Eden Sass

3" - it's a short one!

So, she brought it to work today (melt was solid like it hadn't been burned at all) - and it burned fine.

I don't know what she was doing....

Thanks for the idea...

anyone have melts that don't melt?

I gave a friend of mine a tart burner from Alabaster, and a basil and herb tart made from ecopb. the warmer is actually a small one, so if anything I would think the opposite would happen, but she came to work today saying she burned out a whole tealite in this warmer and the tart wouldn't melt!!! No fragrance, no nothing. I asked her to bring it to me tomorrow so I could look for myself (as I have melted the same batch before with no problem) - but has anyone heard of this happening before??

So, I am almost finished burning a beautiful 16oz apothecary single wicked with an HTP 1212. Only problem is I have since stopped using this wax (it was cba advanced) and switched to 135... but now I know it is possible!! (only other problem is I am not sure how long my dh burned it one day while I was at work - he was not so sharp with the 4-5 hour window.) Great meltpool, great throw (yes, from CBA Advanced!!) and no hangups. about 1/5th of the way down. let you know if this transfers to the 135!! (ps - I'm sure some of you won't believe me, so once I get a charger for my camera i will post some pics, I promise!!)

I gotta say I was a little bummed with the cd3's - I haven't burned a lot of them, but I bought the bigger tealite casing that is supposed to last twice as long... I think they would have, but the metal part that holds the wick in place was really big and the wick burned out with quite a bit of wax left in the bottom. Anyone else have this problem?

I'm biting my tongue a little on this one.. bought them because i thought they looked great in the pictures on the website.

was very happy with their service.

most of the warmers are definitely more for oils than tarts - a 1oz tart will barely fit in most. When I told this to the guy he said I need to make smaller tarts, and they were actually for oils, not tarts (although I stated again and again I was buying them for tarts)

10 of them came broken, and when i called them the guy said he would contact the other store and have a refund sent right away - that was a couple of months ago. going to give them a call.

My own fault - there was no indication of size on their website, yet I was picturing much bigger warmers than what actually arrived.

the milk can ones are the best, imo - they are tall enough and the cup is big enough for a tart. The square ones will definitely not fit a tart, and the oval ones I have had my tarts drip over the sides (not so good for the resale value... I'll be trying to get rid of these cheap!)

neat looking cylinder ones barely fit a 1oz tart. the blue and black ones fit nicely, but they are very short and get really hot from the tealight.

I like using 1.2oz pp in this wax!

I use this wax, pour even lower than 105, use 1/2tsp CO pp, and don't get any frosting. I use cd wicks as well, and get mushrooming on some fo's.

(also get wet spots!) - but I got those with cba as well. The ht is sooo much better IMO in the 135 I can overlook these issues. I love the way this wax layers after it has been burned to a slightly different colour once it has been set up again!

Oh me, oh my, I have had my first 'blooper' of this sorts... I will be REPOURING 6 5oz jars... 3 of burgundy wildberry souflee and 3 of tan banana nut bread (not the other way around, as I did my last pour) - luckily my dh has some work friends who will more than happily burn my mistakes!!! ( I don't think I can sell a burgundy banana nut bread... but who knows?

definitely try ecosoya pb!!

I would like some direction on what to give my sales rep for them to start working. What forms...etc. should I send her, should I have a contract done up?

I would definitely give her a list of everything you sell, including what your wholesale costs are and suggested retail price. Obviously you would have to work out with her how you pay her - I would imagine you would need to decide what is your cutoff for wholesale accounts (ie they purchase $100 worth of product at a time) etc and how much she gets for each business that takes on your candles)

What things should the sales rep do to get ready? Permits, what kind of licensing do they need?

I wouldn't imagine they would need much, depending on where they are looking for you, but most places probably would like to hear that you have insurance for your candles.

Right now I do not charge GST because I don't make 30000/year. Should I now get one if I will be Having Sales Reps and Wholesale Accts?

I set up a GST account from the beginning because it doesn't cost anything for you and that way if you ever make it to the $30000 mark (i'm hoping to do so before I retire!!) you don't have to change any of your way of doing business or taxes.

If I get one, do I charge the wholesaler GST or are they exempt if they have a tax id. How does that work?

Yes, you charge the wholesaler GST as well. GST is one of those lovely taxes that everyone in canada pays... here in ontario, only the end buyer pays PST, so wholesalers who have a valid PST number do not have to pay you PST (and you don't have to pay PST on your supplies).

Hopefully you can answer all the questions listed!! I just went to a Roaring Womens Meeting and I am very motivated to get my business to the next level.

HTH, again, I am just in the beginning stages as well, but I have spent hours upon hours checking into all these little business issues. I do not have a sales rep, so perhaps someone else can help you there, but hopefully I have answered some of your questions!!

if you are talking of gst, can we assume you are from canada... do you have pst in your province as well? (i'm in the beginning stages too, but have a bit of info if you are from canada - not sure about states rules)

I am thinking about ordering from a company here in Canada, and they have a similar layout... BUT, they are priced per unit. So, although I have to buy 6 of one product, they are $5 each, not $5 for 6. With this particular company they have their prices listed (ie -$5) but then another column with the letters SQ beside it (sell quantity) which means that you can only buy them in groups of 6, but they are $5 each. Depends on what you are buying - the higher priced items you might only have to buy 2 or 3 of them, lower ones come in groups of 5 or 6.

I found this odd too - so please check into it before you buy!!!

Lid was on... but 180 is where I want it too so it's okay!!!

thanks judi... i started it up today!

another thing i noticed... when it says it is heating to 150, the wax is actually at 180 or so...

i'll have to check for the sales... $30 is great!!

jan

Pam, don't make the trip!!!!

A couple of weeks ago I happened upon the infamous 'turkey fryer' people have talked about on this board. I didn't think they sold them in Canada, but they do!!! Good ole' Walmart, $99. Haven't tried it yet (I'm a little scared) but from reading the other posts, looks like it should save a lot of time! (if i recall correctly - the thread title was something like '-turkey fryer- wowza' in general candle making discussions...)

HTH -

Jan

yeah, I knew I wouldn't have an accurate test but thought I could at least figure out if the 20 would be a good wick. To me the wick doesn't seem clogged, it is just not getting to the edge of one side, even though it looks perfectly straight to me. (it is leaving a 1/2" on one side). I thought it would be easier to get a full melt pool towards the end of such a big apothecary because the heat would be contained more as the wax got lower in the jar.

Oh, so much to learn.

I am waiting for more wicks to come in the mail - just called the supplier I bought them from today and although they were shipped on March 3rd, she looked it up and they just were approved thru customs yesterday. Yes, USPS seems to be cheaper for shipping to Canada, but wow, that's a long time.

I still have a few 22's from a sample pack, so that's my job for tomorrow. As I stated in another post, my mother-in-law is visiting for 2 weeks, and has oh-so-many good tips for me raising my baby... needless to say I need a night out so my dh is taking me to dinner and a movie tonight.

thanks for the reply...

jan

so the 20 might be okay? I just have to twist it after I put it in? (don't mean to sound stupid, but is there a difference of twisting it before or after, Stella?) - perhaps I'm twisting too much/not enough.

mmm... not sure what you mean by the indention... at the bottom of the carafe?

I'm not much one for thrift stores, but my m-in-law (who is staying with us for 2 weeks :rolleyes2 ) dragged me into one and I purchsed 6 coffee carafes for mixing my scents and wax for $1 each.

I was tired of waiting for my wax to cool in my pour pots and the 1 glass measuring cup I own, so I stocked up and can now pour quite a few scents at one time.

Check out your local thrift stores!!!

'tis okay... ecosoya pb is good for tarts!! (not sure the other wax you are using)

... with a cd 20. (cb135, cranberry marm. from cs 1.25oz) Smells great, fills up my whole upstairs. After the 5th 4-5 hour burn test, I had a full melt pool. Hardly any residue on the sides.

Unfortunately, on the 6th and 7th, it has started tunneling and no longer reaches a full mp. My wick is very straight, I twisted it before I poured my wax, but for some reason is now, halfway down, favouring one side of the jar. (it is halfway down already because I started this one double wicking with 12's, but must not have done it right b/c the jar got waayyyy to hot and I had a good 1/2" mp after 30mins!!) . Back to the drawing board with a 22. I will get this right!!!

Jan, I feel the same way - I want people to recycle and reuse...

BUT...

Here's the bad parts...

You are a manufacturer and seller of candles... NEW candles. So, everyone falls in love with your stuff, you become fabulously successful and have hundreds of customers returning their jars to you for refilling... How ya gonna keep up with whose jar is whose? Are YOU gonna wash all those out, dry them, pour them and keep track of each one for a DISCOUNT? Ummmmmm... sounds like MORE labor cost, not less! *faint*

Point taken... guess more thought needs to go into a discounting program before I officially start selling... Of course I am going to become fabulously successful and won't be able to keep up with all of my return customers!!

Promise I won't reuse any jars for customers!

One more example of how much thought needs to go into this before you get everything up and running!

Thanks stella,

Jan

Jan

congrats!! best of luck to you!!

candlescience also has a good soy rating system on their fo's

good point about keeping customers coming back for more... I think I will offer the discount anyway. I have sooooo many of these 16oz jars filled in my house, it makes sense to test them in reused jars, but sadly agree that I don't want to be the one to offer them to a customer once they have been burned.