scrubzz

Just my opinion - - - Although I am sure you are well versed in aspects of successfully running a business, there are major obvious differences between candles and cell phones that must be considered before you plan on selling your candles. I know the old saying about ASSUMEing anything - but I will go ahead and do it anyway - I assume you are not manufacturing your cell phones. And I assume from reading several of your posts that your intentions are to manufacturer the candles you sell. When the product you sell has been directly responsible for burning your customer's house down it tends to hinder repeat sales from that customer and anyone who knows them. Not too big a problem with cell phones, but it can be with candles. It is so easy to make candles - just stick a wick into a blob of wax that has had a bit of FO and some colorant added to it and you are good to go right? If you think you can compete with a Walmart on the price of the low-end candle and are not worried about the above scenario which supports the local fire department by giving them more business, then yes, there isn't much more involved with making candles than that. Seriously, if you are looking to produce a quality product and expect to compete with other quality hand poured candles then there is a tremendous amount of testing involved. Not only to assure that you are producing a safe product, but to assure that you are producing a quality product. Spend the time here reading (Check out the Archives also) and you will see countless threads that discuss the importance of testing and tell WHY it is so important. ANY thing you change in your product changes the properties of that product. You finally get a perfectly burning candle and then try and make one just like it but in a different scent and you have to thoroughly test again because it may now burn differently and you will have to use a different wick. At best, rushing your candles out there to consumer will just about guarantee that you offer them an inferior product. Many may not know the difference, but then again, there are those who will. And consider the fact that a lot who don't know the difference won't be buying from you anyway, they will be looking at the cost and paying Walmart prices which you can not compete against. I am nowhere near an expert at any of this. I will soon be coming up on one year of playing with wax and I find the more I learn the less I know. I have spent a lot of time and money so far and hope to one day get to the point where I will feel comfortable selling my candles. Again, just my opinion.

Presto Pot For many, me included, that's all they use

The IGCA National Convention is July 16th through the 20th in Oklahoma City Not much info on the site yet other than the date - http://www.igca.net/conventions/index.htm As soon as they come out with more info I will post it

I didn't see Fried Chicken, but Taylored Concepts http://www.tayloredconcepts.com have some that I would consider "unusual" for a candle Just a few that struck me as a bit "different" - Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill Copenhagen Dirt Latex MD 20/20

Cetacea found the 62-44-18 at http://herbalhut.com/Accessories/candle_making_supplies_2.htm#wire-core%20wick - she posted it over on the first page

I posted this before either on the old board or possibly here since the new one opened up, I can't remember (I'm old - give me a break that my memory is gone) Anyway - I use plastic med cups for measuring out FO - put em' on the scale, tare it out, pour the Fo and then after I pour the FO into the pour pot I just toss them - cheap, easy and no clean up

ok - so how is the testing coming? Mine isn't here yet (not complaining - I got in on this late and know it will take some time and am fine with that) I was just wondering what everyone who has recieved theirs and have tested it are thinking

You should have seen the look I got when I suggested to the last doc that came through our station that he write a script for an Ativan Salt block - for the nurses Made sense to me - Put it up in the center of the Nurse's station and we could just kinda take a lick as we went by - would never have to even slow down . . . (edited cuz I can't spell)

Nice, yes - Flirtin'? ummmm - no ma'am!

They mentioned updating the web site in the newsletter I got with the membership packet - I agree, their site needs work - IMO pretty much needs to be completely redone from the ground up

No ma'am I wasn't flirtin' - well I don't think I was anyway - since I had no idea who would get the email I sent first - For all i knew it coulda been some 6' 4", 432 lb dude named Bubba who would get it when I sent it and that's not someone I would be inclined to flirt with yanno? Maybe they just sensed I am "Special" (As in ridin' the short bus to school special)

Well I said this morning that I hadn't heard back from ICGA yet so I dropped a note to the membership contact e-mail listed on the IGCA site just to see if they had recieved my membership application yet (The US Postal service skeers me sometimes yanno?) So of course when I got home from work tonight my membership packet was in the mailbox lol In addition when I checked my email I had recieved e-mails from 3 of the people on the membership commitee or whatever it is - It was 3 seperate e-mails from 3 different people from the IGCA anyway - All welcoming me and telling me they looked forward to meeting me at the convention and telling me a bit of what goes on there etc. Also offered to help out if I ever had any questions about anything candle related - said just drop them an email and if they didn't know the answer they would try and search out someone who did - In addition I was given info on a IGCA workshop that will be held here in Arkansas over in Eureka Springs in April. All in all I am impressed! Can't wait for July - And I hope I get to meet a bunch of the people from here on the forum in Oklahoma this year!

My plans are to go also - I joined a few weeks back (Well I sent them the money anyway - haven't heard anything back from them yet) Have already started putting a little money aside from each check toward my "Get Outta Town For A Week" fund - I still have to check my records to make sure, but I don't think Oklahoma is one of the states I have been permanently banned from - yet

Well, I found it listed on the Fragrance Finder at www.ellensessentials.com but couldn't find it listed on the site anywhere Then I looked at RA and they have it listed - Have not tried it personally but it is there - https://www.royalaromatics.com

Yes, they list the manufacturer and distributor members here - http://www.candles.org/nca_manufacturers.html Most of the major names of course And the Suppliers who are members are listed here - http://www.candles.org/nca_suppliers.html#Candle%20Making%20Supplies

Taken From their Site - 2006 Dues Structure for Regular Members SALES VOLUME** Less than $5 million - Dues $2,100 $5,000,001 to $10,000,000 - Dues $4,400 $10,000,001 to $25,000,000 - Dues $8,400 $25,000,001 to $50,000,000 - Dues $16,600 $50,000,001 to $100,000,000 - Dues $24,900 $100,000,001 to $200,000,000 - Dues $33,100 $200,000,001 to $500,000,000 - Dues $38,850 Over $500 million - Dues $44,100 I remember surfing up on this one a long time back Do you get the idea they aren't interested in the average Chandler being members? :rolleyes2 (edited to make it easier to read)

not sure, but they may have inadvertantly typed in the wrong address - notice the space there before the .com in their address? www.BeSexySmellSexy .com That actually takes you to an error page - "We can't find "www.BeSexySmellSexy .com" You can try again by typing the URL in the address bar above. Or, search the Web: " Try it without the space in there www.BeSexySmellSexy.com - it takes you to an actual website And nope - I have never heard of this person before nor have I ever heard of the site - Just when I saw that space it hit me that it could have just been an error that could set off a virus protection proggie

The Sage has Lip Balm colorants - http://www.thesage.com/catalog/LipBalmColors,OilSoluble.html I would think these would also be able to be used in an edible body butter since they have been formulated for use on the lips?

I haven't used the S&L in 4794 (I only had a 1 oz sample bottle and had promised a friend some tarts) I used a blend of J223 and 6228 with this and you could just about catch the cold throw from 3 blocks away - with a cold - being upwind of the house - while driving away with the windows rolled up And the hot throw was even better than the cold! ok, so maybe I am exaggerating just a tad - but this one has had one of the best throws - cold or hot - that I have come across

I just reread my post and read your response - I realised that I did not put any smilies in my post so just wanted to make sure you know my post was my idea of a joke about the title of your thread - "Ok Call Me Crazy" (my sense of humor has been classified as "warped" on a good day I won't go into what the classification was on the bad days) Don't know you well enough to know if you actually are crazy or not - everyone who has ever even met me on the other hand, have no doubts

ok - you're crazy sorry - just couldn't resist any longer I tried - I honestly tried - I read your thread title when you first put it up and just wouldn't let myself do it but every single time I saw it the irrisistable urge to post kept getting stronger and stronger till finally I just couldn't stand it anymore I think it's time to see about getting my meds adjusted (he says as he wanders off away from the keyboard)

Haven't tried it - but found it on the fragrance finder - WSP carries VS Pure Seduction

I went and checked the date for the IGCA convention - 41st Annual IGCA Convention - July 16-20, 2006 in Oklahoma City, OK http://www.igca.net/conventions/index.htm It is about 350 miles from me, but thinking I will start making plans (and saving money) and try and make it to this one

Not sara, but found this for ya - http://www.candlesupply.com/BCconvention.htm

Lonestar's Master Wick Sampler is a pretty good one too http://www.lonestarcandlesupply.com/wicks.html#MasterKit