andrealh1975

Very nice!!! Let us see the labels too!

That sounds like a good way for "shy" people like me to get there products out and about. Is it a good money maker? I love to make candles but I'm not a good seller...I usually have my daughter do that or just word of mouth sales. My daughter could sell ice to an eskimo. Some got it...some don't. I don't.

I think catalog parties can be very profitable. For me, in home ones are better since people can see, smell and feel the products. When I was just a candle buyer, I would never buy a fragrance that I hadn't smelled.

Microsoft has a ton of brochure templates to use...

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/results.aspx?Scope=TC&Query=brochures

You could try Fillmore Container or Candles and Supplies (although some have had issues w/ them lately!)

I would suggest setting up tables and fine tuning your display at home. You'd be amazed at the different combos you come up with. I've left mine up for a few days and people have come over and made comments on how to improve it. Be sure to take pics of your set-ups that you like so it'll be easy to refer to when setting up for your show.

Very pretty!!

I was doing some research on candle parties on this forum. I can across something called catalog parties. I was wondering how the heck you get a catalog made with your items. Im assuming that its a full color glossy catalog just like the professionals right?

Is this very expensive to do?

And how do you design it?

Catalog parties are done usually when the customer doesn't want to have a show in their home. In most cases that I know of, the customer shows your catalog around, collects the orders/payments, gives them to you to fill. And you would in turn give them free product or whatever depending on how much in sales they collected.

I wouldn't say you had to have something that looks like what a company like Partylite has. Do you have a brochure? You could probably use it, but make sure it has all of your fragrances and pics of what you make. Then maybe later on you can branch out into doing a catalog.

I know a while back there was a brochure swap that I participated in (sometime before last summer). And someone here had a little catalog...Don't remember who though. Maybe they'll chime in.

HTH

I did a search on aprons in bulk. Here are a few I came up with

http://www.coolaprons.com/

http://www.evertize.com/blanks/aprons.htm

http://www.allheartchefs.com/solidaprons.html

No new scents for me, but I'm working on a little of everything...tealights, votives, jars...I have 3 orders to do and the rest is just restocking. And hopefully getting some good pics outside so I can make some updates.

We have one craft show here that is very popular. It's hard to get in because anyone who has been the previous year can register for the next year for the same booth and they're automatically accepted. This means a newcomer can only get in if someone quits or is a no-show on the day itself.

I thought about doing that and offering a SMALL discount to vendors who did previous shows. But it doesn't allow for newcomers to participate. So I think for the next show I might offer an early bird discount or something to encourage them to sign up.

You can use the same stock you use to print business cards or you can use cardstock. You can get it at office supply stores or Michael's.

p.s. My show is FINALLY next weekend! I'm curious also- what is your application cut-off date for your shows? I left it open until a week before the show (this Saturday), as I didn't know how full we'd be initially, but I didn't think I'd really get any new vendors this close to the date. I'm surprised that I AM still getting new applications!

I know you're excited it's so close now...Think about ALL the rest you'll get afterwards!!

My cut off is October 1, but the show is November 19. BUT, people have been able to apply since April 1. And in the 2 months I've had 20 people apply. With my last show I didn't have too many that were applying the week before. I started to slow down about 2-1/2 weeks out. But I did have a LONG waiting list about 40 people, mostly jewelry. Then I had about 4 people who were no call/no show on the day of. Do you have a policy in place for those who are no call/no show the day of the show? Also, you may get some who call the night before to back out, so find out from your waiting list folks who would be available on short notice.

Tell her to get on a list if you do everything on a first come-first served basis.

She's FINALLY given up. I told her if she wanted to sell the jewelry I would put her on the waiting list for the next show and she'd be among the first to find out about it so she can get her money in early (is this a run-on sentence?!? LOL). Anyway, she's agreed to just sell her scarves and that's it. I make sure everyone knows that if they dispaly/sell stuff that they didn't list on the application that is being sold by someone else they'd be asked to remove it from their tables. So we'll see what happens.

Thanks for the input!

I'm working on my next show scheduled for November. I've been getting lots of good vendors to sign up. But, it's crazy that there are SO many people who do jewelry. Although I'm not allowing any duplicates in regard to the company the vendor is representing, I am allowing there to be a few jewelry people to participate. They all do different kinds of jewelry, one does sterling silver, another does beaded, another does glass. My show has 70 spaces and I think 7 jewelry people is MORE than enough!!

Well, there's a vendor who sells jewelry and scarves. I told her she's more than welcome to come w/ the scarves, but I'm at capacity for jewelry vendors. Now she's sending me all these e-mails, one about how her jewelry is so unique (that's what everyone says), another w/ pics of the jewelry, another asking if I want references. She's driving me batty.

With this show and my last, I've had such craziness w/ jewelry folks. In my area, it seems like EVERYONE makes jewelry and a lot of them are really cut throat.

Are you all seeing an abundance of jewelry makers at your shows?

# 3

I put mine in the freezer to get hard then I...

***Wack it w/ the hammer - I love doing this, especially after one of those days at work!!! Or you can go outside and drop it on the concrete a few times. Make sure you wrap it up w/ an old pillow case or something so wax won't go flying everywhere.

I'm not able to see them.

I use 36-24-24Z and 44-24-18Z w/ mine and both work very well.

I've used their Freesia and also Cotton Candy. The Freesia was fine, but the Cotton Candy got a little weird. The first time I ordered it there was no problem. The 2nd time it smelled totally different. I use cotton candy from NG now.

Does anyone know if square votives will fit in the clear votive boxes from Sunshine Container?

I have slower periods, then all at once my customers gang up on me and drop a buncha orders in my lap ALL IN THE SAME DAY OR TWO. Pretty sure they are planning this behind my back just to drive me batty.

The same thing happens to me!! I think they're ganging up on us!!

Jaimenic - Be patient...The web orders will be a little slow right now, but they will come. Especially once you start getting yourself out there more. Once those orders start rolling in, you'll be amazed!

Why not give her one of your handmade candles? It could get you tons of business down the road. Go for it! When I've given candles as gifts to those I don't really know, I always give something "pretty". I wouldn't necessarily go w/ white (unless that's all you make). How about finding out what colors are in her wedding and give her something to match. HTH

Grumpy, looks like you'll be making a killing off of us!!

I wrap mine in bubble wrap and pack w/ peanuts if I'm shipping to a customer and make sure fragile is stamped ALL over it. (Not that some PO employees pay attention, but anyway!)

If I'm taking jars to a show I just pack them in the boxes they came in. I buy my flower pots in 24pack cases from AC Moore and I can pack those back in the boxes w/ tops on them w/ no problem.

Haven't had any problems. ***Knock on wood***

Very pretty!!