smellylittlemonkeys

I want one too! LMAO!!

On the thermometer, I will have to look for one. Cooking is not my favorite past time so I don't spend much time in that aisle. That is why I asked what kind, thanks for letting me know there is such a thing. The heat, oh the heat. Somedays it is so miserable. We don't really have enough of a winter to warrant buying winter clothes. You said you would misplace the notebook so you use index cards, I would misplace those! I am a computer/internet person so I am thinking I might have better luck with the jump drive, we shall see. I will have to get in touch with them to get the handling sheet. I did not realize there was one. Funny about your little dog being a dipped critter! These kids keep me hopping but I love them bunches. I am sure my brain will be SO tired come this Fall when school for me starts back up from summer break. So I stay at home with two kids, a household, trying to figure out candle making, and am in school full time, can I add anything else?? I've tested burned a couple of candles with this wick placement. To me it was not too hot, but I think I have a higher heat tolerance than some. For these I was using 2 ECO 6's. Now if I move them in closer would I have to wick up to get a full melt pool? I tried 2 ECO 10's with the same placement but they seemed to burn too fast, no tunneling though, just the depth of the melt pool got pretty deep fast. So would you suggest going with an ECO 8?

I agree Beagle and hope to learn from her as well as all the other great people on here.

Stella, Thanks for taking the time to help me out with your thoughts and such. 1.) About the temp of the oven, I did not use a thermometer. What kind of thermometer would you use in an oven? What I did was heat up the oven to the lowest setting, 175, put in the jars and warmed them. When I took the jars out I turned off the oven. I'm guessing that it stayed at least 150 by the time I put the candles in after they were poured. Possibly this is too hot, not sure, as I said I am still trying to figure it all out. 2.) I should be in for a battle if excessive heat is a problem since I am in southeast Texas, it is always hot here! 3.) You are right, I guess I thought "the more the better" and was trying to use both additives. 4.) I would really like to learn more about this. I have done a search about it but apparently did not get it. Do you have a good starting point for this so I can know what to look for at the certain temps? I am going to PM you about this, ok? 5.) I was doing 185 as a starting point because that is what I read on the C3 but will keep this in mind. 6.) I am thinking this could have been an issue since I added the USA after I melted the wax flakes. At first I did not think it would be a big deal but, once again, learning. 7.) That makes perfect sense, thank you for explaining it that way. 8.) I am def. agreeing on this one! My first candle I poured looked better, with just the circle crack on top then what these last two did with all the additives. 9.) I have been writing down what I am doing with each pour. I actually had a really good spread sheet going but the computer gods ate it when my hard drive crashed! I am buying a jump drive specifically for my candles so if my PC takes a dump on me I will still have my info. 10.) I know I want to keep the dye, and don't want to have to do a second pour, afterall that is why I picked the C3 to start testing. I've got patience, I'm a stay at home mom to a 3 year old girl and a 3 year old boy. Have to have patience for that! Thanks Stella!

Since I am new I am not really sure how a co-op is done. I do have a tax-id number so that would not be a problem. The warmers are really cute! ETA: Can't host because I have not been a member for 6 months, sorry guys!!

Before adding the CO and USA, there was not the mushy looking stuff on the tops or near as much frosting on the sides. But I did have the circle crack on them. Its not like I have made a lot as I am still very new. I did however make some Margarita candles and they were the first ones I cooled in the oven, had some CO in it but no USA, and they had a worse looking top then the ones cooled on a wire wrack on top of the oven. Sooo maybe my problem is within the cooling in the warm oven? I was trying the oven because I am a hot natured person and when I get hot, well I get witchy . After I poured I wanted to turn the AC down and cool off. I think my next try I will heat the jars with the heat gun, that way the oven is not warm, and will cool in the oven to protect from drafts and see what I get. If only the tops could look like what it does in the presto we would be set! Im trying to convince DH to solve this problem he needs to buy me a candle cabin (red barn storage building from Lowe's). That way I can get all my stuff out of the house, can make the temp right out there and can leave them on a table without worry that 3 yr old or 2 yr old fingers won't get in trouble. It's not working though

As I said in my first post I melted the wax before with the UV in it then returned to solid form as I was getting some USA from JBN so I wanted to wait on pouring. I re-melted, added the USA and then returned to a solid as I did not have time to pour that day, kids were being a booger. Now yesterday when I melted it I did not get all the way up to 185, it was closer to 175. On my second candle that I poured without the USA and coconut oil, it was a Cotton Candy. I heated to 185, added FO and dye around 160 and then poured around 150. It was cooled on a wire wrack outside the oven. It had a pretty nice top, except for the circular (sp?) on the top. It was not mushy or frosty at all. The temp in the house usually is about 74-75. Is that too cool?? I don't really want to have to do a second pour, that is why I choose to start working with the C3 because of its one pour claim. I wonder if the oven is too warm when I put them in there to cool??

So I poured two candles today and was hoping to see some pretty tops when I opened the oven, WRONG!! They look awful. The tops are all a tad mushy and frosted and down the sides. I had high hopes for these as I used 1/2 tablespoon pp of coconut oil as well as 1 tablespoon pp of USA for the first time. I am using C3 Nature Wax, used FO Sweet Pea from LS and FO Apple & Clover from JBN w/ liquid dye from LS. Jars were washed and dried and warmed in oven. After poured they were cooled in the warm oven. I am not sure why they came out like that. I thought the coconut and USA were suppose to help with tops and frosting. I had already melted my wax and then it had hardened again, I re-melted it again and then added the USA as I did not have it before when I first melted the wax. I don't think this caused any problems though because I did not use all of the wax and once it went back solid in the presto it was nice and smooth and firm, unlike what my candles turned out to be. I am attaching a link to pictues of what my results. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated! http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/ambernricketts1980/candle/?albumview=grid

Personally being in Texas, keeping it as Hillbilly Homebrew would work. Like someone said it depends on your area and I guess your personal preference. Your thought of different jars with different names would work though. Who knows a lot of times people might think they are two totally different scents due to reading the names and thier brains expecting to smell something different. Hope that made sense.

I am double wicking using an ECO-6.

I made a candle using C3, it cured for at least a week, used 1 oz pp of mango papya FO from Lone Star. It smells really good cold but once I light it I can smell a fuel smell. I also used same wax, same amount of FO using LS German Chocolate Cake and I can smell a tad of fuel smell. I used the search and found out that citrus smells have a fuel smell to them sometimes and that adding a vanilla FO will help. How much vanilla would I add to one pound of wax to help without overpowering the mango papaya? Now on the German Chocolate cake should there be a fuel smell there? Maybe my nose is just really sensitive and can pick it up where someone else would think I was crazy? Can a wick cause this? Maybe it needs to be wicked down? If this is not in the right place please let me know as well so I can correct it. TIA!!

I meant to update yesterday, or edit my message but could not figure out how to edit it. Robert was sweet enough to have me call him, or him call me to help me out. It needs to be snug and for some reason my apothecary jars are just a tad too small for the large yet too large for the medium. Robert told me about the clear tube trick and I will be getting some of that this afternoon. I am sure that will work just perfect. The tools look great and I can't wait to use them!! I am sure it will cut down on my wick fustrations

Is the wick centering tool suppose to be snug, like clip on top of the jar or is it suppose to just rest there? I just got my samples and the med is to small but the large is a wee too big, I feel like Goldylocks *laughs* The large can slide back and forth on the jar. Maybe I have weird jars??

E-mailed him and yes they are great! Not being picky or anything but he is a she *laughs* The ez wick setter was not what I was asking about but I do agree it is good, I also got mine from Lone Star. Rob emailed me back and he sent out some samples yesterday. I should be getting them soon, I am only about 2 hours from them. Once I get the size right I will be ordering them. I will be getting the new ones, he told me about them. I can't wait to try them!! Rob was very helpful!

I sent Rob an email last night but have not got anything as of yet. I am hoping to get them ordered either today or tomorrow. I would think I will need the large, but could be wrong.

I am looking to get some of these and think the large is what will fit my jars but want to be sure. I have all three sizes of the following jars. http://www.lonestarcandlesupply.com/apothecaryjars.html#Apoth%20Metal%20Lids Where is the best place for the price to get them? I am looking for about 50. I will also be trying to get wick pins from the same place if possible. TIA!!

I have a good amount of liquid dyes that I got from Lone Star so I am good there. I am def. getting some USA to try. What FO's do you suggest trying that are TDF from them??

I am going to be within 45 minutes of JBN this weekend. I have never purchased from them. What are you must haves from them?

I am going to be within 45 minutes of JBN this weekend. I have never ordered from them. I am just starting out. What is your must have from JBN? I am thinking since I am just starting out maybe I need to start finding some fall and Christmas type scents so I can start testing. Also if you have any other must haves that are not FO, let me know about those too!

I happened to glance up as we were going down the interstate last night and saw this company called The Melting Pot. Has anyone ever ordered from them? They do not sell the wax that I am starting out with but I thought maybe I could get FOs from them. There link is http://www.meltingpotcandlesupplies.com/productcart/pc/viewCat_L.asp?idCategory=125 Any reviews would be great!

I am sure someone with more experience will post later but thought I throw my 2 cents in there. My husband made me 2 presto pots and I must say he did a great job, woohoo! I did not want to spend that amount on them on E-bay. First, if yours has the spigot make sure it is always in the OFF position so when your wax starts to melt, it does not end up in the floor. I just put my wax over in the pot and just barely turn it on, about the W on the Warm and it will start to melt, then I just use the them. to keep a check on the temp. Then if you have a spigot, open it up and pour, or if you don't you will just have to pick it up and pour it over into your pots.

I have no idea what Firefox is, so I don't know why it won't let you open it?? Can you open other people's Photobuckets? I am going to try another 4 hour burn tomorrow, don't have enough time tonight. Is there a size between the 6 and 8? I think it did much better though than the 10's.

I want to say thank you to everyone who took thier time to look at my first test burn on my first candle. Y'all gave excellent advice! Since I had ECO-6's, I used them for a second test burn, same candle. It most def. burned slower. If you don't mind could you take a peak and tell me what you think? Think I need to go up to an 8? http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z225/ambernricketts/Candles/?albumview=grid

Satin, I went to Bert's site to see about getting lids and I must be totally blind because I don't see where to order them, can you point me in the right direction?

Like one of you said I was thinking it would help with waste and it dripping down the side of the bottle. I had that happen to me, dripping. I am also just starting out so I am just doing little amounts at a time. Do you know if the ones from Peaks will fit the bottles from LS? If not some that will, where I can just buy the tops?