Shisha

It all depends on your crowd. Some crowds are huge and not buyers, but others only have a few in attendence but they all come prepared to buy. I have a show TODAY (big one) that falls somewhere in the middle. They buy if something new catches their eye. Alllll day yesterday I was making tub truffles, filling lotion bottles, even poured some MP soap since I figured I need to use it up (I'm taking it out of my line). I have discovered one thing about people who go to this show and that's that they like seeing a LOT of stuff, not necessarily everything in every scent. I notice I do better when my table is overflowing with all kinds of things in a few varied scents than if I just have 10 of the same scents of 3 things. It also leads them to look at new products (Oh you don't have China Rain in lotion? No but check out my China Rain soap & incense! Hmmm, I've always wanted to try incense. I'll take the lotion in Sandalwood Rose AND the China Rain soap & incense. Ka-ching! $$$)

oh so they do have the glassware out on display now? that's great, it's been a few months since I have been there.

I think the thing is that they are primarily a candle production place, selling finished candles for for private labelers (I hear they make something like 1 out of every 10 candles sold in the U.S.), and they got into selling supplies kind of as an afterthought. They concentrate on pillars and seem to have just woken up to the fact that people like containers. So it will probably take some time for them to expand their selection. I'm fortunate that they carry the tumblers I love but I agree that their prices are better for a hobbyist than for resale!

khall--

You can look at the glassware on their site (www.genwax.com) order by phone, and then buy it when you get to the showroom. I asked about the glassware and they said they don't have room to display it all.

For FOs, I get raves for their Juicy Bits of Orange and Jasmine scents. So far the others I've tried have been so-so.

Thanks for your support Jenny and Luci. It felt good to get it all out. Jenny, thank god I never got started on bath bombs. Actually, I had intended to try them but figured that I should put my time into my tub truffles instead.

Did you have your baby yet? I'm thinking it's time!

Hi Folks!

I haven't posted in a while and I miss everyone here. Basically, I'm fed up, and I just need to vent.

In addition to a full time job, I have a micro-business that I have operated in the black for the last two years. I have a niche market that I sell to, and I usually attend one event per month, which keeps a little cashflow going. In between, I sell my products (perfumes, incense, burning oils, and tub truffles) on Ebay to keep myself solvent and also to keep my product turning over. My goal has always been to get a website going, but I've been lazy.

Well, the last five months have been dreadful. We lost two employees at my full time job, and they were not replaced, so we're all doing extra work (I work in the training department of a large government agency.) Ebay decided to raise store fees sharply, which took my profits down considerably, to the point where it's not practical to sell there. And several of my local events fell on days that I had to work, so all in all I've only done one show since June. I keep expanding to include more products, more types of merchandise, but I have to face the fact that I am drowning in product/supplies/labels/etc. that isn't being sold because of a lack of time and venues. And it's making me crazy.

My core business was perfume oils and incense but I started fooling around with lotion. Got that going and then I added bath oils and bath truffles. Then I started wanting to offer solid perfumes and shea butter. At that point the volume of supplies and mess was bad but not impossible. I think the problem was really compounded in spring when I decided to start making candles. Started buying supplies left and right and spending weekends pouring and testing. I think this was the straw that broke the camel's back. My main business got neglected, the additional stuff piled up everywhere plus I didn't anticipate the great deal of time you need to get your candles tested & saleable. I got in over my head with this, and I don't really think I want to continue. Although I love burning candles, I am not a patient tester. I think I would probably be better off just buying candles wholesale and it would save money for me as well. It's killing me to admit I made a mistake, but I am trying to be realistic.

I was supposed to work today, Sunday, and I took it off because I needed to clean and organize. I need to move my core business back to the forefront. I swept, cleaned, opened boxes I didn't know I had (!), sniffed FOs, organized my EOs and bottles, put ingredients together for future projects when I have time, labeled drawers, and most importantly put my candle "stuff" away into the pantry. Maybe I'll come back to it for Christmas gifts for my family. Maybe I won't. (Fortunately I can use the FOs in my incense or as burning oils, so the wax/wicks/jars/dyes can wait awhile.) All I know is that when I don't see the stuff sitting around and making me feel guilty, I feel better. I'm trying to look at it this way: I have 50 or 60 nice but imperfect candles to burn for my own enjoyment. I don't *have* to make anymore. There is no law saying I must sell candles in addition to everything else. Why spread myself any thinner.

Sometimes we overextend ourselves. I want to grow my business, but I have to be realistic. I'm a part of a team at work and have many demands on my time. In the few hours per day I can give to my business, I need to focus on my core items--making them better, more appealing, more scents, etc...I need to do 3 or 4 things well instead of 17 things in a partial way. When I really take a good hard look at myself I have to say I go off in so many different directions I never reap the rewards. I start something (like lotion or soap), people get interested, and then I start something else. In the meantime I've lost the momentum I had on the other thing. I'm trying to be better about this. I'm coming back to focus on my perfume, incense, burning oils, and tub truffles. When I get all of those just right, maybe I'll allow myself to branch out.

Confessional time:

Lotions: I have a gallon of lotion base and 50 4 oz bottles plus a plan for labeling. May do this one for my show next week, just to use it up, then no more

Soaps: I make CP soap once in a great while for myself, because it's the only soap that doesn't irritate my skin. I make it every six months or so and it lasts me until my next batch. I've sold it occasionally and keep wanting to do more, but it is too time consuming. Fortunately my supplies will be used up as I make it for myself. My molds won't go to waste.

MP Soap: I have a 5 pound brick of this to try to start doing MP soaps for shows. May use up for the show next week and then no more

Tarts: I should never have let the tart monster bite me. These are really popular at my work, but people buy in onesies and twosies and I don't have the patience to make it into a real business. Going to sell what I have and then call it quits. I can still use the tart molds for my tub truffles.

Corncob Sachets: I have about two dozen muslin bags and a corresponding amount of corncobs plus printable silk which you print in your computer and then iron on the bag (was going to do my logo). Not sure about this. I could maybe make it for my show next week if I have time, then that's it.

Soy flakes: My boss loves soy candles but other than the one I give her at Christmas and on her birthday, I won't be pouring more soy.

********************************************

Thanks for reading this long vent. I just needed to tell myself what I need to do. Maybe someone can relate. I need to take back my life from the infinitely expanding product line. My website designer is almost done with my website, and that's going to be another job in and of itself.

I've purchased several stamps from this company on Ebay including the one I use to stamp my return address label on each package. I like them very much---they were cheap, fast and just what I needed.

It's actually an ingredient in some food items. I was just reading a label the other day and noticed DPG (same INCI) in there. Can't recall what it was, though.

I personally don't use DPG in perfumes because 1) jojoba is part of the luxury appeal of my products and 2) i hate the dry-yet-sticky feel of DPG as it dries. I use it frequently in my incense making, though, and have not had a problem with having it get on my hands day in and day out (and I get the serious itchies from many things). Anecdotal evidence only, I know, but.....my 2 cents.

I dislike cyclo because one never knows if it will blend with the FO you happen to use. Some it does, others it doesn't. The ones it doesn't mix with will drop like a stone to the bottom of the bottle and look unattractive IMO. It does have a very nice dry-not-sticky-but-slick feel, though.

There isn't a hard and fast rule such as one might have with soap. I use jojoba oil in mine, and some scents need more FO and some need less, depending on the blend. Put about 10 drops into the bottle and then fill the bottle halfway up with oil and see how you like it. Keep adding oil until it smells like you want it. if it becomes too diluted, add a few more drops FO. You have to experiment.

I'm not selling tarts yet--probably this fall/winter---but..The way I see it, with my buyers, I have to have the warmers if I'm going to be selling the tarts, because every time I "introduce" tarts to someone, they will want/need to buy the warmer too and if I don't have it it's like leaving them high and dry. People get excited about a new product and want to buy it then and there, and that means having the "other parts" available. I get tealight burners from a local wholesaler and pick up electric warmers and metal tart trays wherever I can find them.

To me, the Sandalwood Vanilla is nothing like the Mysore. SV is super sweet and vanilla-y, with a undertone of sandalwood.

The Mysore is more like the actual precious wood smell, and it also has an unusual "soapy" undertone I really like.

Both sell well for me in body oils, the SV is one of my best sellers.

I get my perfume bottles by the 144 piece case and every case has two or three wonky ones. Honestly? I toss them, or use for testers. It's not worth the time it would take me to pack it up and ship it back. Crap happens!

I just ordered all kinds of FOs for my fall and holiday tarts. I can't wait to get the box!

I sell incense and B&B and usually do pretty well at shows. I do a lot of oddball shows that people mention to me. I joke that any festival that includes one or more of the following will be a good moneymaker for me: renaissance costumes, hippies, musicians, bikers, or girls with tattoos. Outdoors is good....Beer is good......I'm friendly and get along with all kinds of people so I do well at these things.

I have a lady who I share tables with sometimes. She does jewelry and her customer base is definitely different than mine...but we get crossover business from each other by having a bigger, more varied booth so it's all good.

She has been trying to talk me into doing more shows with her, including homeshows. I don't think my stuff will do well at homeshows so I nixed that for now, but I did agree to go with her to a dance recital where she said she usually does well. This was a show of adult dancers, not children, who take belly dance, hula, swing etc. classes at the rec center, etc. Supposedly it draws a big crowd every time (friends & family coming to watch mom/sis/friends dance). The lady in charge decided to have vendors to liven up the intermission period & it's been successful in the past (according to my friend.)

Well, I do a lot of belly dance festivals and other music/dance faires so I said yes. Why not, the table cost me less than a movie ticket and maybe I could find some new buyers.

Saturday arrived and it was 100 degrees....I should have known.....

Got my car all loaded up (lots of sweating and cussin) and drove 20 miles to get to the rec center. My friend had already staked out good spots for us at the side of the stage and I thought---this will be good.

Hauled everything out (I have a 6 foot table setup) and waited. And waited. And waited. People trickled in slowly but the chairs never filled up. About 40 people came (expected 200). I blame it on the heat. The rec center had air conditioning but it was sweltering outside. Most of the attendees were were family members of the performers (as expected) but it was a very conservative crowd. Barely anyone made any purchases...from any of the vendors. Most stayed only to see their family member, and then left, without shopping....Basically I made about $20. It was sad.

Here's a pic of my display. It wasn't looking good last night because with the heat, I just wanted to throw it out there and be finished setting up so I could cool off.

From my experience doing fairs and festivals with my incense and perfumes, I have learned that the key to success is getting those signs up HIGH. Signs that lie on a table are worthless. Tent cards sitting on the table haven't worked well for me. What seems to work is when I take my highest display, stick the sign on a couple chopsticks and poke it up there where it hollers in your face about whatever I want the buyer to see. When I do show specials I make the sign level with my face. Anything lower, they just don't seem to notice. I use a lot of stepped displays and use the space in back of them for crucial signage.

I figured this out partly myself and partly from a friend who does merchandising for grocery stores. The shelves at eye level sell more, and the grocery store charges the company more to keep the product there.

Still recovering after my big show last weekend.

Based on what I sold there, I'm scaling back on some products and increasing production on others. Took a drive out to visit one of my suppliers yesterday. It was great---except for the bill

I've been working on some whipped shea for myself today--I keep it in the fridge and it feels sooooo good to rub on when it's hot outside. I swear shea butter has replaced most of my skin care purchases over the past year. Compared to the carp I used to spend money on, it's a bargain and much more effective.

I'm also making a friend some container candles out of some old candles she had at her wedding a few years ago. They were filthy, unscented white candles and me personally, I would have ignored sentiment and tossed them out altogether, but I promised I would give it a try. This friend can't bear to throw away anything with a memory attached to it. She was determined to recycle these candles. SO (being a very good friend) I melted them down and skimmed the dirt and grime off the hot wax, and I'm now coloring them a pale orange and scenting them with NG's Mango Papaya. I had to toss a lot of the wax because of the dirt, so from four or five big candles I'm getting two medium sized containers. I warned her that she shouldn't have any expectations but she promises she'll be happy with anything I come up with.

I personally love it....it's not a regular Hershey's chocolate scent, but more of a perfumey chocolate with lots of vanilla. I sell it as a body oil and a lot of the same people who love Pink Sugar adore this Cacao. Foody but sexy.

I am going to be BUSY!! I have my biggest festival of the year next weekend and I have dozens of incense bundles soaking and drying around the house. Ditto with incense cones. My stock of body oils needs to be increased so I'll be bottling and labeling + I need to re-do my signage & make a price list! AAAAAAAAAGHHHH!!! (just kidding)

I love doing festivals but it is a lot of work.

Yes, you are in luck, Genwax is in North Hollywood and they have a huge factory outlet that sells lots of candle making supplies. So far I have used their C-3 Naturewax (Soy) and several of their paraffin waxes, plus color, scent, wicks (not that great IMO), etc. The prices are in line with what you'd pay through mail order, but no shipping! Yay!

With some areas it works to target a section as "Gifts". We used to have a section at the side of our yard sale with a big sign "Need a gift?" Put our handmade b&b stuff in baskets and have the lil neighbor girl gift wrap it if requested (the bags & tissue at big lots are great for this) A lot of people would stop and remember that they need a birthday gift for so-n-so later that weekend and buy the baskets. I used to put slow moving products in there and it always went over well.

Haha, you know that and I know that, but you'd have to know my boss to know that once she makes up her mind you can't tell her anything....I did point out out that a good paraffin candle (as opposed to my beginner's test candle) will have fewer problems but she says she has noticed smoke issues with other purchased paraffin candles in her house before and she's no longer going to buy them.

I'm not a paraffin hater, just sharing a funny story! And also pointing out that people believe what they want to believe even if they're not strictly true. Kinda like saying "don't confuse me with the facts when this version suits my purposes better."

I've been using my co-workers as testers. My boss loves candles and ever since I brought her one of my first ones last month, she's been lighting them up in her office *at work*. We work in a high-rise with sprinkler systems galore, so I thought this was a little risky but she says "if we set off the alarm, we'll stop" (she's one of the top dogs so I guess she's not too worried).

Well, I'm using soy and taking MurrayHill's advice to go with as small a wick as you can get away with so sooting hasn't been a problem. Last week though, I brought in a Mango candle in that was actually paraffin (i wanted to see if the smell was stronger in paraffin). I didn't tell my boss anything because she knows nothing about candles. She's had the same mango i used this time,but in a soy candle, and loved it. She lit it and went to work. About an hour later she called me in and said "Something is different about this candle!! It's smoky and I'm afraid it will set off the smoke alarm. The mango smells funny too. What did you do different with this candle??"

I explained the difference and she said "I don't want any more paraffin candles. Only soy candles from now on, OK?"

To tell the truth I was shocked she could tell the difference.

That afternoon she played "instant expert" and went around telling people that they shouldn't burn their paraffin in the office and that she can burn *her* candles because they are special. She also told people that if they want "special" non-sooty,office safe candles, to BUY them from me.

I love my boss but she is nuts! I've been making candles for one month! Some people came over to "buy" and I gave them free candles, explaining that these are testers. She got mad!!

She's a type A personality who loves to push all of us to be entrepreneurs. She has three successful businesses and two daughters who are a doctor and a lawyer, so I usually listen to her.....but not this time!

But I'm still amazed that she knew the difference right away. Maybe it's cause I always have incense burning in my home, but I can't tell much of a difference smokewise myself between para and soy.

Can you tell the difference personally?

I've worked a number of these in the past few years, and had a lot of fun. Bring sunscreen! I sell incense and body oils and every time I do a Ren faire I rename some of my scents to fit in with the theme. For instand I rename my oil Romeo and Juliet instead of Lovespell and Ocean Rain becomes Avalon. Anything herby or earthy gets renamed Middle Earth, pine becomes Ancient Forest ....one year we named everything based on King Arthur's legend (Guenevere, Lancelot, Merlin, Camelot) and another year it was Shakespeare. We have fun with it. There are a LOT of lookie-loos and you have to watch out for shoplifters (lots of young teens around and I guess it's very tempting) but it's a ton of fun. Wearing a costume is my favorite part too! (plus looking at all the good lookin longhaired guys).

Add me to the list of people who never knew/cared about wet spots until I started making my own. Some of the expensive candles I've purchased have been literally Wet Spot City yet I never even picked up on it. My sole,100% judgement of a candle (in the past) was how strong it smelled & if the color was pretty.

I'm making incense, body oils and sachet bags for sale at a festival on Sunday as well as making more tester candles. I'm getting a little crazy now that I've started this whole wax thang. I can't look at any kind of container now without thinking that it would make a great candle jar. And everyone I mention candles to begs me to be a "tester". It cracks me up because a number of my friends and family are bath-and-body-works-ho's who refuse to even try my handmade soap (which I've been making and selling for 3 years now, very successfully). However they are happy to grab any crappy old candle I make, even if it's totally unsafe (being so new at this).

Funny thing, Chris, I just bought Oriental Rush at Genwax's big in-store sale (it WASN'T marked down, of course). I sniffed it thinking "this can't be worth $13.50" (4 oz size) but after the sniff, I had to have it.