Hope

In addition, you may try the link at the top of this discussion area, "FO for soy".

......I use 100% soy wax. I did a search but can't really find much for "can't live with outs"!......

I use 100% as well. Maybe b/c Peaks has many great FOs. Here's one: I can't live w/o Peaks now!

Uline

I suppose I should've refreshed & finished the post before getting up and moseying about half way through.....

Uline also sells gel cold packs. I didn't buy them, but we rec'd some cold stuff with them inside. Oh, they start at 6 oz.

What are the requirements needed to label your candles/b and b products natural? I don't think (from what I've read) that it's possible to use the term organic in connection with candles at all. I'm a barefoot hippie sort of girl, and I like to make my products as earth friendly as possible, but I'm not going to lie in order to sell a candle or a bar of soap. Are there any clear guidelines on this?

I think you can use natural however you please because it doesn't seem to be defined for a product by the FDA. Well, maybe. That doesn't help much with advertisement for candles though.

The USDA has a lot of info on organic in their National Organic Program's Q&A. One of the Q&A:

Q: We want to label our poultry "natural." Where in the National Organic Standards do we look for the labeling requirements for using this term?

A: Please note that "organic" is not synonymous with "natural." There is nothing in USDA’s National Organic Standards defining or regulating the use of the term "natural." USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulates the term "natural" on meat and poultry labels.

Basically, FSIS defines "natural" in the following way: "A product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed (a process which does not fundamentally alter the raw product) may be labeled natural. The label must explain the use of the term natural (such as--no added colorings or artificial ingredients; minimally processed). You will find this definition and many other labeling terms, including "free range" at the FSIS web site...

Green emphasis is mine. Although many of these links involve food, I've included them b/c the shortening is classified as a food.

I don't think that the FTC recognizes natural as being an actual defineable term in relation to product advertisement either. Check out this little quiz. Involves supplements, but seems that they would include how 'natural' could be used. I can't find anywhere they have regulations concerning the term. FTC

Guides (quote):

"The Guides give examples of how consumers may interpret various claims, and identify the kinds of claims that should be explained or qualified to avoid deception. They provide specific guidance regarding certain claims (recyclable, degradable, compostable, recycled content, source reduction, refillable, ozone friendly, non-toxic, and chlorine-free), but they do not scientifically define environmental terms or establish product performance standards."

I don't use natural in descriptive form regarding my candles. It also seems to be used for too many things that are heavily processed without quantifiable benefits. I'd guess the soybeans of my soybean derived candles are made from GMO's, laden with pesticides, and processed with wicked chemicals. I am working on highlighting some of the terms (in purple) in regards to my candles.

Sandalfooted Hope

Any consumer help on the camera, candle makers? Looking for a cheap camera that can take close ups.

Might help to define cheap in terms of $$$'s. Here's one of the sites I visited when shopping for a camera: dcresource . com

Here's a thread. It seems that some things must remain a mystery.

Happy to be of service.. (we need a bowing emoticon with a hat here!). Chemistry & related sites can be rather nice resources. Here's another link on a non-technical explanation of plastic, also some other interesting plastic stuff.

Not exactly sure what the question is, but here's a link for the resin identification codes. HTH

As long as the plastic container has a number 5 on the bottom (inside the triangle), then you're votives, etc. will be fine for as long as you need to store them. The #5 containers hold in fragrance like the polypro!

The #5 denotes that the container is made of polypropylene.

Thanks Stephanie! I was hoping to give a more detailed close-up of them in action for anyone who isn’t familiar with them. Gotta go… art festivals to attend!!

Here are some pics of it hanging out and helping a couple of candles. There probably isn't a great need for words here since the tools are very easy to use. BTW, this was part of the Egg Hunt loot.

Pictures:

1. The cast of characters. Regular 8 oz. JJ, tabbed wick with a stick'em, small crafty clothespins, small Wick Centering Tools, and 8" Handy Wick Tube.

2. The wick on the right is a little slouchy, and needs a little pin to keep it straight. Also, three sizes of the device.

3. Another view of the two candles.

4. Centered wicks.

Misc. thoughts:

Although I usually end up with decently centered wicks before using this tool, using them has made the process more efficient with less thinking involved... especially on the days when I have felt like I just stepped off of the stupid bus.

At first glance, it seems to be a very simply made device. But upon further inspection, a fair amount of thought was given on it's specifications. I've mainly been experimenting with the small one. It fits very easily on the JJ. The short downward (end) parts look to be slightly tapering in so that it rests comfortably on top while giving the slightest bit of a hug to the jar threads.

Conjuring up candles has become more efficient (around here) with these impressive little tools.

Went to Hobby Lobby today and saw these tools there (but not the tube), and the pillar thingy as well.

Rob & Stephanie, congratulations on that account!

When glycerol is heated to 280 °C, it decomposes into acrolein.

280C = 536F

Keep the sparks away!

2. (Sorta...) I'd probably include a wick sample pack(s) for the containers. Different types of wicks burn differently, then there's selecting and testing for the correct size. I started with several different packs.

Good Luck!

ETA: Oh, a FO sample pack is nice too... uhhh.. to make the shipping worthwhile. :whistle:

Sounds like it could be quite fun. Good Luck!

I'll take a slice... no, make that two!

I can pour a small test candle and a small lotion with 1/2 oz.

I get samples from BC when I order and wish I wouldn't....they always send me the stinkiest ones!

You can request the sniffie's scent in the 'notes' box when ordering online, or when ordering on the phone. I do to avoid ending up with a hideous floral. Nothing against their floral FOs, they're probably just fine... I'm just not keen on most artificially floral scented things. Real flowers, fine... FO,

Looks veerrrry nice. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks again for the comments!

My 6 year old daughter saw your "cupcakes" and licked her lips, now she wants me to find one that looks like a pie. LOL

Looks great!

That's cute.... hope you found a pie for her. Mmmmm.... pie.

They look great. Did you use a paper cupcake cup?

Thanks.... I used a silver foil cupcake liner. Veg. pillar wax and dye to coat the inside of the liner, to make the pink wax 'cup'. (The rest of the cupcake is veg. container wax, minus embed.) The pillar wax is a tad more resistant to frosting that occurs with the red dye, than veg. container wax... for me, that is! Anyhow, I just peeled the foil off after everything cooled.

lol... Thanks for all the comments. After posting this, I realized that this was my first 'thread starter' in the gallery. Ooops. I'll have to keep an eye out around here for waxy photogenic subjects. (Unlike my plain, uncolored jars!)

I made these cupcakes today using some strawberry embeds from Synascents. (Part of the egg hunt loot.) They're both strawberry scented.

After the house was filled with the strawberry scent, I ended up making edible (non-waxy) versions to eat.

Thanks for looking!

I thought this article on their site about sourcing sustainable palm oil was interesting. Seems a lot of thought was put into supplying that wax. Quite impressive.

Kudos to CS.... I'll be buying.

Glass candy thermometer. Either one attached to a metal backing, or if not... (For the short term...) Since the bottom tip shouldn't touch the pan, affix it to a heat safe (to your heating temp.) cooking utelsil with some rubber bands. Of course, standard office supply bands deteriorate with air, heat, and sunlight... so this is a short term solution.

As far as the tm'd names, I am not exactly sure, but I made sure to only "copy" those names if the scents I bought also used those names. None of the scents I buy have "type" on them, so I assume if they can sell the scent with that name then I can use that name as well. If someone knows otherwise please let me know so I can change that.

Hmmmm.... to my eye, it looks sorta Yankish. That's the first thing that popped in my head upon glancing at the site. Concerning the 'types' and trademarks, I wouldn't just trust the labeling from another company. I doubt they'd whip up a reply to a C&D letter for you. Here's a link about trademarks, with a link to the US Patent & Trademark Office. :smiley2:

http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/patents/a/trademark.htm