Crafty1_AJ

I've made solid perfumes.  Those are fairly easy.  Use a good lip balm or lotion bar base and add a bit of body safe fragrance.  We used to pour them into small lip balm pots.  We dressed them up with a light dusting of cosmetic glitter.  Stopped making them due to lack of time, but they were fun.  At one point, we had about 20 or so varieties.

Loving the little macaron and cupcake!  I think you need a sign specifying that they are melts, or some kid is going to take a bite.  LOL

On ‎2‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 9:33 PM, Laura C said:

 I may order some of those and try them but honestly I make a mess with liquid dyes. 

Come see my workshop floor.  LOL.  Dropped a bottle of brown liquid dye years ago, and trying to wipe it up just smeared it worse.  If we ever have to sell, I cringe thinking about having to explain that one.  Then one of my assistants spilled green all over the place just a few months later.  I'm still finding hidden spots of that.   

I order clear glass droppers and keep those on hand to use with liquid dyes if they don't automatically come with droppers. 

I don't put it over embossing.  Just debossing.  Agreed ... it would look really weird over embossing.

I do it.  LOL.  Then again, I've always been a rebel!    😉  

On 12/17/2018 at 12:39 AM, MilosCandles said:

So there are few GOOD and BAD points with Etsy.

 

1 - ETSY already has a customer base which creating your own website would never have.  Millions of customer go to ETSY everyday to purchase stuff.

2- There are MANY vendors on ETSY, on your own website there is just you.

 

Early on I was running some facebook ads to my ETSY store.  This is good for me, but even better for ETSY.  I was paying for the AD that directed them to ETSY.  Who won?

 

Now when I run ADS it is to my website.  

 

Here is a VERY interesting stat,  The AVERAGE sale on my website is almost 75% higher than on ETSY.  When customers go to my website I have them captive with all my candles.  On ETSY they are just doing search after search adding 1 item to their cart at a time.  This was eye opening for me.

 

It was well over 2 years after I started that I created a shopping cart website.  It was a lot of work.  It has paid off for me.

Another advantage of Etsy is the word-of-mouth advertising you get.  If you have loads of 5-star feedbacks, you're more likely to make the sale.  I routinely will have a run on a certain scent.  I'll check into why...inevitably, it's positive feedback from a customer.  That's golden stuff.  As TT mentioned, great photos are crucial.  So is unsolicited positive feedback from customers, and the ability for potential customers to see that.  

On 2/19/2019 at 10:05 AM, Arch Rock said:

Trapp, could you describe or send a pic of that 8 oz. square Mason for me?  You getting it from Fillmore?  Fillmore says two sides are embossed with classic Mason measurement marks and the other two sides are "DE-bossed", which I assume means no markings.  This must be true or you wouldn't be able to apply your awesome labels.  Would like a confirmation if you don't mind.  And is this true for the 16 oz. square Mason as well?  I would love to find matching 8 oz and 16 oz containers that also have matching lids.  Thanks bunches as clearly, you've been a busy beaver.

Actually, embossed means the letters are sticking up.  Debossed means the letters are indented.  (Convex vs. concave markings.)

4 hours ago, beckemmons said:

I love peaks harvest moon guess I'll have to start looking around for it somewhere else. Anyone know who else has one like it?

You can get that here:  https://keystonecandlesupplies.com/collections/fragrance-oils/products/copy-of-winter-orange-spice?variant=1513605070875

2 hours ago, coffeebean said:

I'm finding it so hard to find Amish Harvest closest to his 😞

 

You can get that here.  https://keystonecandlesupplies.com/collections/fragrance-oils/products/amish-harvest-peak-1?variant=1582434746395

Greetings from the Midwest from a native OC'er.    Welcome!

Cute.  I loooooooove status jars!

On ‎2‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 8:21 PM, Trappeur said:

Oh, that sounds great and I have cranberry spice from Bittercreek.   I'll make that one.   Would you say do more cranberry than peppermint?

Always, peppermint should be a small part of your blend.  If it's the dominant %, all you'll smell is peppermint.  LOL

Use sparingly...a little goes a long way in a blend.  You don't want to overwhelm the other notes! 

On ‎1‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 11:37 AM, Jcandleattic said:

Rose scents for me are like chocolate scents - I like them, but cannot GIVE them away on a silver platter. Nobody seems to want them. I've tried for years mixing, making them unique, naming them something that has nothing to do with rose, etc., etc. Nothing works, they just do not sell for me. So since they don't sell, I don't make them anymore. 

 

The absolute best rose scent I have ever found though is Rose Bouquet from Peak. Smells exactly like a real rose. All others I've tried either smell of plastic, perfume or something people consider "old lady". 

Ditto.  Rose scents don't sell super well.  But the best, truest rose I've ever smelled was Rose Bouquet from Peak.  Outstanding - like a fresh, true rose.  Didn't smell like a Granny's attic rose.

I think a good, basic line should include a vanilla, a spice, a fresh/clean (like linen), an herbal, a floral, and a citrus.  Good classic staples that always sell.  Earthy stuff sells well for me too.

From your list, I would pick these:

Mac Apple, Lemon Verbena, the Basil/Sage/Mint combo, the daffodil blend, linen, and balsam.  But honestly, I'd swap one out for a vanilla.  Maybe a vanilla year round as one of your six basics, then have one seasonal scent.  The apple could be a fall only, and the balsam a Christmas/winter only, and the daffodil/grass blend for spring/summer only?  Limited availability drives up sales.

On ‎12‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 1:56 PM, Sponiebr said:

What are these black bands? Are they velcro straps or are they rubber bands? If velcro you could maybe use these? https://www.velcro.com/products/ties-and-straps/900600__all-purpose-strap/?sku

Sponie, they are more of a giant rubber band.  But I cobble together smaller bungee cords, and they do the trick just fine.

That blend sounds wonderful.  Lots of notes I'd love.

In candles, I do sell a fair amount of Hot Cocoa soy candles in the fall/winter.  Not a top seller, but steady as she goes.  I also sell a few Peppermint Hot Cocoa in paraffin.  But in soap, it's definitely not a huge seller.  As my mom says, "I don't want my soap to smell like food."   

OK, Candy, I had mixed results with the Chocolate Almond soap at my fall / Christmas shows.  At one show, I sold several.  Next show … zip.  Next show, several.  Next show...zip!  You never know!

That method sounds like what I do, except I heat to about 165 - 175.  I have good results.

5 hours ago, GoldieMN said:

So what do you do, second pours?

GoldieMN

No, I typically pour soy just before it sets up, so I don't generally get problems with the tops.  But these particular candles had gotten some heat in the car or at farmer's market in the summer, and the tops got weird.  So I tried the heat gun.  Epic fail.  They developed seepage on top.  Only time that's happened to me with soy!

22 hours ago, TallTayl said:

I raised candle prices last year and nobody blinked. You may be happily surprised.

Same here.  Etsy raised its fees last summer, so accordingly, I raised my prices there.  

I charge $18 for the 16 oz size jar, but I'm about to re-crunch numbers on my costs.  Need to update to reflect current costs.  Also I use soy, not palm ... and last time I checked, palm was pricier than soy.

And fees are rising too.  Getting harder to make a profit unless you raise your prices!

I should have clarified my comment above.  The only time I've had the seepage problem with soy is when I've tried to smooth out the top with a heat gun.  Caveat:  Have not worked with C-1.  Just talking soy candles in general.

I also have to wick up on this one.

I use bungee cords.