EmpressC

I have the Madagascar and really like it! It turned my M&P soap slightly brown. Body butter is a great idea!

I also have Bladderwrack. I like it but DB didn't like it so much, and he is more into EOs than I could ever be.

I usually wait til it's almost (or even fully) cooled. Then I heat the additional wax to about 10 degrees hotter than the first pour. Works like a charm.

I've only done a few shows thus far, but I thought about the fact of having to have change and thought it'd be a hassle to have to include coins as well. So I figured in the tax for my products and either rounded up or down to the nearest dollar. Just makes life that much simpler. When it's busy, my mind doesn't work well enough to have to figure in tax and all that jazz. I want to make the transaction as fast as possible. LOL!

Awesome!!! I bet it smells goooooooddddd!!!!!

Why would he only pay for shipping??? You should tell him the price of the order plus shipping. Ask him to pay via paypal or to send a check or whatever. When he does so, you ship the product. Sounds simple enough to me. Isn't that how business is conducted???

If he is not willing to do that, then you should move on.

Nope, it doesn't touch the ground. Hmmm...no one's ever said anything to me about that. But I did notice that most everyone else's did.

Violet

Don't give up or get discouraged! Gershel Brothers has 4-step risers that come in a pack of 5 for $20. They really helped me a lot. Also, I got a vinyl table cloth from KMart for $7. Take a look at my display (I am new to craft fairs too). Just another idea for ya!

Bu-tee-ful!

May I ask, how many ounces are those bars? And is that a Kelsei mold?

LOL! Angel, now I know I can go even faster (gonna use the Tasmanian Devil approach)!

I use SFIC bases and always microwave (not something I'm proud of, I'm just impatient :undecided ). Never had it negatively effect the lather, though.

I usually microwave on 50% for about 3 minutes, stir, then at 70% in 30 second intervals with stirring until it's almost all melted. When there is just a few chunks that won't melt, I blast it at 100% for about 20 seconds and that gets it all. The reason I don't leave chunks is because if you add color, you'll have a white spot when you (or a customer) goes to use the soap. It's nothing really, but I don't like to see that.

If you didn't get lather, and didn't add ANY other additives, then I am wondering what setting you microwaved on??

I have the Sleepy Time but haven't done anything with it yet. It didn't move me OOB. I was considering purchasing the Euphoria, but wasn't sure. Maybe it's worth a try too!

How do you all go about finding a good sales rep?

I've tried a couple and liked them. WSP is just so darn expensive! But I do feel the quality is worth it.

Will do! Thanx Scented.

Does anyone know of a good log mold to make 3.5oz bars? The one little lonely log mold I have makes the bars so narrow that it's difficult to do bars that are 3.5oz. They end up looking like squares, which I don't like. Hope this makes sense.

Thanx!

Nature's Garden has little sample size molds.

I have the First Up from Walmart and have seen LOTS of them at the few shows I've done thus far. The only thing I don't like about it is that it takes 2 people to put it up, so I can never do an outside show by myself. But other than that, it is great and it only cost $87.

As for bags, I get mine at Papermart. I have the rope handle bags, and people really seem to appreciate them. They provide a more upscale look and I can't tell you how many people were pleasantly surprised to see them when I packed up their stuff. A little extra goes a long way.

LOL!!!! :spit: Reminds me of an email I got recently:

HER DIARY vs. HIS DIARY

HER DIARY

Tonight I thought he was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a

bar to have a drink. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I

thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no

comment. Conversation wasn't flowing so I suggested that we go

somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed but he kept quiet and

absent. I asked him what was wrong; he said nothing. I asked him if it

was my fault that he was upset. He said it had nothing to do with me

and not to worry. On the way home I told him that I loved him and he

simply smiled and kept driving. I can't explain his behavior. I don't

know why he didn't say "I love you too." When we got home I felt as

if I had lost him, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He

just sat there and watched TV. He seemed distant and absent. Finally,

I decided to go to bed. About 10 minutes later he came to bed, and to

my surprise he responded to my caress and we made love, but I still

felt that he was distracted and his thoughts were somewhere else. He

fell asleep - I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that

his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

HIS DIARY

I shot the worst round of golf in my life today, but at least I got laid.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming... :tiptoe:

Anyone have a pic of these bands?

Here's some info on FCO (copied from the FNWL site):

Fractionated coconut oil contains only the medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) of coconut oil, making it a fluid and very stable oil. It is produced through the hydrolysis of coconut oil and is then fractionated by steam distillation to isolate the MCTs. Fractionated coconut oil has indefinite shelf life and is a light, non-greasy, non-staining, liquid oil. It is a good choice for use in massage, skin care and soap formulations. Fractionated coconut oil is also a useful carrier oil within aromatherapy applications as it helps to carry therapeutic oils under the skin. It can be included in creams, lotions, bath oils, bath salts and soap. Fractionated coconut oil is especially useful in facial creams and formulations that benefit from the inclusion of a lighter oil. It is a good substitute for sweet almond oil if you are worried about rancidity or a short shelf life.

OK, this is probably a dumb question but I'm gonna ask it anyway. When making forever candles, do I need to bother making relief holes? I mean there's no wick, so is it even necessary? I'm thinking no, but thought I'd ask in case someone has experience to the contrary. Thanx.

FCO = Fractionated Coconut Oil. And the show is in Mukwonago. Are ya coming??

That is AWESOME! Congrats!!!

Try BCS. They have them for $3.95 (16oz) and $3.75 (8oz) per case. Lids sold separately.

http://www.bittercreeksouth.com/containers.htm

I would suggest trying Lindsay's (Soaper's Workshop) bases. She offers them with your choice of preservative, one of which is paraben-free. I don't think it feels like BCN's, but it is great and stands on it's own. She has several to choose from and you can get a 2oz sample of each, or design your own custom lotion. I have gotten great response with the Shea Butter base. I'm sure you would find something you like.