Ramaroa

Thank you for your kind comments about my site, I'm still toying with the hex jars really and only bought in a small quantity whilst I decide if I want to buy a full case and keep them as a permanent feature. Anyway I'm drifting between CD8 and CD10s with the smallest jar (195ml - I'm not sure what that equates to in US Fl oz) I'm using 100% Soy Container Wax and 1 oz to one pound of fragrance, with liquid dye. Sometimes with the CD8 there is a small hang-up usually just one side of the rim, but nothing too get upset about, but the CD10s usually sort that out. I wish there was a CD9 though as that would 'probably' be perfect. Good luck anyway, I'm sure you'll find one that fits.

No I reckon the Queen of Hearts just made the tarts; she stole the recipe from someone else.

That is exactly what I do and spookily I have 11 fragrances listed, but I add one special each month. I couldn't bear to have to make one candle at a time and I generally do a batch of one fragrance at a time and make several variations, just to keep a small stock. I think you have to work through a way you want to operate and assess the pros and cons of what will work for you in the time you have available. Nothing is written in stone and the beauty being that if you decide to do something a certain way and it isn't working, it's not that difficult to change tack and go in another direction. I just have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about offering something for sale that I don't actually have - but that's just me.

Looks fantastic and you shouldn't have admitted the white sides were a mistake as it definitely looks like it was meant to be that way.

£700 a month Blimey, that put's my spending into perspective - I'm only a lightweight compared to some. I'll be sure to tell DH that!

Hi Tereasa and welcome, your post made me smile. I especially like the idea of a book that tells you how to use four letter words in a structured sentence, as I tend to just chuck expletives in all over the place and that's not a good look. Also good tip about the steak, to appease the DH when his dinner arrives burned, late or both because I have been far too busy doing other things.

Well done you, that was a worthwhile morning wasn't it? I love hearing all the success stories, especially good to see little Acorns growing, because the only way is up from there.

Sods law says "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong". The term is commonly used in UK, perhaps in the USA you prefer the newer "Murphy's Law".

Still early days for me and I've not figured out the best way to go. I try to keep a 'very' small stock of everything - small being no more than 6 of anything, just so that I have something to hand should I be asked for it. For me it's nice to have a few to fall back on especially after a busy day at work, so that I can just grab whatever I need for an order and then I try to replace it when I have a bit of time. Still I manage to get caught out many times and end up in a panic when I haven't got something I need and sods law says someone will always ask for what you have the least of. I can't afford to keep a big stock of fragrance, so for the same reason, I too am loathe to tie up fragrances in candles sitting on the shelf. I only carry a very small selection of regular fragrances (10 or 11) in order to keep it manageable for me, to which I add some monthly specials, seasonal and limited editions, to keep it interesting. I've no idea how people cope with doing dozens and dozens of fragrances - it makes my brain boggle enough as it is.

Actually I just had another look at the pictures, could you try the first two but leave the centre strip white or clear (with just your name etc) bordered with the picture. It would look nice and clean and 'fresher'. Just an idea!

I agree less is more, especially for a modern look. Also worth considering that the more colour you have, the more they cost to print. If you are printing them yourself, big blocks of colour will eat your printer cartridges in no time at all. Of the ones you have here, I like the bluey sea tones with the picture, not so keen on the pink - although I do like the cherries, I think the pink detracts from the simplicity and naturalness of the cherries.

Have you thought about little boxes, like confetti or Noodle boxes.

Sandalwood is a good repellant, I usually burn sandawood incense sticks around the garden among my batallion of things to keep away the biters during summer. Also good old lavender is good in your skin for repelling mossies, so I reckon it would work well in a candle. Eucalyptus is anothr good one. Burning strong smelling herbs, such as sage or rosemary on your BBQ is another recommendation to keep the blighters away, so again might be worth a try So go for it, I'm sure you could knock up a killer concoction and when you do, can I have the recipe?

You've now developed into a 'pusher' in order to feed your own addiction. Please refrain from pushing them candles around the school gates though, before we know it children all over the world could become addicted to sniffing candles. Good on ya, hopefully the addiction will get to them too and they will want to come back for more.

It looks fantastic and your soaps are gorgeous.

Yay! That's progress already, it's good to talk! I can feel you're motivation has lifted and relief is on the way. You'll be fit to attack your worries with renewed vigour after a relaxing weekend with the family. Onwards and upwards!

Some good advice there, it's like any job there are times when it all seems too much, we all bite off more than we can chew sometimes. I've been there many a time working for an employer, but the same things must run true. Take a big deep breath, you have taken the first step in acknowledging that you have a problem, now we have to see if 'we' can fix this. I don't have any answers, but I don't think you should give up. If your not keen on the hired help, then you must for your own sanity find ways to work smarter - not harder. Some Time Management skills could help you. You say you don't have time for yourself or your family - well you jolly well have to make that time. Lists and lists, you need lists! You must plan your day, spend a few minutes in the morning and make a plan of action, prioritise and allocate the time each will take. Book some time out for you, your DS or whatever - an hour here or there, make the appointment and stick to it. Tomorrow from 6pm until 7pm I wil do ******, book it in and do it. You will be amazed at what you can achieve and it's very therapeutic to have a plan and see big ticks as you mark off the things you have completed. You know that old saying about if you want something done ask a busy person, other people often work longer hours but don't achieve as much because they spend their time doing the wrong tasks. You need to differentiate between urgent jobs and important jobs, sometimes we create our own emergencies and spend time doing stuff that isn't particularly important. Reacting fast and firefighting can be counter-productive; giving into the demands of the loudest, eats your time and distracts your focus from more important stuff. Feelings of being overwhelmed? A distraction in itself as you don't work most effectively when you don't know where to start. Under that kind of pressure, we invariably choose to do the easy stuff, hoping the big stuff will go away. It doesn't and we get more stressed. So write those big tasks down, you don't have to do them all today, but simply making a plan of when you will do them makes you will feel a whole lot better and most importantly you are back in control. So make a plan - it has to be very visual and very graphic - but it does work.

Oooops! I can see how easily that could be done, I do that when I'm cooking sometimes. I do hope there wasn't too much damage, it must have given you a fright. I have a halogen hob and there's a very fine line with what is on / off - many times I think I have turned the thing off only to realise later that it is still on.

The trouble is you can then justify a good reason to buy more stuff, because you sold a candle. I know I do! I'm never going to become rich doing this, the best I can hope is to fund my 'hobby' by selling some. I keep trying to tell myself that I can't spend anymore money until, I've actually earned the funds from candle sales - but alas it desn't seem to be working. There's always some packaging or fragrance or labels or stationery, or wicks, or whatever that I simply have to have right now.

I enjoyed browsing around your site - very nice. The easiest way to solve spelling is to copy and paste your pages into Word (or something similar) and run a squick spell check. You can end up looking at the errors so many times, that you no longer see them and it often needs someone else to point them out (and they will ). Well done!

Those of us who are quite adept at buying stuff over the net, think nothing of ordering stuff from around the world, simply by zapping the required funds via our Paypal and Credit cards. Living in a shopping desert I buy stuff from all over the place and often the shipping cost is minimal, however there are a lot of people who wouldn't and don't feel so comfortable doing that and perhaps would never even think of doing it or even know how easy it is to shop around the world. I'm sure you would attract those kinds of people who are happier to shop at home, but want the wealth of choice offered from overseas. Perhaps it would be wise to widen the range beyond just selling the moulds and become somewhere where people will return for repeat business. Good luck anyway!

Ohh dear, what a disappointment for you.! Isn't it just awful when you get yourself all geared up to go and buy some particular thing, have money in pocket ready and willing to spend and then can't find the things you want. I have terrible trouble sourcing supplies and the worst thing is having to wait sooo long for stuff to be shipped from overseas. I hope the postie does a speedy job and gets your stuff to you asap.

Mmm, sounds good! I can think of lots of foodie ones that would be suitable: Citrus and Basil Peach and Fig Pommegranate (sp?) Honey Almond Cookies Wild Cherry Melon Tiramisu or a cappuccino/coffeeish one Amaretto Lemon (Limoncello)

ohh I feel we're we're getting very very close. The place in London where Shakespeares Globe Theatre is along the river Thames and dah dah, guess what that area is called? 'Bankside'. http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/globe-theatre/features/bankside-in-shakespeare-s-day-in-progress A river, Shakespeare, entertainment and theatre connection and to top it all, coming right back round the world to complete the circle to USA - you know Sam Wannamaker was the person who commissioned the building of the New Globe Theatre and spent most of the latter years of his life raisng funds to get the theatre built. http://www.mysouthbank.co.uk/southwark/celebs&gossip-sam_wannamaker.htm

Aww, you're making me homesick up until two years ago I lived within 20 mins of Lakeside and all the delights of Ikea - unfortunately we have absolutely nothing of of the sort here.