bunkie68

Hope springs eternal.... I've got a batch cooling, straight V-1, in the most draft-free spot I could find, fans off, A/C off (now isn't that dedication, turning the A/C off in August, in Texas ), some in the star molds I've been using (and love), and some in heart molds that I also have. I don't see how the shape of the mold could suddenly make a difference, but maybe it does. *shrugs* The problems started when I got a new box of wax. Previously, I didn't have these issues. Has anyone ever noticed a difference from one batch of wax to another (whatever kind you're using, doesn't have to be V-1), or am I just crazy thinking along those lines?

I'll give it a try - if they're cracking now, it can't hurt to try, right? :smiley2:

Thanks for the thoughts! I'd wondered if it might be a draft, so I'd turned off the ceiling fans and changed the spot I was using to let them cool - I moved from the island to the kitchen cabinet. Maybe I'll try a different spot, or perhaps I'll try the box idea, or the oven. Would it mess them up, though, if I pour them and then move the pan they're on to the oven? It's just so frustrating, because the first few batches were darn near perfect except for the bubbles. And then suddenly, kablooey, it's all gone haywire. I wondered, too, if the weather has anything to do with it. The earlier part of the summer was a lot cooler than normal for Texas, and now it's stinkin' hot like summer usually is. Maybe I'm just grasping at straws here. :undecided

I posted this on the temp forum while Candletech was down - I'm reposting here in hopes of getting more thoughts. My first few batches of tarts turned out well, except that the first couple of batches bubbled on top a bit (I think I poured them too hot). I poured a second batch at a lower temp and there were no bubbles, just some frosting in the center (which actually looked kind of cool). I'm using Cargill NatureWax V-1 soy votive blend, and I'd been letting them cool on my kitchen island. Suddenly I had a batch that crazed and cracked around the edges, and one tart cracked in multiple places. I tried warming molds and not warming molds, pouring hot and pouring cold. Finally I poured two batches at once and had one cooling on the island and one on the kitchen cabinet. The ones on the island had problems with crazing and cracking, but the ones on the kitchen cabinet only had a couple of small craze marks around the edges of a couple of the tarts. Aha, I thought, problem solved! I thought, well, for whatever reason, the air conditioning must be blowing on the island in such a way as to make them crack like that. So a few nights ago I poured another batch. Had them cooling on the kitchen cabinet. Came back later to find that most of them turned out well, but one had cracked in several different places, just like before. ?!$%^%&*#! GAH!!!!! I poured the wax at about 145 degrees, molds were room temperature. The advice I got on the temp forum was to add just a bit of C-3 to the V-1 to soften it up without making it so soft that it wouldn't release from the molds. I tried that, 15 ounces V-1 to 1 ounce C-3, and the first batch came out darned near perfect. I was thrilled, and thought, yay, problem solved! Then I poured a second batch last night. Same wax, different FO, same ratio of C-3 to V-1, I might have poured just a hair hotter but not more than a couple of degrees hotter, cooled in the same place, and I'll be ding-donged if two of the second batch didn't crack. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why this might be happening, and what I can do to prevent or minimize it? I've got orders to fill, and this is making me just want to pull my hair out in frustration. (And bless one of my customers, she's a good friend and she told me not to worry if her tarts weren't pristine, she was just going to melt them anyway. )

Fig Forest and Violet Lime also do well in soy, at least for me. I like Palm Tree, too.

Ooh, marbled - I'd wondered if that was possible! How do you do it to where the second color doesn't just turn into a blob of wax on top of the first color? Now I want to go home and experiment! I was thinking of having one scent in three colors, but I guess you could do three different scents in the layers, too. The possibilities...!!!!

I'm thinking of making up tarts in three layers of color. I know people make layered votives and containers - has anyone had any luck with layered tarts? (If not, I guess I'll be the guinea pig and try it. )

Does anyone know of a chicory fragrance oil, or anything similar? I have an idea I'd like to try, but it would help if I could find this. Thanks!

I like melts, and I make them, too. I don't sell on eBay, but I take orders via PM or e-mail if anyone wants to buy. I'm just getting started, so my website isn't up and functional yet, but it will be someday. I make both melts and votives, but I find the melts a lot less labor-intensive to make. I melt, mix, pour, and let 'em sit. No second pour, no wicking, just pour once and done.

Congrats on your success! I hope things continue to go well for you, and someday I hope to get to where I can go to a show, too.

If you use a straight FO, how do you describe it? Do you use the description on the supplier's website, or put it into your own words? I know some descriptions are copyrighted, and obviously with those, you'd paraphrase, but I wasn't sure about the ones that aren't copyrighted.

Thanks for the link! I thought that's how it worked as far as when to charge sales tax, but couldn't remember for sure. I'm off to read now....

I'm new to actually selling my goods - new as in, I just mailed out my very first order for two tarts. Do I need to go ahead and apply for a state tax ID number? I'm in Texas - those of you who are also in Texas, when do I charge state sales tax and when do I not? I'm researching, but would appreciate any direction I can get. I want to make sure I do everything right. Thanks!

I'm looking for an inexpensive way to get a starter supply of zip bags - I'm looking for some with a white space I can write on or put a clear label on, and I want some that won't leach scent or color out of my tarts. Does anyone have a supplier that they use regularly and would recommend? Thanks! I'm just starting out (as in, got my very first order today!), and I appreciate any input.

If they're 1 oz., you might consider selling them in groups of two or three. Or, I think I've seen the shooter tarts that are about 1 oz. in size for somewhere in the general vicinity of $1.00 (anywhere from $0.75 to $1.10).

Oh, SO excited about the samples I just ordered - only a few, but I've got high hopes for them: Scotch Pine Sage and Pomegranate Lavender Cucumber Sage Fig Forest Violet Lime Himalayan Bamboo Palm Tree

I've got an Etsy shop set up, but I haven't actually sold anything yet. I figure it's there when I'm ready to sell!

Shari, I'm wondering the same thing. What size are your tarts? Mine are big - 2 oz. for one - and I see the 3-ounce clamshell tarts listed for about $3.50-4.00, so I'm thinking $2.50 might be a good price for one of my tarts. I've figured how much I spend on supplies per tart (wax, fragrance, color, packaging), and I want to come out a little ahead of that for sure, plus a little for my labor. If anyone else has thoughts on pricing, please, share! I'd love to hear.

I haven't tried the "grubby" look myself, either. I'm contemplating trying to make a swirled tart, with two colors of wax. I have no idea how I'd manage the logistics of two batches of wax, or figuring out when to pour the second batch so that it swirls but doesn't blob on top or just mix into the first color, but I think there are possibilities there. We'll see! It's a blast - it appeals to my mad scientist side, and if I can make some cash, well, so much the better. I want to go home and play with tarts now - work, schmork. :whoohoo:

I'm making it my quest to come as close to the Cranberry Balsam scent that used to be offered by Pier 1 as I can, and I'm looking for recommendations on good pine/balsam FOs. I haven't found one that's marketed as balsam yet, so it may have to be pine. Any suggestions on a good cranberry FO would be appreciated, too. Thanks!

Vanilla Bourbon is AWESOME. I've gotten good reviews on Strawberries & Champagne, too. ETA: I've used both of these in soy wax.

I've test burned a couple of batches of my tarts, and I sent some out for review to people who know their stuff and whose opinions I trust. And I've gotten good reviews!!! People are actually asking about buying more, not just testing them out. I'm so excited, I could faint!!! So maybe this has a chance of becoming something that actually brings in more than I spend on it. Yay!!! Now, off to experiment with waxes and colors and scents, oh my....

I'm looking for ziploc bags with stars printed on them to use for packaging, but haven't had any luck finding such a thing (assuming it's even out there). Has anyone seen anything like this?

Well, whether you intended it or not, those are really cool looking! I hope they harden up nicely for you.

Beautiful soaps, and CONGRATS on the birth of your grandson!!!