MochaMama

Thanks Steph, you know how it is to try to do 20 million things at once!! I will go with the easily tinned ones - I was stuck on creating a variety of shapes/molds, but it will be easier for me right now to stick to one mold for the portable tin. Perhaps then I can market the massage bars with the "stay at home" tin.

I would also test in the lip balm tube. For some reason my lip balm/lotion bar recipe got grainy when I used the lip balm tube but did not get grainy as a lotion bar. Go figure!

Ugh! I planned on opening my website before Jan 5th, but circumstances aren't allowing me to do so--I am so behind in making product that it doesn't look like I'll ever get open before the 1st of Feb. That being said, I also make a mistake on my lotion bar packaging. I ordered these really cute celtic knot hearts from Milky Way Molds. The hearts turned out beautifully, but they don't fit in the 4 oz shallow tins. I feel like such a :embarasse . I measured and checked dimensions, but oh well. I have 8 in shallow tins, but they seem so HUGE that it seems that no one would be able to carry them in their purse. So my dilemma -- chuck the hearts and stick with the sunflowers (which fit perfectly and will go into the summer months) or go ahead and sell the hearts with the huge (4 in across) tins? Thanks in advance - everyone here gives great food for thought and I really need any suggestions right now cuz I'm kind of stuck.:undecided

I think your site is an excellent idea also. I like the fact that you have a specialty item. I also think that a soap favor is much more useful than those old jordan almonds!!!

Yes, that's pretty much it. I chose web standard for right now because I am just starting out and don't have the cash to pay the 20 fee. It has worked for me so far.

You know, you get so wound up with the paperwork that I haven't even been able to make more product in about two weeks!!! Thank you for the encouragement. This board really helps.

I just ordered this last night - I KNEW I should have done a search on here first!!! I hope it turns out ok - I have my own lotion bar base, but just wanted to try theirs.

I used Microsoft Publisher and created my own logo. I don't use graphics though. The designs on my website are from Reall Designs. Most places like onlinelabels, etc. will give you a template to use.

Registered my business with the state of NJ Formed an LLC in the state of NJ Obtained insurance for my business Created a website. I think I"m ready to REALLY begin. Am I missing anything??

Great idea - and I can just run to the store and get them, thanks!!

It depends on what kind of look you want. I would use a 2-3 in wide wired ribbon to make a big bow after I gathered all the tulle at the top. I can't tie bows, so the wired ribbon will stay where I put it.

Where can I buy large plastic jars to put my butters in? Columbus foods has great prices, but I need to get the stuff out of the bottles into a wide mouth jar. Is there I place where I can buy three or four w/out being charged a "small order fee"? Thanks in advance.

Milky Way Molds has a site- they have a lot of molds. Here is the link for their list - I put in "heart" in their search engine. http://www.milkywaymolds.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

I will placing an order with them soon...- they have so many to choose from Thank you so much for the link. Now there's a new place to spend my $$$

Thank you so much for the link, but I realized that I don't have the "criteria" to buy/sell on soap saver. GRR!! Guess I'd better start posting over there also!

Wow, that sounds like it turned out great! I've looked at the tray molds but......now I can buy that and the loaf mold. Of course that also means I'll have to purchase a soap cutter. I'd like to try anything that will save me some time in making product!

Did you ever think of doing the lotion bars in one of those log molds, then cutting them? I saw a cool mold where you could make a soap log mold w/two colors and thought it would be pretty to make a lotion bar like that. I am still going to try it, but has anyone tried it?

Try columbusfoods.com. I believe it is 1.60/lb if memory serves correctly, but there is a minimum weight purchase.

Thanks ladies. My mind has been so fried working on my wahm website that it seems like I can't process any thing else! I appreciate you breaking it down in steps for me.

Hi Ladies: I know that some of you use this checkout. I have Mal's shopping cart and PayPal Standard w/business account. Would I be able to use both paypal and google checkout? How would this work? Thanks in advance for all your advice, as usual.

I took a look at the site and the prices (once I used a currency converter) look pretty good. How long have you been using this site and do you get orders from overseas also? Thanks

I sell bath and body, but I have insurance. I believe it is from RLI and I got mine from a broker. If you run a search for "insurance" in this forum, you will find lots of threads with different people's opinions and options on the matter. Good Luck!!

Thank you all for the comments, pointers and compliments about my site. I am going to work on it some more then have my "grand opening".

Just off the cuff, I would start with 1/2 oz of the flavor oil, see how it turns out. You could always remelt and add more.

That is so excellent!!! Wow!!!