NattyCat

(although I didn't call the FO naffydoodle) - can someone enlighten me as to what a snickerdoodle is and also suggest a new name for the oil?

lol - i came up with naffydoodle a while ago. We use "naff" to describe something that's crap, or rubbish - and I was wondering about a new name for snickerdoodle as I have no idea what a snickerdoodle is - and naffydoodle was just one thing I came up with and it stuck

yes it is a disgrace, but then doesn't it just make you feel so good about your own products? When the endless testing seems to eat at all your money and you wonder why you don't just make the candle, sell it and hope they don't complain - you then realise that you were right all along and have something that is a) to be proud of that is the best quality you can make it c) a testamonial to your integrity and morals You just know customers of such naffydoodle candles will end up being YOUR customers in the end!

Thanks all. Perhaps I'll take a step back and reorganise my FO shelves or something and go back to it in a few days. Although..come to think of it, organising the war-zone that is my FO collection could possibly be a whole lot more painful!

saveonscents version is very light - not managed to get any throw at all.

nothing but good things to say about this oil. Very fresh and natural and works great in cb135 and ecosoya pb. Nat

Thanks annie - I am just a fan of contemporary styling and clean lines so most of my products are packaged that way - I wanted the site to resemble the packaging. Guess I'm just down in the dumps with it at the moment though - you know when you look and look and look at something and it eventually morphs into whatever your eyes want to see at the time. Like a perfectly spelt word - the more you read it the more it starts to look like you've spelt it wrong!

I'm building a new website. I loved it at first, but now, the more I look at it, the more I hate it. I've not done a thing on it the last week or so because I just can't be bothered. Perhaps I'm just getting fed up with all the technical issues I'm having with it - but someone else's opinion on how it looks and the general layout and use would be so appreciated. Please bear in mind that I've only been laying the foundations and there's not much in the way of actual products on there - I think there's a few candle tins and a few jar candles but that's about it. Feedback desperately in need before I can the whole thing! address is:

just to add confusion to the conversation, when I first started out making candles, all the instructions I read said that you should add your FO just before pouring. Well, this is what I did whilst also following the instructions that you shouldn't pour until the candle is approaching "slushy" stage. When I added the FO at just before slushy, the FO formed a milky white pool in the wax but with a bit of vigorous stirring and then letting the wax settle for a while to get rid of air bubbles, the FO was completely incorporated. After curing, my candles still had hot and cold throw. On a few FO's I found that I had no throw at all, so asked on the forums about it and was told to add my FO at much higher temperatures. I then started adding the same FO at 175...and STILL had no throw, so I think the FO I was using simply didn't throw in soy. I now pour my FO at 175 simply because I was told that it was the right thing to do - but it my experience, it didn't make any difference to the throw - I found that if the FO threw in Soy, it threw in soy no matter what temperature I added it at. I'm sure that I've probably added an FO at 175 that I've never tested at the lower temperature, so there may be a difference on some FO's. I think the answer to this is the same with wicks - you need different sorts of wicks for different sorts of candles/waxes/FO's so you test test test. With FO you need different adding temperatures for different FO's so the obvious solution would be to test all your FO's at hot and cool adding temperatures. Probably a wild guess, but perhaps thicker & heavier FO's need to be added hotter to break down their consistency, and lighter FO's can be added cooler as they mix with the wax easier and quicker? Nat

Hi Marilyn, It's definately not frosting as there is no crystallisation at all - it just doesn't have the characteristics of frost. For example, I have a gorgeous sky blue candle and on one side it's much paler than on the others - it's a uniform paleness all over, particularly along the edges (it's a square jar) This side of the candle has been facing the sun during display - the other sides are totally unaffected and smooth. It looks like sun bleaching to me having experienced it a lot on my carpets - I have a south facing garden and the sun blasts in the living room all afternoon - I now have a window pane shaped area on my carpet that is much lighter than the carpet all around it - and that looks just like my candle! Nat

Got a few candles, only a couple of weeks old in glass jars and the lovely blue colour is now turning white at the corners of jar...I can only assume it's sunlight from the days that they are on display. Can you use UV inhibitor in Soy if you don't want to add paraffin to your candles? I've no idea what it's made from so don't want to just chuck it in without first finding out what's in it. Does it affect throw, pour temp, adhesion or surface texture at all? On another note, I got me a big bag of luster crystal the other day as I thought they may make my matte soy pillars a bit shinier. But they didn't come with instructions. Any one know how to use luster crystal or what they're for? Thanks Nat

the un-ironed tea towel and cookie crumbs just add a certain "something" to the overall effect I think.

$6 dollars plus postage too. My eyes hurt.

Found someone legitimately selling these candles as handmade votive candles on ebay. I think I'll give up candlemaking now - I don't think I can compete with such obvious quality.

lol - well that's a good use for a g-string huh? Especially the ones that are like cheese wires - put 'em to good use as massive candle wicks!

I usually do throw it away but I decided to ask on the forum whether there was any other use for it seeing as this wax costs me over $4.50 per pound as it's imported from the USA. I think I'll have a go at firestarters with this lot and in future, pour into moulds as and when I have spare wax to make "candle shop" candles. Nat

lol you're right - it'll be a mess in no time. It took me 4 days with the stall set up to work out where to put it all and some kid will come along, pick up a jar candle and say "ooooh look mummy".......and then crash as it shatters to a million pieces when he drops it. And I have to smile whilst standing on my own foot and biting the inside of my cheek and said "never mind, accidents can happen" Thanks for all the nice messages though - am packing it all into crates at the moment!

great idea candleman. I wouldn't want to throw this wax away as it costs so much to import it to the UK! Also good idea for firestarters - especially as BBQ season coming up...BUT - doesn't the FO released during burning affect the food?? Nat

quite a lot of it is covered in a "sauce" that I bought from ebay. It's great for drizzling and comes in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. BUT, I have no idea what it is, but when you melt something down that has this stuff on it, it doesn't blend with the wax very well, so you can't reuse it. The bits on top, ie banana, cakes etc, are the only "made up" bits, the rest of the bucket is full of scrapings and bits of wax I've poured in there after batches if candles where there is not enough left over for a reasonable amount of tarts - this means I can't separate it unfortunately. Nat

not made those before...how are they made and used?

OK. I have a bucket full of wax. They're scraps, or abandoned whole candles (like cakes, pies, banana split etc that I didn't like the look of) and also the scrapings off the work surfaces from spills etc (definately only wax and nothing else) I stupidly didn't bother to separate into "fruit", "Bakery" or "floral" scents, and now have an almost full bucket 'o wax that I have no idea what to do with. I imagine if I melt it down, it'll be brown and smell like a candle shop (no distinguishable scent) What to do? The bucket is nearly full and I've no idea what to do with it - photo shown below. It's all soya - but mixed CB and PB (mostly PB) Any idea on what I can create??

wow - so many candles! I love your display. I just bought myself a shelving unit and it makes all the difference. You must have been creating candles for months to get enough to fill all those shelves - I admire you!! Great job and fabulous display.

9oz hex containers? I don't think I have any of those? I have a really large square jar with the corners cut off which is filled with St Clements with a fruit slice embed in the top - but no chunk candles at the moment, I sold out last week and not had time to make more. Only other hex containers I have are those on the shelving unit - they're filled with simmering granules. Nat

soap scrolls - just melt & pour soap with a white scroll embed - see bottom right of first table. positioning - I'll be behind the table - my spot at the show is a good one, I have no one behind me or next to me. Behind are some concrete flower beds and behind the other table is a wall overlooking the sea. People come up to my table and can't walk past - they have to go back the way they came. Height - I thought having a 7ft shelving unit was an eye-catcher? I also bought several clear perspex risers and boxes so that that my stuff isn't just flat on the table. Not sure what else I can do?

very nice idea - and completely do-able too. I'll have a go at that in a little while - i think it may reduce the "busy" look that I'm a bit worried about if all the colours were together. thanks!!