hometowncandles

What's the best kind of fryer to use, or does it matter? I am hoping(fingers crossed) to start doing fundraisers soon with the 8oz square masons. I have had 3 inquiries and am waiting to hear back. One is my DD & DS's preschool, they have a meeting this Friday to decide what type of fundraiser to do this year. I gave all the teacher's a 8oz candle for Christmas and they all loved them. Some have even purchased more since then. So I'm hoping that'll help sway them toward doing my candles. If I get that fundraiser, I'll definately need more than a presto pot. All the parent's and teachers will be taking orders for the fundraiser, that's a little over 100 people. Trying to keep my expectations reasonable, but I get so excited thinking about it. Sorry, didn't mean to hi-jack, I'm just excited, did I mention that already. Have a great day Jennifer

I've dealt with the Jar Store on various occasions, they have always been very kind and helpful. Sorry you had a bad experience, maybe you just got somebody having a bad hair day or something. I ordered samples of the apothecary jars when I first started testing a little over 3 years ago, at the time, I wasn't charged for samples, but the economy wasn't as bad then either. I have received a few broken jars from time to time, but they've always given me a credit on my next order. It seems it's getting harder and harder to find companies with good C/S anymore, even the ones who use to have it. You would think with so many people needing jobs, the ones with them would be trying a little harder to keep them.

I have got to stop looking in the B&B Gallery, don't have time to start cp soap right now. Kiddo's aren't in preschool long enough for me to try a batch, and there will be no lye and them home, they like to watch me when I'm doing stuff. I have a hard enough time keeping them a safe distance from the candle wax. I have been reading though, so maybe come next fall, when they're in school all day, I can give it a try. Everybody's just looks so beautiful, I think I may have soap envy.

Isn't family bonding time wonderful. I think more kids need that kind of attention now days, maybe there wouldn't be quite so many little hooligans running loose.LOL My kiddo's are 3 & 4, not quite old enough to help, but they love to watch me mix lotions and soy whip. My DD starts thinking cake, when I mix KY's Soy Whip. I guess when you add the pink color, it does look like frosting.

Do any of you, who make body powder, use just a regular spice bottle for a shaker? Something like this. http://www.containerandpackaging.com/item.asp?item=B334 I have searched and searched for something with a black cap and the closest thing I have come up with is this. Just curious if it had been done and how it worked. TIA Jennifer

I absolutely love A&F and Eternity for men, has anybody tried the dupes from J/S? If so how close are they? I'm mainly interested in these to make B&B for DH, so I would like to get them from a supplier that I already order from. TIA Jennifer

I'm sure it may vary from company to company, but my agent said it just needs to be a building not attached to my house. And you have to be able to show that it is a business, not just a building sitting in your back yard. He said the only thing needed to do that is a phone and electricity running to the building that's in the business name. You don't have to have water or a bathroom or anything since I wouldn't be selling or preparing food. I haven't done it yet, because it's going to cost a small fortune to have the electric company come set a pole in our yard to run the electricity. And since this is something that's just borderline hobby to me, it's just not worth it. But DH is wanting to build a garage around back, next to my building, so he will need electricity for that. But I would definately check it out, it couldn't hurt. Good Luck

I don't know about other insurance companies, but my company(KY Farm Bureau) offers a policy that will cover product liability and shop liability under one policy. I just have to have a shop established with my business name, it can be as simple as one of those throw together buildings you can buy, and it can even be on my personal property beside my house, but I have to have a phone and electricity in my business name. By doing this my premium would go from $1,000+ per year, just for product liability, to around $450 per year for everything.

I've ordered within the last year, don't remember exactly when right off, but I personally would never order anything from her again. I ordered the lotion sampler pack and the face and hair sampler pack, right at $40.00 with shipping. There were pet hairs everywhere, in the bases, under the labels, you name it and some brown specks that I didn't recognize. I contacted her via e-mail (more than once before getting a response) she said that she had been off that day, and the lady that was helping her had accidentally gotten some bottles and jars from a box she had set aside to dispose of because they were contaminated. She said the brown specks were probably cardboard shavings from the box she had thrown them in and appologized for the pet hairs, and once again blamed her assistant. She did send me a new set of samples at no charge, she stated in a second e-mail that she had personally filled my order and it was on it's way. Those samples were no better, they also had pet hairs both in the samples and under the labels. I didn't bother contacting her again, I figured she would just try to blame someone else (I'm not sure who, since she said she filled the order) and I would get more samples full of pet hair. So I just chalked it up to a bad experience and vowed to never order from her again, which is a shame because she appears to have nice stuff on her site. It would be better if it were usable.

Adorable!!

www.exoticfragrances.com My aunt loves this as well. I've been thinking about ordering some, their prices seem reasonable, but the min order is $30.00. Not sure I want that much of anything right now.

Google Big River Wholesale, a few lines down there's an article where they acquired Craft Lobby back in November. I really hate that, their basic hand and body lotion is the only one I have found that doesn't turn this yucky shade of brown when you use vanilla based scents. Who knows, maybe BRW will keep some of craft lobby's line.

I use Print Artist, it's really simple to use. Which is a big plus for me, since I'm computer challenged.LOL Plus it has lots of Avery templates too.

What about Angel? That's what I call my dd, even though, most of the time she's not. LOL

I know the last time I picked up supplies, Vickey said that many of their waxes were selling at nearly cost. She and Joe had hoped to see prices start to drop a little bit, eventually, but I think they have all but given up on that ever happening. I think we can give up on anything ever dropping, except for our bank account balances.

Pretty much the same scenario though. Why should any company even bother with rules or cut-off's if they are just going to make exception to them all the time. I just think it's rude to expect people to bend the rules for you if they are clearly posted. And then get mad if they don't. JMO

Just curious, as to what type of work you do that allows you to be so liberal with money? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's totally appropriate, or you wouldn't be doing it, right. But if I were a customer of a company that done this, I would be really upset to find that my order came to $5.50 and I had to pay $6.00 for it, especially if someone else's order came to $5.49 and they got it for $5.00. So, shouldn't they give me a break on my order and just say it was $5.49 and let me have it for $5.00 instead of $6.00. I guess this type scenario is why places have "cut-offs".

Oh, I am so jealous of all you soapers and your beautiful creations. I want to try it so bad, but time and funds are limited for awhile.

I second that

Thanks guys, it really is a great program. Several of the participants have remained drug free and have continued to hold down jobs and take care of their families after graduating. I'm glad to help out, I just wish I could afford to let her have the candles, but I'm not that big.LOL

Well, sorta. My Great Aunt, the one who helps me out so much with selling my stuff, works for our local Drug Court. The drug court is for people who are first time drug use offenders who the judge feels can be rehabilitated. They have to go through a 12 month program where they are drug tested, have a curfew, subject to random house checks, etc., etc. If after 12 months, they have remained drug free, and have followed all other guidelines, they have a graduation ceremony for them. The county gets funding for the basics, but the drug court officials like to do a little something special for them to help recognize their achievement. So my Aunt and the other workers raise money throughout the year so they can have them a little graduation dinner and give them some small token of achievement, it may be a T-Shirt, keychain, just something small. But it means alot to those who have successfully completed the program. My Aunt ask me if I would be interested in letting them sell my 8ounce square mason jar candles, of course I said yes, and they have been selling the daylights out of them. I made her up 5 cases just last week, took her 2 more cases today, and she wants more. I'm going to have to order more supplies:yay: I give them a little better price on them than I would most people, just because she is such a great help to me, but I'm still happy with what I'm making and it's great publicity for me. People get a chance to see how a quality candle is suppose to burn and once the fundraiser is over, I'm hoping to pick up some repeat business. Even if I don't this is something my Aunt wants to do ever few months or so, I couldn't be happier. Sorry it's so long, but I'm just so excited. Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful day Jennifer

Thanks guys, I didn't even notice the difference in fold down size. Guess I'll be going with the $149 one. The closest Sam's to me is about 1 1/2 hours away, but we go about every other month. They have a few things I just can't live without in bulk, soft pretzels, jalapeno poppers, bread sticks, etc etc. I'm just glad we have to drive so far to get to one, if I lived any closer, I'd weigh 300 pounds. LOL I'll be making a trip to Sams in a couple of weeks to pick one up, before I spend my money on something else. Islandgirl~make sure you post on how you like it when you get it, and I'll do the same. Thanks everybody. Jennifer

Ok, maybe I've used too much peroxide on my head for too many years now, but I just can't seem to see the difference in these two tents from sams, except about $50 bucks. Maybe I'm just looking too hard and overlooking something, but I've read all the specs and info, and they seem identical. Could someone who has these, or maybe can read better than I can, LOL, tell me the difference and suggest which would be best. Or if there is something better out there. These are both the E-Z Ups, but the first one is called Instant and the second one is called Embassy II http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=376280 http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=363216 I'm planning on doing a few outside shows this year and normally it's either me and my mom or me and my aunt setting things up.(DH usually has to work on set up day) So I need something that's going to be as managable as possible for the two of us. TIA Jennifer

Oh Carole, You are gonna love it! I got that same one about 6 months ago. My inkjet finally went kaput, but I had been really frustrated with it for some time before that. You are going to be amazed at the difference in quality. I had never owned a laser printer, just a dot-matrix :embarasse, hate to say I ever owned one of those, with my first computer I ever owned, and then inkjets from then on out. But the laser prints such clear graphics and letters. Just don't forget to change your paper settings when you print, like if you are printing regular labels change it to labels, if you are printing clear labels change it to transparancy, etc, etc. I've done that a few times and boy does it look messy.LOL Congrats, let us know how you like it when it gets here. Have a wonderful day Jennifer

I've done a search, but I must not be putting in the wright words. My mom and aunt are already selling for me, but I want to start compensating them for it. They both do a really great job, they've never ask for anything for doing it, but I would feel better about it if they got something. I'm wanting to draw up some kind of contract, simply because I have had a couple of my friends who also want to sell, and I want it to be equal across the board for everyone who sells. Except for the little extra freebies, mom and my aunt will get under the table of course. But where do I start? if anyone has any links or any advice I'd be happy to do the research, but like I said, when I tried to do a search, I got everything but what I was looking for. TIA Jennifer