MyWife'sBestFriend

Stella, Is it true that UPS is cheaper to a business address then a residental? If so I think I will have my supplies delivered to the TV station where I work.

Sep, Before you take what I say to heart, be aware that I am just starting out. But I use a 60/40 mix of NG Soy and NG Joy. I recently experimented with pouring just Soy and found the top was lumpy compared to the nice smooth tops of the blend. I have not burned them for a comparison yet (just poured yesterday) but the burn on the blend is good so far. You can only get Joy at NG and it comes in slabs that reminds me of Crisco, only a little harder. It is suppose to be mainly Soy with additives. I am also going to try experimenting with different ratios, like 70/30 and 80/20. The 60/40 does give me a nice creamy looking candle. Still have the air pocket issues, around the wicks which I have come up with an idea to minimize but can't say anything about it yet until something I ordered comes so I can try it. If my idea works, I'll be sure to post it.

Ok, I'm getting it. Seems the best way to pick an FO that you have interest in (ie. apple pie) is to order a sample (1oz) bottle from 8 to 10 suppliers and find out which one does the trick for you. Right? Still wondering if NG really has a perfumeist on board. Learning something new everyday!

It's not that I am not willing to pay for testing, just sometimes the budget does not allow me to go as fast as I would like. Candle making is very addictive. $13 to $20 for 16oz is not unreasonable, and yes, I did order the sample pack from NG. That was a help in trying different scents. Once I decide which scents I want, then I can buy in larger quantities. I too use NG's soy and their Joy. I am trying a 60/40 mix. This weekend I am also going to try Soy only to see what the difference the Joy makes. Why am I starting with a Soy/Joy mix right out of the gate? Because of a book I had bought before I found this site. CT seem to be better than any book :-)

As I am just beginning this journey, I am trying to get my supplies at the best price possible (aren't we all). I am learning it can get costly starting out and testing, testing, testing. I bought my original supplies from Nature's Garden and so far am very pleased. (except for price) The only complaint I have is that if you're buying an once at a time to test the scent, they are pretty pricey. I find scents on other sites with the same name at almost half the price. (I do know the old saying, you get what you pay for.) To get to my question, NG's site gives me the impression that they have a perfumist on board, but in reality it might just be that the company they buy their scents from makes special scents just for them. Other sites that have cheaper prices may be getting their FO from the same manufacturer Does anyone know the story on this? So far NG's descriptions of their FO is the best I have seen. I am scared to death that if I go somewhere else, I'll get an inferior product. Can you tell me what you've experienced on buying FO Thanks in advance for any help you can pass on.

A Friend of mine and I sell on Ebay. (Not candles, this is a new venture for me that I am doing with my wife) Anyway the vast majority of sellers are honest people. As KK points out, ebay does not mess around. Not only do they kick bad sellers off, they kick off bad buyers as well. I got ripped off once by a buyer and before I knew it she was kicked off as about 6 checks to 6 different sellers bounced within a couple day period. The number that you see next to their on-line names is the number of feedbacks they have received for transactions. You can go and read the feedbacks to see what other buyers and sellers say about their transaction. When you see a seller with a number in the thousands you know they have been selling for awhile. I would not be hesitant to buy on ebay if that was the best price. Just remember, the total price you are going to pay is the item and the shipping like elsewhere. Some folks have a low price and make it up with high S/H charges. I have bought items that was not the lowest, but because the S/H charges were lower it was the best buy. HTH!

I can allways count on your wisdom Stella Thanks <img>

Thanks HenryK, To answer your question about why I re-melt, it is because I am a newbie :-) These helpful hints from the forum is what makes it so valuable Thanks again!

Being new and testing to find the right size wick, I will take one of my candles and melt it down with a heat gun and pour it into a new container with a wick I think will do a better job. My question is, does this ruin the properties of the wax and scent? If the candle had been curing for a week, does the curing time go back to zero again or does the week of curring still apply? If I don't re-melt the wax to try in a new wicked container, I feel the the wax is wasted. Would appreciate any help, Thanks

Thanks Stella, this could be a real help.

There you see! We can all learn something. Now if I can just do something about the handling charges lol

Stella1952, thanks for so much info. We ARE going to take it easy as far as selling goes. I am a long way from that point, but never too early to put a plan in place. The one big drawback to the whole thing is the shipping costs. I wish more suppliers offered USPS Parcel Post. UPS and Fed Ex rates are higher on average because they add a "fuel surcharge" The suppliers I have found so far that offer USPS along with UPS only offers Priority Mail which is higher than UPS ground. They get ya coming and going! Does anyone know of Candle Suppliers in Florida?

Hi folks, I just joined yesterday and wrote an introductory note on the General Candle Forum by mistake when I am actually dabbling in Soy. (Actually my wife and I are doing this together) We have only been doing this for a week and already got the bug. Nothing better than seeing a candle burn with a good MP. (Not even worried about scent throw yet) will test for that after a couple weeks of curing. I have some questions that I could use some help with. but first I'll tell you what I am experimenting with. I am making 1.5oz samplers, 8oz Apothecary and 16 oz. Apothecary to start with. I am trying a blend of 60% NG Soy and 40% Joy. It really does make a good looking candle. Creamy and Smooth. and I'm still in the wick testing stage. Thanks to your posts, I know how to handle air pockets around wicks (special thanks to Candle Man) and minimizing wet spots. Now to my questions: 1) How long after puring do you put the cover on the jar? Right away or after some hours? What is a good rule of thumb. 2) When you pour tarts, how long before you can pop them out of the molds? I have been waiting overnight. 3) With Soy, is it possible to do a tri color candle? Like the bottom third one color the middle a 2nd color, and the top a third color. I feel like if I let the bottom pour cure then pour the 2nd color, it would mix at the color line and spoil the effect. Or would it make an interesting effect? Any ideas? 4) Can you tell me what works best for you for marketing your candles. I am considering trying wholesaling, fund raisers, and Web Site. Any comments would be appreciated. I dabble on eBay (not with candles) just junk etc. eBay does not seem the be the place to get a fair price for a quality candle. If you have a web site, can you let me know if it is worth it. We are going into this expecting it to take time to start making any money. We know it will be a long and tedious journey to get to where we want to be. I am very excited to find this forum as it seems to be a place for folks with similar interests helping each other. Not enough of that going around these days. Again, thanks in advance for you input. It's 3 am and I have to get some sleep to go to my day job. I will look for any replies tomorrow. Wayne