pureblisscandles

ok i know I will always probably be testing.... new fo, jars, etc.... what I eager to accomplish is a WAX..... I am having the worst luck with the waxes. I realize soy is inconsistent depending on each crop but I want to "meet in the middle" on a wax. Thanks everyone for your imput..... I guess I justed needed some encouragement.

wow I guess I should start warning the hubby to back off... it could be years.... Heck like I said he is already trying to sell. In fact we just ordered tons and tons of jars and supplies. uh-oh!

Thanks....I am so glad this is normal.....I see every little defect in my candles that most people would never notice....heck 3-4 mos ago I would have known no different. My new favorite thing when I go somewhere is to check out other candles in stores for defects... frosting, jar adhesion, bubbles, then I don't feel so bad, BTW my candles smell great they just look crappy but I'll get it. Lysa

I decided to make one myself with print shop used a business card template. They actually turned out cute. I used card stock paper and they look great....my creative side is emerging....

Ok so I was looking around my house and see nothing but a sea of candles.....I mean candles everywhere!!! So I thought how many test candles have I made? Well I starting counting my test sheets(not to mention that some batches of candles I did not do test sheets) OMG I had over 50 test sheets...... I would like to think that this testing has made me some progress but I still have not been satisfied with my wax..... I have continued to play around with my second 50 lbs of GW 444 and cannot get a decent top not matter what I do. (lower pour temp, add co, heat gun, etc...) Then I tried EZ soy still horrible tops. ( tried CO with that too). Then I tried EcoSOYA CBA and Loved the tops beautiful candles BUT poor CT/HT . Ok so then I tried 12 oz GW 444 with 4oz CBA little improvement but rough tops.... ok to make a long story short I now have broke down and ordered a parasoy and GW 464. I also ordered 10 lbs of GW 444 to see if I can get the same great results i first got with the first batch of 444. Hopefully this 3 order of 444 will be as great as my first order. I am really crossing my fingers that my 2nd order was just a FLUKE and hoping GW 444 is the wax for me. Out of all my testing the only postive thing was getting the wicking and i would hate to start over with wicking a new wax. I do not even want to add all the $$$$ spent on testing.... I am almost out of jars etc.... How long did some of you guys have to test. How much did you go through? My husband said not to worry this is the "Research and development" phase of a great product. He has sooo much confidence that he is already working a marketing ideas and a website....I do not even have a great product yet!!!! I know it will still be awhile before I can start selling until then my testing sheet log is getting bigger and bigger.

anyone know where I can have hang tags made? I have a label but it only says co. name with logo. I want to have a similar hang tag to list the fragrance and soy, company info, etc..... I had my labels printed at nashville wraps but I guess they do not do hang tags. What do you guys do?

ok remind a newbie why vybar is used.....scent throw? Isn't there different vybar for pillars/containers?

I would have never thought candle making would be so difficult. I have such a deep appreciation to you chandlers out there that are willing to give us newbies advice and guidance. Thank you this board is great. I got the bug to make candles after a weekend getaway to a small town and found the cutest line of candles and I thought I can do this.... little did I know that there are soo many variables to get a quality candle. I have been making and TESTING candles for over 2 months now and honestly still do not know when I will ever be comfortable enough to sell these candles.... It is a dream of mine to sell but we shall see. Everyone keeps asking me when I will start selling? who knows? I think I have finally got the wicking figured out on my 8 oz mason to a cd 12/14 and my 16 oz mason down to CD 16/18( with GW 444) but my dang colonial jars are kicking my butt.... I have tried Eco 10-12-14, double wicked with SB #2 and #4. CD 20-22, LX 22- 24 and HTP's .....ok you get the point I have tried about 20 different combos still HUGE mushrooms, poor MP, deep MP, etc... ok I need to stop typing or this will soon be a novel, Thanks for letting my RANT. I off to do more testing.... maybe one day I will have a sucess story. P.S. I am no where near ready to give up I do have fun making candles!

Ok since I am having so many problems with ugly/rough tops with the GW 444 wax many of you guys suggested heat gun for the tops. Ok so what am I doing wrong, I heat gunned them and now they look worse all white and frosty and still not smooth. Also when I heat gun the sides of jars for glass adhesion they mottlle or snowflake. SO not sure whats worse the ugly tops or the other?? Maybe I am doing something wrong?

Right now I am trying EcoSoya CBA and so far it is ok but the scent throw is not as good as GW 444....I just ordered EZ soy for comparison so I will let you know....anyone else already compared these two. I too am very curious. Dee, how is the scent throw with the Ez Soy? I love my GW 444 but recently the candles look awful you can see the "somebody help me" thread.

Where is everyone getting wood wicks? I ordered some for wix n wax and we couldn't get them to stay lit for more than 2 minutes. I read that they must be treated and the site said these were treated??? I am using GW 444 maybe I should try again with some Ecosoya Advance and see??

I read recently that vanilla based oils will discolor. Maybe that is the reason?? Maybe someone else knows?

well not sure if I can help but I too am trying to make beeswax candles.... I have 2 uncles who are beefarmers who are letting me play with their crude beeswax but I am about ready to try and find a supplier myself because filtering wax is quite messy and a lot or work!! My uncles do not filter their wax?? it basically sits in barrels until he gets enough to ship off. Believe it or not I ordered some beeswax off of ebay from ebay store stickybeez and found it for 3.25 lb which was a great price. The wax was filtered nicely and made a gorgeus candle. Burned real well too. Good Luck and if you find beeswax at a good supplier let me know, does not look like too many of us make beeswax... Oh BTW I do not put any fragrance in beeswax, it already has a natural sweet honey aroma. I have not really heard of anyone using fragrance in beeswax but I am pretty new to this. Good Luck

yes I was seriously thinking of emailing Jason..... let me see if I can find his info....I would rather not change up wax and have to start all over on testing wicks, fo, etc..... but I may have to.

Vio, nope that one was not heat gunned, it just cooled that way too.... Ok everyone I need your opinion....what would you do? Should I order another batch of GW 444 hoping it was a fluke or should I move on to test another wax. I was thinking of trying Eco Soya advanced but was wondering if it has a good scent throw? Anyone tried BCS ez soy?? you guys are right about this candle making....right when you think you got it.....SURPRISE.

oh yeah one more thing heat guns make it worse, I mean a lot worse. I heat gunned the bottom pic and see the large hole around the wick.... I am so disgusted. I tried Eco SoyAdvanced and so far they look great but I will say the cold throw is nothing like GB 444. I am waiting a another week or so to see if they have a Hot throw.

I only ordered from Peak since the shipping was a little cheaper and I found something else on that site so basically to make my shipping count. I almost think this is the wrong wax. In order to get halfway decent tops I have to pour at 110 and even then they look sick. My first box I was pouring at 140-155 and my candles were beautiful:confused: . Does anyone else have problems with GB? IS the wax quality not consistent?

OK what is going on? After testing for 2 mos and uisng 50 lbs GB GW444 from Candles and supplies my candles looked beautiful. I loved the wax....overall great results so I ordered another 50 lbs from Peak and now look at them...... . I did not change a thing. Then I tried six different batches, changin FO, colors, pour temp, and they all look AWFUL. I think my wax is defective. I called Peak but havenot heard back anyone else had this problem. I managed to improve the tops some by pouring at 110 but the whole reason I love this wax at first was I could pour at 145-150. I want to order some more but I am hesistant. I do not want to order wax to get different results with each batch.....anyone know what is going on? Click on the pics for a larger view.

Thanks Crafty D, I am checking with Nashville wraps.... I also got some ideas while looking at the website... Thanks.

is that a 25# minimum for each fragrance or mix n match? total or each scent?

Hi everyone:cheesy2: Just wandering if anyone know where I can have my labels printed online. A lady designed them for me and now I would like to upload them somewhere and have them printed. I have a 2x2 rounded square, 2x3 oval and 2.5x11 wrap for my pillars. All I have is a inkjet printer and my husbands insists that we must have them printed- prevent smearing etc.... I have 3 small children so 4,3,2 and I just moved to San Antonio and can not find a shop online. I think it would be easier to upload and have printed rather than drive all over the place. Also what would you recommend as far a paper material, die cut etc... I am so lost at all of this. Thank you for any insight.

Hi I was wandering if anyone knew if french color and fragrances are good. My MIL told me they were the best FO ever but she uses a palm wax and I use GW 444. I was trying to find a website but cannot find one. DO you know if what suppliers sell their products? and are they really any good? I was only able to find Botanica Candles that sell their products. I have been tesing several FO this week with FO from candles and supplies and II can't smell a thing. I smell more cold than hot. Thanks

hello everyone I am new to making candles- i just started making them in Nov- I ordered my supplies from Candle and supplies and have been testing my soy wax GW 444 and so far I am not getting a good hot throw. Some have been curing 2 almost 3 weeks. Anyone have experience with this. I am not sure if it the scents or wax. I am about to order from BCS since they are closer to me and i have read nothing but good things about them. any suggestions. I have about 30 different scents from Candles and Supplies I got them on sale. most of them $5.00 for 16 oz on the sale they had the day after thanksgiving. I guess you get what you pay for huh? thanks Lysa

oh yeah I forgot to say that they have very little scent throw after curing for 2 weeks. Great cold throw but no hot throw. I have been using fragrances from candles and supplies. I hope these are decent since i ordered tons of scents from them. I am going to try BCS FO next. Ok i am done with this book. Thank you in advance for any insight.

HI everyone, first of all i love this site....some many threads. A new person could learn tons. I think my brain is already on overload:confused: . Ok so i have been using the GW 444 for container candles. When I first got in my wax 3 weeks ago. I basically just heated it around 185 or so added color and scent then cooled maybe 5 mins and poured. It was my first candles ever and I really had not done too much research at that point. Ok but to my surprise the candles turned out perfect. (IMO) I was using 16 oz mason with CD 16. Well since then I have been doing tons and tons of researching. I have been making candles everyday being very cautious watching temps, trying different wicks, scents, and documentig everything on test sheets..... Ok now the candles look awful...frosting, bubbles, poor glass adh , etc... THis is what I am now doing and those of you who uses GW444 please feel free to chime in what you guys do so maybe I can pinpoint my errors. I heat3 lbs wax in presto pot up to 185-190 then I pour into a pour pot where i then add color (block) stir stir stir for about 1-2 min then I add fragrance 1.5 oz per lbs so in this case 4.5 oz(I sit the pour pot on an electric pan so it stays hot enough 170 to bind the fragrance) then I take off the electric skillet and cool to 125-135 then pour in preheated jars.<y last batch i cooled to 145-150 and they looked awful after the 1st burn. They are cooling together on my kitchen bar overnight. I live in tx so its not cold here. the candles look decent at first but after I start testing them they look gross and start showing bubbles in the wax??? I have tested about 20 candles recently and the only thing I concluded was the wick. I like the CD and ecos. do you think I am pouring too cool, its seems like i did not cool that low the first time i made candles but I can't be sure cause I did not document anything. ok so please any insight would be great. I am seriously thinking about adding CO to my next batches but not sure. I also make beeswax candles but i keep reading from Golden brands they do not recommend adding BW. What do you think?