASPOONS OF FO. NOT 2 TBS. sorry.

I rinse my solor salt in a strainer with cold water. I lay it out on a towel to dry thoroughly. (I use old towels that I would normally send to the garage for the cars...not bath towels that I still use). Once the salt is dry, I add 2 tablespoons of FO to 1 lb of salt, mix thoroughly. I then sprinkle and stir in 2 TBS of dendritic and mix thoroughly. I color last using micas or soap dye. I put mine in cello bags. I have batches going on 3 weeks and the scent is still holding up as if I just made them today. HTH

I really like the palm tree and the font used for TruNature You could try to change true scent natural palm wax font to Helvetica or Arial or make the line around your scent box much thinner. If you're going with clear labels, and your coloring your candles according to the scent, you might consider not using color in the scent name box. You could change the font of the scent to the same font you used for Trunature or stick with Helvetica or Arial. You could also use that font for your web address OR use the same font for Trunature~True scents natural palm wax and just use arial or helvetica for the fragrance name and .com.... HTH...just jabbering off some thoughts.

Out of all the supplies I've ever ordered and I use the regulars, the only places that have sent me samples is NG, Backwoods and Soapers Workshop. BCN have NEVER sent me a sample of anything and I order from them quite a bit. In fact, I once asked if they could send me a small sample of their lip balm base (before I started making my own) they told me they didn't have sample sizes of their products.

I really like your very first one and the 2nd one without the flower. Very simple, very elegant. I'm not too crazy with the pink flower. Kinda takes the "natural" look and feel away from me. I also love the font. Great Job. Edited to add: I know flowers are natural...lol

Yes it is a pain. I don't kinow why or how. If you don't want to check yours, don't. I'm just telling you what happened to me. What I don't understand is in my web stats, it clearly shows whois.sc came into my site and that's the only reason I initially checked. I wanted to know what whoi.sc was and that's when I found my other site with incorrect information. Edited to add: This was done on one of my domains that I don't use. My domain that I use for my canlde business was fine.

I'm not sure what I stumbled on but, I was checking my webstats and I noticed a link www.whois.sc so I clicked on it. I entered my domain name. You wouldn't believe what I found. Once you enter your domain name, look in the first box labeled "front page information". Midway in that box you'll see a link labeled: Wiki article on (your domain name). Click on that link! Someone had listed their candle business as the owner of mine which means that if someone actually clicked on my link, it was routed to their site! What was also disturbing is that it was my logo! They had changed all the information about my site and also had porn sites listed as my related domains. Now, once you see this, if the information is incorrect, click on the edit TAB associated with this page, go in and change the info to what it should be and delete what you don't want. What shocked me was that I didn't even have to register as a member or do anything to prove I was the owner and was able to change it. I now check all of my domain names each day.