Violetsexoticcandles

Thanks guys!

Did you get help? Was it worth going that route?

Thanks, Susan. Yes, just from browsing the site, it looks like a paperwork nightmare. A book would be helpful. Any recommendations?

Does anyone know about dealing with the SBA, especially the financial part? I'm seriously considering opening my own shop and need some advice on where to start, etc. I've been doing this for nearly 2 years but don't know the first thing about going 'official.' Thanks in advance! Violet

I've never made lotion before, but I am considering participating in the Soaper's Choice co-op and would like to know if there's a simple lotion recipe that I can use with the product's soapers choice offers? I found this recipe on Soaper's Choice, but have a few questions... Basic Lotion Ratio is 1 part Emulsifying Wax, 6 parts Oil, 2 Parts Glycerin, 12 parts water. Add fragrance or essential oil to your desired scent level. Example 1 Ounce Emulsifying Wax 6 Ounces Oil (Sweet Almond, Avocado, Apricot Kernel, Fractionated Coconut, Olive or Rice Bran) 2 Ounces Glycerin 12 Ounces Distilled Water Fragrance or Essential Oil (recommend 0.2 to 0.4 ounces for this batch) Heat the emulsifying wax, oil, and glycerin until wax is barely melted and cool to 110-120 degrees. Add distilled water and fragrance or essential oil. Blend with stick blender or and mixer on low until texture is lotion-like, pour into bottles. What is emulsifying wax? Can I use mango butter in this recipe? If so, what would it be substituted for? I am confused here. lol. TIA! Violet

It's burning quite nicely for your first burn. And don't worry about the hang up- it looks like it'll catch up. I've had worse- don't ask me about my 8 oz jelly experiment or my on-going attempts at wicking a 3" pillar! LOL. The white stuff kinda looks like the crystal effects you'd get with glass glow. Not too apparent to me, but then again, I'm not standing above it either. Hard to tell with just a pic. I just might buy some CSN wicks. Hmm... :tiptoe:

I get my labels from them and print myself, but now that I've seen this, maybe I should get some printed?? Did it cost a whole bunch?

I've used it and haven't had a problem, but then again, I've only used it in 1 3" round pillar mold and in votive molds. As long as you grease up your mold before-hand and your molds don't have dents or other damage, it should come out ok. Then again, who knows?? I don't know what molds the others were using.

I would cut out the beeswax and buy a heat gun. I use C3 and sometimes the tops will come out funky, but as long as you're pouring at a low temp as recommended, and you use a heat gun, the tops will be smooth. I don't use any additives...

Hmm... where to begin? Drop some scents from my line- ones that just don't sell enough to make it worthwhile. Work on my website- I haven't updated my scent categories in a while and I need to reduce, reduce, reduce! Get a shopping cart up and running on my website. I had been using Paypal buttons, but really want to be able to use my own, so I can accept credit cards. I tried using ZenCart, but have no idea how to use it with Dreamweaver- if anyone knows, I'd greatly appreciate it!!! Also, need to know how to set it up with USPS, UPS, FEDEX, DHL, etc... by weight, so I can have a way to automatically calculate shipping. I've been having my customers email me their orders and sending them invoices via Paypal. I really want to cut out paypal if possible... along with Ebay, they are too costly when it comes to fees. Sell my leftover stock (took inventory last night and I have a TON) by sending out emails to my customers offering 40% off, having parties, getting some local customers to host, etc... Cutting products- I've already cut the smaller bulb jars- they're just too small and too costly- as it is, I still have 15 jars made that did not sell. Cut the 4 oz flat tins- they really don't hold 4 oz of wax and too costly to make if I can only sell them for a couple bucks. I may look into larger tins, but only if demand is there. Cut the clamshell tarts- they just don't sell around here. I have like 30 made still and unlike other areas, people prefer the 1 oz tarts- they're cheaper. Buy new votive wax. I've got maybe 10 lbs of the crappy V1 left that I am probably going to make a bunch of tarts out of and sell them at a loss on Ebay. Then I'm buying Ecosoya PB. Keep playing with palm pillars until I get the right wick!!! Market my palm containers. I've successfully wicked 16 oz mason jars as well as 10 oz bulb jars. I may add 15 oz bulb jars, just not sure yet. But I really want to try to upsell my palm wax containers, as they are so gorgeous and not too many people have them in my area. I'd really like to select a line of FOs for my palm containers. They're so classy looking and if I do a high-end line (like Asian Amber from CS-that scent ROCKS) I may attract more wholesale orders from retailers who cater to visitors from NYC. AND, get a nice modern jar to use with this line... something like the metro, but not so thick. Advertising. I have a friend who owns a communications business. Need to make enough $ to do a mass mailing in my zipcode. I need to work on that photo box so I can take some good quality pics- visual is everything when it comes to marketing. Keep playing with balloon candles. I made a couple two weeks ago and just love the way they look when a tealight is placed inside of them. Thinking of more ways to get my business out there. Eventually, I want this to become fulltime. I think that's it! Of course, I will keep playing with ideas and experiment with new FOS. Last of all- take a week or so off, as I've poured about $600 worth of candles in two weeks on top of being ill. I would like to relax for a few days, burn some of my candles and rest without worrying. Just gotta get my wholesale order shipped and a couple others taken care of.

Mary, It seems like your FO isn't incorporated well enough. How much FO did you use per lb? If too much FO is added, sweating can happen. Also, weather can add to it- if there is too much moisture or humidity, this can happen. Heat, too, can cause candles to sweat. Not sure why one candle would do it but the other didn't. Weird. Maybe someone else knows... Did you cool them in the same area? Violet

I seem to recall getting a lot of orders last Feb. for Valentines Day. I handpainted roses and hearts on jars. The fragrances I sold varied greatly, but a lot of rose and flowery scents, plus clean ones, if I recall correctly. Also, I bought those heart-shaped jello aluminum tins, poured the desired scent in white color, made mini-heart tarts to embed and grubbied the tops. Mini tarts in heart and rose shapes sold well, also. The first two weeks of January sucked for sales, but after that, I was still selling a lot of bakery scents up until April. Spring was touch and go; I don't know that I'll invest much in fragrances, as I already have a lot left from last year, but I may try some new ideas like St Patty's day jars and Easter Egg layed ball pillar candles. Maybe easter egg mini-tarts (oh no, here I go again- I'm such an addict!) Sales slumped from June until August, though. People don't always want candles in the summer. I'm not going to stock up much on summery scents, but there were a few that sold well- mango papaya, lemon verbena, cranberry citrus, lime crystal kisses, plus the clean scents like sunwashed linen. I only had one customer ask for citronella, but no one else did, so I decided not to carry it, as it would not have been cost-effective. Hope this helps some.

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I did manage to sell $50 worth tonight on my way home and have been asked to stop by a bar for a bartender who wants them on Friday, plus a hair salon on Sat. I asked around at work, but most people were broke bc of Christmas... and I've been out sick for a week til today or I may have sold more. Don't know any teachers really. But I'm working on it. Craig's list may be an option, once I do inventory to see what I have left.

Hi Guys, I made a ton of candles this fall that haven't sold. I've already tried Ebay... no luck. I would probably have to practically give them away to sell them on there. Any advice on how to unload the rest of my jars? I've got like 4 boxes full still... plus pies and tins. I missed a craft event last week due to illness, or maybe I wouldn't be in this predicament. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Violet

Congrats! Sounds like you did a bang up job, you were very well informed and prepared and I admire you. Sigh.. I remember my first candle expedition... didn't come out like yours, I'll say that much... lol. Good goin... now show us how it burns once it cures.

I honestly didn't keep track of who posted what, but have been since told that posts were deleted by the moderators, so they aren't visible except for those who subscribed to have them sent to their personal email inboxes. And I had originally written a longer message, but edited it three times, the second time I had deleted everything and just written the don't do it thing... because if you look back at my posts on the thread, I used to religiously use a microwave to melt my soy wax until one day my pyrex blew up and then last week the micro died on me. I was just tryin to say that I love this board and think we can all help each other out, tryin to help end the bitter remarks and cold retorts towards others. I don't think it's called for. But I really wasn't directing it towards any one individual... just have seen a lot of it the last few months and it shocked me.

I made a couple balloon candles and this thread has haunted me since it was posted. I'm thinking... these artistic designs could have been made by something in the shape of a large ladle? Like something meant to scoop but with a larger dimension above the handle? Just my guess. Looks like a large lily to me? But then again, I'm from Hawaii... don't know if I'm guessin' right or not. Vi

Don't use the microwave... Don't do it! I don't get it- I got an email about a post on this thread, which I subscribed to, and yet, I don't see the problem? This was a rather nasty remark to a supposed nasty remark. I love Candletech, people. Let us all work together and help each other, not try to take each other down a notch. I started out alone, without anyone but my own two hands, and it cost me a bunch of $ and time... Let's see how we can help each other, rather than fight against each other... And, if one's reasoning doesn't meet another's, fine, so be it.. Life is too short! Be happy! Love each other and live well! Enjoy who you are and what you do, share it, love each other, for it may be that it is all you can do for someone in this life...

I used to do this until my pyrex (glass) exploded in my microwave! Now everytime I even 'think' of melting in the microwave, I get little shivers up and down my body. Thank god my microwave didn't blow up, as well. But damn, it was a hell of a time cleaning! My microwave kicked the bucket the other day, too. I wonder if that's why? Hmm. Anyway, I wouldn't do it!

I get mine from a very reliable person on Ebay with reasonable prices, fast and economical shipping. PM me if you'd like her URL for her store. I love her!

I agree with Stella- I wouldn't have my wax stored outside. Palm wax is so expensive, why risk it? I keep mine inside next to where I pour. I'm running outta room, though, what with 2 boxes of soy, a 55 lb bag of gglow and numerous other smaller bags of palm and soy. Blah... LOL. Time to start reorganizing!

I agree- it must be weighed on a scale. Not only would it be wasting money, but also, if you don't weigh it, you could be adding too much, which can cause the wax to sweat. Yuck.

If you're using 10%, that would be 1.6 fluid ounces per lb. If an FO doesn't throw well at 1 oz per lb, it's not for me... you'd be throwing money out the window. There are plenty of FOs out there that DO throw at 1 oz per lb, sometimes even less.

You need to get a scale and put the shot glass on it, then tare (zero it out), add your fo until you get the percentage you want (usually 1 fluid ounce per lb). If you measure just with the shotglass, you're not going to get an accurate result. Take it from me- I wasn't using a scale for a long time and was wasting time & $ trying to get the percentage right. Get a scale, measure... Listen to Stella.

Doesn't quite, unless you're smokin the real thing ... lol.