Di_in_AZ

What a fetish--with your big balls, your buttah and your lip crack I see great things ahead for you! LOL You have a great sense of humor and I think you got that across very well. Kudos on your site I loved it.

They are giving you the reference number so you can call your bank and see what the problem is. Everytime your card is swiped your bank can see it (or so they have told me). I would call your bank and see what the misunderstanding is.

I had gone out of town once for a few days. My bank put a hold on my card because they saw a bunch of transactions popping up in a different town that looked suspicious. Small transactions were going through, but over $50 ones weren't. I called the bank and once they verified it was me using it, they took it off hold. It could be something as simple as that happening to your card.

I wish you luck, I still have not started any carving. Welcome to the world of shipping charges, it is not pleasant!

Hmm...Michael--there you go living in Texas with a lot of suppliers close at hand! Lucky you!

Shopping for supplies anymore has become a huge headache because now you have to find a place that has what you need, and then find out how bad you are going to get hit with shipping. I had been ordering from Candlemaker's store for years for my labels, until the other day someone here mentioned labels from Peak's. I am getting the labels cheaper and holy cow, the shipping is almost half what I paid at the Candlemaker's. I know they are further away for me but they are way off on their shipping.

Lilac and Spa--YUCK! And I have people who buy those regularly and I absolutely hate them.

This is something I have been thinking about for some time.

For one reason, the same as Cindy just said. I have a lot of people who don't like the colors, even though I color the candle to match the scent. I get quite a few orders where I make candles odd colors so they match the decor of the customer's living room.

The second reason is because of fragrance oils not binding right. Since I have been making candles, I have always read that if a FO seeps, you did not have the temp right, did stir long enough, added too much, should have heated up the fo, and the list goes on. There are several scents that I have had that no matter what I do, still don't blend in--exactly three scents to date. So, the other day I got a request for one of those scents--even though I don't have it listed as a choice anymore--and I decided to give it a shot, but I used a different color, and presto, no seepage.

I also had another scent that never seeped, I bought a different shade color to use with it--low and behold it was seeping with the different color. And no, it wasn't the color seeping, it was the oil.

So at this point, I have been seriously considering getting rid of the color as well.

I have a friend who helps me out. She makes jewelry so I let her put some out in exchange for a hand.

I also spent $23 at Home Depot and got a hand dolly to haul my boxes in, they also have a canvas bag there (it was on clearance $5 near the front of the store) that is absolutely huge--about 2 feet wide and about 2 feet tall that I got a couple of and I stack all the baskets I keep clamshells and sachets in those so they are easy to pack up and carry in and out.

You are given the option to be notified if you want to buy a domain and it is taken. My choice was taken intially (not by someone doing it intentionally) but after six months I received the email it was available and I got it. I would definitely go that route. I always thought that the minute they didn't pay, it was up for grabs. I am not sure though.

Thanks

I have been looking around for the little colored foils that confectioners use to wrap candy. I have seen several sites that offer them in the range from $3.99/125 and up but alot of them require minimum orders.

Does anyone have a supplier that has good prices and doesn't require the minimum? I don't need $50 to $100 worth of these things! Thanks, Di

Glad to hear you got it sorted

Small bazaars here, $20; most craft shows between $40-$60 and one large one that draws 30,000 over two days is $125.

I used propay last year. I got it, paid the $35 fee and had TWO customers who paid my by cc all year! That works out to $17.50 plus fees for those transactions! I no longer use it because for some reason, my customers don't usually ask--I have done four shows in the last five weeks and had one request to use a credit card, then the person wrote a check. Luckily I haven't had any bounce.

When talking about shows, sometimes talking about the amount can be deceiving to people just starting out. My first shows sucked big time about three years ago. I made very little and was very discouraged. I have stuck it out because I consider myself somewhat of an optimist and didn't want to be a quitter. Last year was a bit better and this year I have been doing very well. I have found that I am getting more returning customers each year and they are buying twice as much as what they did before. People are always tentative with homemade products and want to try them first.

I feel that my work is finally paying off--I am still not where I want to be, but feel I will be there in the next year or two. It seems I am having to win over my customers with my products, but I am confident they will come back and bring friends

I use Vanmala's potpourri and it sells great for me as well. I love her creativity and her scents are wonderful.

Glad you got your package. I have only ever had one NEVER show up, many late, but usually get through. Better to get them sooner than later!

USPS is very lame. They don't actually track packages and most packages I get with them always say electronic shipping notification, even sometimes after I have received them! Having said that, I have had packages show up after three months from them, another after six weeks. I would not be surprised if it actually did show up later, but it really sucks because you never really know if the person actually did ship it or just sent in the notification. Very frustrating but they tell me that is a courtesy with priority mail and you actually have to pay for delivery confirmation to get tracking with them.

On the site that is posted on this thread they say:

Making Salt Crystal Potpourri is a simple process. The main decision is the coloring of the crystals. There are 4 different methods for coloring:

Liquid Based - This coloring will dry the best.

Glycerin Based – This will give the crystals a translucent color.

Mica Powder - Gives the salt an opalescent color.

Water Rinsed – Gives the salt crystals a "glass like" appearance.

Liquid or glycerin colorant fragrance can be hand applied to the crystals using rubber gloves. Apply fragrance and color. Lay crystals out on parchment to dry.

If you use mica powder you need to shake the crystal in a plastic bag and then mist with your fragrance or essential oil.

Water Rinsed - Simply rinse the crystals and let dry for a "glass like" appearance and then mist with your fragrance or essential oil.

As for the exact process, whether you can dilute or not, I would just email them, they would know. hth

Wow you guys just reminded me I have a bag of this in my storage that I ordered off a coop eons ago, never did make it. One more thing to put on my to do list! ARGH!

Nice to hear that--and thanks for the pics. I am hosting an open house in three weeks. I do candles and scented stuff, my friends are also coming--they do soap and jewelry. I am hoping to have a good turnout.

The idea of sitting at home doing this instead of being at a show appealed to me. On the other hand, I only invited friends, co-workers from all three of us and several long time customers--too many freaks out there I didn't want in my home!

Did you do any finger foods? Hubby keeps telling me I should, but I just wanted to have the products out and go from there, might do a raffle.

Hey, I have an idea. You all paypal me $1.00 each, I will then order one and let you know

:yay: :yay: :yay:

I use a blend of Eucalyptus, Camphor, I think peppermint and Tea Tree. Not in that order I have the recipe on my other computer.

I use J50 and I have to second what has already been said. If you aren't getting a good scent throw at 1 oz per lb, then the scent is not worth it. I have had some FO's seep on me even at 1 oz per lb--I am careful to not exceed that and the scents I carry all do well in J50 at that load. You may have to try other suppliers to find scents that perform well in J50--that is part of all the testing and the reason I have a ton of samples (other than the fact that I love sniffing them!). Good luck.

If you use Microsoft Picture It! you can. They would have to be the same size label though. If you have that program, pm me and I will walk you through it. I do all my labels with that program because it is so easy and I do different ones on the same label sheets.