Jcandleattic

51 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

They want us to use their credit card versus sending to the bank

I guess. But I just went and re-read. They are already taking 1% so it really is only going up .5%, and starts Feb 7th. But still, everything just keeps going up and up and up. 

This last season it really didn't hurt my bottom line, however, I only do 4 shows a year. I mean, I make good money in those 4 shows, but when I eventually quit my job and expand into doing solely my candle/soap business, I'm not sure I want to deal with all the fees, that will be at that point probably double what they are now... 

I just got an email: Starting I think it said Feb. 1st, on top of the updated cc fees in general, they are now going to charge 1.5% of the total amount deposited for each deposit. I will have to evaluate at this point if I even want to continue with Square or taking cc's in general. I might go back to being just a cash based business - just like the marijuana industry. LOL  

49 minutes ago, Dreamer said:

 

Ooh, sulfer, now there's a "dark" fragrance I haven't worked with. My brain is racing with blending ideas!

I'm not yet able to find a sulfer-like FO through Google search. Is there such a thing, I wonder?

I'm not sure, probably if it's to be found it will be found on SOS. 

I was thinking more along the lines of incense and spice, but sulfer also came to mind, but not sure I would actually use that in a candle/soap. 

To me it when I think Black Magic, I think incense, sulfer, and spice, so first FO I think of is Dragon's Blood mixed with Amish Harvest. (mind you, I have never done this mix, but in my mind I can totally smell it, and quite honestly, as soon as I get home from work, I'm going to mix these two and see what happens. In my mind it's AWESOME - LOL) 

22 hours ago, Candybee said:

But CC sales fees have gone up on Square so that is what is making me reconsider and rethink my pricing.

After all the math and figuring everything out after my last show with cc sales, and the increase in cc fees charged by Square, my out of pocket increase was less than $5 total, and I sold more this year than I have in past years, so to me, that <$5 is not worth even worrying about. 

If it was in the high $$ amount, then I would just up my prices overall to cover it. However, I just raised my prices 2 years ago, so another increase so soon seems too much. 

Last I checked, it is still illegal here to charge cc fees to the consumer, but that was quite a while ago, so I guess I should check again. It could have changed... 

What was the name of the perfume? There may be a dupe somewhere... 

21 hours ago, karinz40 said:

How about the Vybars? I'm confused on which to use to get my melts stronger scent.  I use 415 and sometimes 464 for the melts

Vybars are more for hardening the wax, and don't really help with a stronger throw - too much and it can actually bind your scent and not throw at all. 

I don't use soy, could never get it to throw for me, and was just too finicky for my tastes, so I can't offer help on that, but someone should be able to come along and help out with those waxes. 

13 hours ago, Candybee said:

By comparison so far I am seeing around a few pennies difference by the end of the day's sales as compared to before the rate change.

Same here. The difference at my last show with square and the show before the rate change was negligible. IMO, not worth worrying about. 

To me it looks as if each layer is being poured at different temps. They should be poured at either the same temp, or slightly hotter in order to adhere. 

Hi @SuzyK - I absolutely remember you. 

I have personally found that EO's although have great label appeal in soaps, most (not all) tend to fade to nothing within a few weeks to months. With the exception of just a handful I don't find them worth it in soaps. 

However, for lotions and other leave on products I think they are great. 

You can find some information about them on the different websites offering them, such as Camden Grey, Lebermuth, Majestic Mountain, etc., Those places will probably have better information for you than just the internet in general. 

I know there are some books that are pretty reliable as well as to the use of them, but can't think of them off the top of my head. I'll have to look them up... 

1 hour ago, lightmyfire said:

The reason these wet spots bother me SO much is because they just started showing up recently even though I'm using the same technique in the same studio.  It's extremely frustrating to try to fix something when you have no idea what's causing it.  I thought I had this remedied by pouring in the box with the dividers but that lasted for one batch.  If I had these silly things from the start then it would just be what it is.  I really hate that they have also started showing up in the clear glass jar candles--that really looks horrible.  

Even though the ambient temp of the room may be the same, the seasons change, there’s atmospheric changes happening, and regardless of what anybody does, wet-spots is just part of the candle making process. As I said, the only people who notice or care is us. 

Almost everything I make is a blend of some sort, and rarely ever a repeat. I only have like 4 scents that are repeats, and not a blend. 

However with that being said, I made my last soaps to take to the market in August, and got an order at one of my October shows for 50 cupcakes that I made simply due to the fact she paid in full up front AND I don't have to deliver them until the 15th of December, so they'll be nice a cured. (Made them on the 6th of Oct) 

I almost doubled my output this year from last year, and I only have 1 more craft show of the season and I'm hoping to goodness I have enough!! Next year I think I'm going to have to triple it!! (not a bad thing since I only do 4 shows a year, I make what I want when I want) 

And now I'm rambling ...

All I can think is the Forrest Gump line "Stupid is as stupid does" 

If I'm going to do wickless, I will use a tart warmer and melts, not a wickless jar candle. Takes too long to heat up the entire jar of wax to get any scent out of it, and people are impatient and I'm sure would give up before they even get any scent. 

That's my opinion anyway, and why I don't make/sell wickless jars, only melts. 

Honestly, I don't even know why candlemakers even worry about wet spots - I mean I know there are perfectionists out there, but in all the years I've been making/selling candles it's been my experience that the consumer doesn't even notice the spots 99.999% of the time, and if they do, they literally just do not care. 

What customers care about is scent first, burn second and that's basically about it. 

A little late to the game, but here are a couple. 

Sweet bourbon barrel 

smooth toasted bourbon

IDK, that's all I could come up with... 

Everything they said above. 

In fact, I don't really understand the question.

Why would think to choose a wick by flashpoint? And how does flashpoint correlate to choosing a wick? I'm very confused. 

My homeowners insurance will only continue to insure me with making my candles in my home if I also have separate property coverage, so I always go with the standard insurance. 

There are only 2 seasonal scents that I absolutely love - both are Christmas scents

one is from Peak (so I'll most likely not get it again unless I try Keystone)

- Cinnamon and Balsam - smells like a cinnamon pine forest. LOL You know how Christmas stores smell around the holidays that's this scent. Very strong and very nice. It's almost everyone in my family's favorite and when I make it for my fall shows it's the first candle scent to sell out. 

 second is from back when Mad Micas was Mad Oils and sold scents - you can now get them from Arizona Candle Supply 

- Snow Witch - smells like camping in the mountains in the winter. You know how you can smell the cold - well that's this scent with pine thrown in,. 

And from my descriptions, now you know why I don't try to describe scents. LOL 

55 minutes ago, GoldieMN said:

I thought they were already out of business.  Twice.

GoldieMN

This will make a total of the 4th "going out of business" debacle. 

At this point it really sounds like you are waiting too long to carve, and the candle is too cool to carve. The outside layers have to be warm to the touch. So much so that by pressing in with your finger with very slight pressure you can make a huge dent. If that is not happening, you are carving too cool and will need to up your dip temps, and work faster. 

How many layers are you dipping? For even my small lighthouse candles, I dip at least 20-25 layers. 

Otherwise, I have no idea. 

On 7/14/2019 at 2:07 PM, soshiegirl said:

I haven't tried Peak's Pink Sugar but TT's Pink Sugar is delish! 

They both smell exactly the same. LOVE IT - and since I won't buy from Peak anymore, I'm glad to have a backup.

When I carve my core candle is also hollow and I put a tube with liquid paraffin in it to burn. I scent that, not the carving.

Scenting the core candle and the dipping layers, IMO is a waste. With the pigments, and layers the cold throw would be diminished (which also diminishes over time as well, just due to exposure to the atmosphere around it) Plus there is so much extra for the layers, you would end up with only THAT scent for a LOT of candles. 

Only scent what you will burn then you won't need to worry about the carving temp. Pour your scented wax into the center after the candle has been carved. 

Most people don't scent carved candles, because they are meant for decoration, purposes, and generally don't burn well anyway, due to the pigments used and the wick size. 

You would have to have your FO at a sustained temp for many hours for it to burn off, and not give off a throw. 

Your core candle has to stay warm, as well as your overdip wax, or it will get brittle and break when trying to carve, because it's cooling too fast. 

I only add the microcrystalline to the overdip wax, and not the wax I'm making the core candle with. 

I see you are near me. I have a whole vat set-up I'm contemplating selling. 

On 7/16/2019 at 7:08 AM, iansmommaya said:

I'm a soap maker. Many of my soaps do not have added fragrance (they still are scented from for instance the salt I add, olive oil I use or another integral component of the soap.

exactly this, you don't have to scent soap, you can still make it, use it, and enjoy it without it being fragranced.