Accents

1. I made some container candles with C-3. When I lit them (testing wicks) they all immediately had tiny beads of sweat all over the surface. They contained 1oz FO ppo and no color. What was the sweat? (My house is at about 68 degrees in that room).

Mine get sweat beads too, especially when they're newer. Temp change seems to do that but not always to ever candle. It won't affect the burn. It's real fun at a warm craft fair when they start sweating. And then, for whatever reason, they don't all sweat.

2. Do FOs sometimes make the candles burn more? Like if I test without FO will I possibly need to wick DOWN once I add the FO? I ask cause I was testing with FO but the wick sizes people were recommending were reaching FMP in about an hour with a 2.5" diameter... So I thought maybe it was the FO?

They will burn slightly differently with different FOs. I haven't tested any without FO to compare. Some FOs will need a smaller or larger wick than others. This is what makes the testing process take a while. Start with just one scent, though, so you have a starting point for all the others.

3. Should I be starting my wick testing WITHOUT FO?

What AJ said.

If you have LX22, try that. RRD40 might be a little small but worth a try. I haven't used a 4oz jelly, but do use the 8oz and C3.

Very cute and clever, Luci! Love the foot print in there!

Are you sure you didn't accidentally use the C3 for your tarts? I find V1 to be quite hard and get cracking in my tarts and votives. How much FO did you use?

Fancy Candle Jars is in Niles IL, and they have 8 and 12oz metros. http://www.fancycandlejars.com/metro.html

They just haven't yet experienced the joy of burninig one of your candles. Then we'll see a change.

Thanks everyone! Yes...I was thinking an earth scent or rainforest scent. Know of any good ones that throw in C3?

I wish I did, haven't tried any, though. And I use C3 too!

Maybe something you could rename to represent their natural habitat. Rain Forest, Serengeti (sp)? An earthy scent of some kind.

That's almost funny. Kind of hard to believe, not to put down your tarts or anything. So someone breaking in took the time to smell them all and leave out the spicy ones?? It's very strange. Did she file a police report?

The wax and FO have been on there for a while, at least a year.

I'll second us bank. I don't know if you can apply online, though.

I use C3, and you definitely want to pour hot. I almost always get smooth tops, but I also occasionally get sink holes. Might want to try cooling slower or letting them cool at room temp. As for the wicks, I'd e-mail or call them and ask what they sent you.

Don't worry too much about the white right now, that's common with soy; it could also be the coating on your wick melting and showing up on the top. Where did you get your kit? The supplier should list which wax is used; if not someone on here may know by the supplier used.

Very pretty! Beautiful!

I keep thinking "Serenity now" from a Seinfeld episode. Man, my husband has watched that show so much it's rubbing off on me! OT, but our dog is named Kramer if that tells you anything.

I charge it too.

If I wanted to figure it in, it would be difficult here because there's such a range of tax rates, from 6.5% to 8.75%. Crazy

Those are looking good! Seems like you're getting it figured out. Keep at it! You might want to focus on one container at a time; it can get frustrating trying to test multiple containers in the beginning.

I don't think a tea scent would be expressed from a plant. There's vanilla EO, but no white tea EO. You'd be looking for a fragrance oil for that scent.

Hi, Juggy! Just wanted to welcome you to the board. Soy has a lot of variables, takes a while to get the hang of it, and inconsistency seems to be a soy trait. Play with your temperatures a little. Pour cooler, a little hotter; warm your jars, don't warm them; cool slowly, not so slowly... Just take good notes so you can figure out what works best! A heat gun will smooth out those tops for you. Don't give up just yet! Put it aside for a week or two if you need to, but as long as you're enjoying yourself, don't give up. (might have to give up to the frosting, though)

If you're considering other ideas, you could try using a votive glass.

Here's another possibility: http://www.clamshell-packaging.com/stock-clamshells.html

I have the one from BCN, sell it occasionally but not a lot. I can send you a little if you'd like.

Since they're providing the mugs, I'm not sure typical wholesale rates would apply. Your time in mixing custom scents and testing in a new container is worth something too. I'd consider charging at least 3X cost since you won't be making anything based on the container price.

Whatever you decide, congratulations!

I don't round my corners, but I know a tool that does it. It's often used in scrapbooking to round photo corners or scrapbook paper corners. Don't know why it wouldn't work. You can find one in a scrapbooking or card making section of a craft store, with the paper punches.

See, now, I disagree. I say start with the candle you like most. I started right in with containers. Sure, it was more work than a tart, but it's what I most wanted to make. If you're not that interested in tarts, making what you're most interested in might be more motivating. There are kits for just about anything, so find one that appeals to you and go for it!

By the way...Welcome!