storm35

What lovely colours they are, well done my dear.

They are lovely.

I think this is a great idea, i ususally try to get my molds from the us and packaging, but as you say a lot is on the shipping.

They look fantastic, well done.

Cxx

Hiya

I'm in the process of setting up a website for when I'm able to sell my candles.... theres also the option of doing a christmas craft fair' date=' although it may only be votives by then lol. Still testing everything else.

I was sat thinking today, of what I should be doing now, for if it takes off as a business. I know you don't make any profit for the first 3 years apparently.

But is there anything you wish you'd have done from the start?

Should I be saving receipts for things? If I sell something, how do I keep records etc? For those in the UK, when does the tax man kick in?

Do I have to have a business bank account? I'm hoping if I sell anything it will come through paypal, but there may be occasion of cheques etc.

Any advice? thanks xx[/quote']

I save everything, reciepts, phone bills, electric, everything, end of year give it all to my accountant, then i put it in attic, as you need to keep records for 7 yrs, my accountant told me.

Good luck on your site

Hello Anji, you could try here David is really helpful on the phone he is very very good at his work and is very helpful, here is his site, http://www.candlemakers.co.uk/cmproduct/candlewaxes.html As for embeds i used to use plastic when i did gel candles, i got mines from a shop called au naturale, they had all kinds of plastic little goodies, hope that helps you hunni.

Cxxxx

Thank you Crafty, yes i thik i stick with that, think ppl like it to be smooth and creamy and fluffy instead of brick hard.

Cxx

Thank you Katinka, will do that, found them, just need to think on how to wrap them, thank you my dear.

chris xx

How do i make a lotion bar?? i have not got anything for lip balm like bees wax or anything, but would love to make something with the mango butter??

Cxx

Thank you girls,. dont know if we can get shea oil here, never heard of it over here.

I would love it to be pure shea, but i am worried about the texture of it, the feel of it, it will go brick hard, and i prefer soft, so even if i add a tiny amount of oil, will that help soften it?

Cxx

Well, maybe because they want to kick it up a few notches with oils that contain certain properties that shea doesn't have. Ok, well maybe that's just why I add other oils:grin2:

Great thank you my dear, think i will just stick with my recipe i have with apricot kernel oil, as i want a nice fluffy shea lol.

I have mango butter ehre not a clue what to do with it, also unrefiend shea butter and cocoa butter deodorising type??

Thank you, so why do ppl use an oil with their whipped shea??

Cxx

I want to make unrefined shea as natural as possible, so can i just whip up unrefined shea on its own, or do you really need a carrier oil?? For the fluffyness??

Yes sorry my dear, bath melts, i cant find them here?:embarasse

Ok think i will keep it for myself and try again, this time, i will melt it all the way down and pour over the mango butter, thank y ou my dear.

No Crystala, i always got told not to melt it right down if i am whipping, just make it soft.

Can i get rid of this or am i stuck with it now?? Can this be used? Or have i just wasted some

I wanted to play tonight with what i had here, so i got 3oz of unrefined shea, 3oz of mango butter and i put in 20 spoons of apricot kernel oil, coloured it pink and scented it strawberry, this comes from a body butter my daughter got, which is pink and lovely and fluffy.

Thing is i tried some on my arm its a tiny tad grainy, due to the mango butter, so what could i call this and use this for, it also leaves a soft sheen to y our skin, so i reckon it will look good on a tan?

What can i call this??

Aww that is nice.

Thank you topofmurrayhill, will get some vybar in then, and see how i go with that, i have made candles before but i have never made votives before and for such a small candle what a lot of work lol.

No Scented, i popped in the pins before i poured in the wax, just a tiny amount around the base, but if i push on a hard surface they come out ok, i tried and tested one last night, it was ok, until more than halfway down, it started to smoke, the flame was quite high and smoking i cut the wick to 1/4 inch before i lit it, i then lit it, then bleew it out, then lit it again, still smoked.

Thank you topofmurrayhill, much appreciated, i have managed to get pins out, i just push down like Demenshia mentioned, i can get my wick in aswell.

so the fo seepage, what causes this?? Too much fo??? the mottling, you think if i bought vybar this would stop it?? Is this why i have this??

Other than that, i burnt one of them and they were fine, started to smoke halfway down, so i need to sort that out also.

Am off to bed, speak soon and thank you again my dear.

Chris xxxx

No matter, i have sussed out the pins and wicks, now all i need is to play about until i get rid of air bubbles and top up right next time.

I combine all three--shea, mango, and avocado.

Is that all you add to your base, no oils just these 3 with fo??

Ok heres some pics, first one

why are they not shiny, have bubbles and blisters? how am i going to get the wick inside this#?? :cry2: