NattyCat

didn't try that, I wicked up from a cd12 to a cd16 then a cd22 on a 4" jar - i get a full meltpool and good throw with the cd22, on the 16 and 12 there's not much throw and a small pools.

I did try that, but then the meltpool doesn't go to the edge of the jar

im also selling a lot of perfume duplicate candles - people are going crazy for them here, particularly Jean Paul Gualtier and Issy Miyake.

I have a question. If, while testing an FO, I make an 8oz container candle and then make a few tarts with the left over wax - even if the candle doesn't throw, the tarts do? Even if I leave the candle for two weeks to cure, we all know that some FO's just don't work well in soy. But this really isn't the case. If i burn my jar for the correct time, get a full meltpool 1 inch deep and still don't get a throw then I assume that the FO doesn't throw so I try different wicks, and the decide that the FO im testing is not for me if I just can't get it to throw hot or cold. BUT, if I then go and heat a wax tart made from the same batch - then that throws like crazy, and because I have a very small well in my burner, I only get about 1 inch of melted tart wax - so it can't be the size and depth of the pool created by the burner. It's so weird. But I suppose it means that for and FO i bought that didn't throw in candles, I can make tarts from. I have not once created a tart that doesn't stink the whole room out in less than hour. Anyone have any answers? Nat

Thanks all. I finished setting up at 3pm yesterday afternoon, and they called me 4 times today to go and restock the shelves. The originally said "oh no, we won't keep any stock as we're not sure how it will sell, so if you could come up maybe once or twice a week to restock, that'll be fine" They changed their mind today on my 4th visit and I had to go back this evening with a whole bunch of stuff so they can keep the shelves stocked themselves! Am a very happy bunny indeed!

Hi There, IGI are not available in this country unless it's from a small time seller who has imported it themselves - therefore it costs up to $20 per kilo. I buy 50kg at a time so I could in no way pay those prices. I have heard of that forum, but it's not actually that good - there are only a couple of UK suppliers shown on there, and their prices are sky high - the rest of it, despite supposedly being a UK based site, is all about US suppliers of FO and candlemaking equipment, which I think pretty much defeats the object. The forum that was set up by the same person on yahoo is also 95% American participants, despite being a UK forum. I find this forum to be the best around and the most helpful - but I don't think anyone can help me in my quest to get other brand waxes at a reasonable shipped price. There is yet to be a forum that actually IS only UK based and specialises in showing UK suppliers. The reason for that I suppose, is that all the UK suppliers just buy their items from the USA then slap on a very hefty charge whereas it's cheaper and easier for me to buy from stuff from the USA, except wax, which I get directly from a wax supplier in bulk. Thanks for the advice though!

It is impossible for me to get this wax, as shipping 50lbs boxes would be horrifically expensive, but I would like to try a parasoy blend. Is this 70 soy 30 paraffin or vice versa? Any help on how to replicate a wax like this would be appreciated. The wax refinery in the UK where I get my waxes from only imports EcoSoya, so unless Greenleaf wanted to start shipping in bulk to them, I'll never get it. If you have any idea on the type of paraffin and what ecosoya I can use, I'd be grateful to hear about it. Please feel free to PM me if you don't want to divulge your blend on the boards - I'm in the UK so I won't be a threat to your business! Thanks,

hmmm - i don't have a butt naked. What's the best one you've found so far to throw in soy? I'll cross my fingers and hope you mention a supplier that ships internationally!

oops, wrong section

stocked the shop today - went really well! People were buying the stuff before I could even display it - so much so, that they were nosing through all the crates on the floor. Man, it was like a scrum! Good for me tho, he he!!

With summer coming up, from my experience, people aren't going to be buying cinnamon or spicy based fragrances, so I won't be pouring hot apple pie and grandma's kitchen for a while. Which brings me on to the question - "what do you pour for summer?" Would be nice if we could get a list going here of the best selling fragrances for the summertime, based upon people's sales and experience! I think perhaps citrus would be good, but my two cents would be: Freshly Cut Grass Summer Sorbet Oranges & Lemons Summer Berries Green Clover & Aloe Any one else want to suggest their ultimate summer FO's? Nat

nobody have any ideas on this?

I only want to try it if it will make my candles shiny. Is that what it's supposed to do? Can't wait to have a go - will report back once I've regained consiousness from the fumes and my eyebrows grow back.

Got my very first shop taking my products today! Will be going up there to lay it all out tomorrow - they've given me the entire end of a shelving unit so lots of space, right next to the tills. Told me I can set my price and they'll take 15% of whatever I sell my items for - all sale or return. Seems like a good deal to me, all I have to to do is go in once or twice a week and restock the shelves. Yay! Here's a pic, sorry its dark but I didn't want to use the flash as the display is right next to the cash registers.

I got a couple of cone moulds and can't wait to make some candles with them. But, if I put a large enough wick to allow the 3inch diameter base to burn correctly, how do you stop the 1 inch top from burning like crazy? If I put a CD16 for example in it, that's fine for when the candle burns to the larger part, but the top narrow part will burn so fast and pour wax down the sides of the candle. tricky!

I took the link out so I can do some more work on the site - it sort of messes up if I'm editing an item and someone is looking at it at the same time. Will put the link back when I've done fiddling with it.

its white powder.

I bought mine from Aztec.

yup - got me a presto pot despite the presto company not selling them in the UK - I bought one, blew it up then bought another and run it from a massive 1500 watt transformer - works great and is my new best friend - my husband thinks I'm having an affair with it as I spend so much time with it

I can vouch for all of those shown below - they're all smell great. Not used all of them in candles yet but the ones I have throw very well and I use ecosoya PB and 135. Mama's Pyjamas is one of my all time best sellers - I only got it recently and it's flying off the shelves in all sizes. Coriander and bergamot is very fresh and the mango mandarin is simply gorgeous. Pineapple Coconut Plum Crazy Tranquil Tropics Green Tea Spring Linen China White Monkey Farts Rafiki Haiku Sweet Caramel Sheer Freesia Blue Lavender Mango Mandarin White Ginger & Amber Coriander & Bergamot Mama's Pyjamas White Flannel Fuzzy Navel

thanks all. will keep plugging away. the photos are the most annoying though. Despite buying an entire photographic studio with lights, tents and such I still can't take a photo with a pure white background so have had to learn Corel fast to manually remove the background pixel by pixel. Each photo takes about an hour and I've only done 4 or 5 - only another 100 or so to go!

cool - in that case let me be the first to test! Think I'll heat the crystals first, turn the heat down and then add the soy and see what happens. Will keep you posted!

i wanted to use it because soy pillar candles are very matte and I wanted to give it a bit of gloss. Is that not what Luster Crystals are for? Nat

wouldn't you at least have to use Citronella EO as it's the essential oil that repels the bugs? Doesn't an FO just smell like the real thing, but not have the same repellent properties? I don't think it's the smell that mossies don't like it's the fumes given off by citronella oil? Not sure, but makes sense to me?

anyone know if I can use these in soy? And what the results would be? Do they have any negative effects on throw, texture, appearance? Thanks Nat