rebeccajo99

I'm sorry this happened. Thanks for the advice as well as I am thinking about starting to buy more things in bulk and then becoming kindof like a mini supplier. (still researching it, but thinking about it). I get frusterated with UPS, USPS and Fedex as they keep ringing my doorbell when they drop off packages. I have a sign on my door that says not to ring the bell, but they do anyways. I did change my sign yesterday that it now reads "Please do not ring the doorbell, Children may be sleeping" I'm getting sick of them waking up my youngest who thinks he is done with his nap the minute he wakes up (even if it has been 5 mins) and won't go back to sleep until bedtime. Sometimes companies do not make sense on why they do what they do, but it is true that when people get bad service they tell 10 people (or in our case lots since this is a forum ) and only 1 person if they receive good service.

I have been researching making my own lotions and body wash. I have been in contact with a supplier who posts recipes and asking A LOT of questions. The company they suggested using to preservative testing takes a year before you can determine if your preservative is "good enough" To me... that is WAY TO LONG. I don't want to wait a year after I have my product tested to the way I want it just to see if the preservative is good enough. Plus, I have to make a big enough batch to last me the year during normal use. (which would be A LOT OF MONEY to tie up) I do have another company that does testing saved, but have not contacted them on timing and pricing just yet (since I'm still to make my first batch, but would like to within the next 30 days(my goal, we will see if I meet it as that is the 3rd time I have set it:laugh2:)) So my questions to those who make your own lotions and/or Body wash or any B&B product needing preservatives... 1. how long did you wait after getting your prodect perfected to start selling it. 2. if you are supposed to wait a year after "perfection", did you just use a premade base and then switch over to your recipe once you got the "all clear" Thanks in advance

I don't know if TKB actually stands for something, but here is their website http://www.tkbtrading.com/

is it too late to get a copy of this too? You can send it to rebeccajo99@charter.net I have one made up for myself already, but want to make sure I have everything I should Thanks

I buy mine from TKB. I use glycerin disbursed colors for my soaps. I've tried a few powders from there, but still get speckles. I have not tried the oil ones yet. I love them and I think they have a good selection of colors.

could you contact the supplier of your M&P base and ask where you would the ingrediants at the percentage point. For example, if you use 2% Fragrance and 1% baking soda, ask, where would I put the ingrediants that I add at 2% and the one at 1%. I would think they would be able to help you figure that out. I want to say one of the websites that I went to when I was first researching M&P bases had it listed on there that if you use 5% of something, list the ingrediant between these 2 ingrediant. I can't remember what website it was, sorry:sad2:, so I would think the suppliers would know that information (or go streight to the place thats it for the suppliers)

yup. We have been doing it for a few years now. Only debts left are the mortgage and student loan!!!! It feels great I tell everybody about it.

Thanks guys. I have not had to raise them yet and I'm not below 3 times cost... so I should be good until at least a year. Whan I was thinking 6 months, it was only if the price was under 3 times cost. I've been doing this business completly debt free, so I'm limited on how much I can buy at a time. Hopefully now that I'm starting to get repeat customers, I can start buying in larger bulk and lower my cost again.

Last question of the day for me (I hope ) How often do you change the price on your products. It seems like everytime I buy a new supply, the price has gone up. I was thinking every 6 months (if needed), but don't know if that is too often. Also, how much do you change your price by each time? Do you always keep them without change (for craft shows) or do you do quarters? Thanks

1st. for those who sell single tarts, do any of you sell them "naked?" All my searching is finding that you wrap them in something, but just wondering if there is anybody out there that doesn't wrap them. I'm thinking about doing that and wondering if there was a reason not to keep them unwrapped. 2nd. What do you guys do with your dud tarts (testing doesn't get you your required length or too strong) or ones that are under your required weight (I like mine to be .5 to .7 oz each). At a show that I was at, a customer said she was in a show a few weeks ago and the soap maker there had all the soap that didn't turn out (but was still safe as soap) in a big bucket and sold it for $2.00 a bag (you just filled the bag). Do you think this would work for tarts too? Trying to think on how to put your warning label, maybe on the bag itself. Does anybody do this for soap? (I know, not soap section, but thought I would just ask since I have a lot of soap that didn't turn out (enough to last me for years and I tried to donate it, but they wouldn't take it because it wasn't commercially made like dial... figure that one out) Thanks in advance:)

I'm brainstorming gift boxes for the upcoming holidays. Would you guys be willing to share what you all put in yours? I couldn't find anything with the search. Here is what I'm thinking so far. 1 or 2 bars of soap soap dish soap bag or wash cloth I keep going back and forth on having them assembled already or just have a sign up and have them pick out the bar(s) or soap, dish and soap bag/wash cloth. Thanks in advance.

Thanks LuminousBoutique. I saw you post those on another post and loved them too. They are deeper than what I would like though (since I do have some crates that I use now for shelves, that would be perfect). But that is an idea if I ever get my bombs perfected . I wrote down what you do for stability and assembly at shows and I'm sure my grandpa will know exactly what you are talking about. I think I do, but not 100% sure. Thanks again for you input.

sorry about that, should have been better at describing what I'm seeing in my head. Maybe that is why I'm not getting a lot of response. Let’s see if I can help a little bit more. (numbers correspond to the numbers in my first post) 1. I'm talking about the round part on top of the display pic I posted a link for. I like the look of that for posting prices, but need a way to have that and still be able to take apart the display for travel. 2. I'm talking about the bins themselves. Making them all 1 size and stager them on the way down so they next one down sticks out a little further than the one above it. (so you can see into the bin easier) 3. I'm talking about the bins again and making some sort of dividing walls between products. I was thinking about making 4 columns and 2 rows. Creating 8 separate sections if all dividers were in place) 4. That is just talking about a set up idea since I think the table would be wide enough to have the display plus a bin in front of it too. I don't want my table to look too full, where people think there is too many choices, but also don't want it to look too empty where people think that I don't have much either. Thanks about the stability thought. I was going to ask my grandpa if he would help me build them as he is a wonderful woodworker (did all the woodwork in our house, our kids toy box and stair gate) and I know he will not let it look cheap and will make it to last and will make sure it is stable too. I'm trying to think of some ideas on how to make it stable too. I was thinking at least 2 "bolts" per side to attached the bins to the sides and maybe little "shelves" (inch wide pieces of wood on the sides) to help with the bin angle and support. On top of it, I know my grandpa will be tickled pink to spend some quality time with me and my grandma will be tickled pink to spend time with my kids while my grandpa and I work on them . Let me know if you need any more clarification on what I'm thinking in my mind to help you out. When I get a thought in my mind, sometimes it is hard to get it down on paper in words.

I'm working on revamping my display and was going to build some display bins for my products. Hope you guys can give your thoughts and opinions on some things that I'm thinking. This is a general idea of what I'm wanting to build. http://www.gershelbros.com/product1741.html I want to be able to take it apart so I can pack it in my car nicely and be able to stack the bins on my wheel cart to carry to my booth spot. So here are some ideas that I'm thinking... Give me your thoughts on them please. 1. making the top part removable with slots to fit over the sides to slide on at the shows (used to show prices for the products) 2. This picture shows the bins in 3 different sizes. Would it be better to have the 3 different sizes, or just 1 bin size and stager them out a little each level down. 3. I was thinking about putting dividers (would like them removable if possible) so I can divide among products (both horizontally and vertically). I'm thinking about 1 shelf for each scent with possibly a few shelves with more than 1 scent if I only offer 1 or 2 products in a particular scent. 4. Lastly, do you think it would look tacky if I would put these up on a little riser and then lay 1 bin flat on the table in front of it? (like creating rows of shelves) Thanks in advance

also check out shipping USPS online too. Ordering and printing your shipping labels online will save some money too (plus, you don't have to drive to the post office ) For my soaps, it cheaper to send 1 or 2 bars in a padded envelope, but 3 bars in a small frb. UPS and USPS have an online shipping calculator. So grab your scale, a tape measure and play around with packaging and those calculators. You should be able to narrow it down a little bit more and closer for your customers.

ok, I just might have to try these now, but what are some examples/what do you mean by carrier oils? I use Jojoba and olive oil right now in my m&p... would one of those work? Thanks

I've been searching, but have not found exactly what I'm looking for. I'm going to be placing an order for some molds to make my forever pillars. At the same time, I was going to buy some votive molds to start testing when I make my tarts (pour a votive to test just before pouring all the tarts needed). So I have a couple of questions. 1. the molds for the pillars all look like they have a hole for the wick. Do they sell a plate to cover that hole since I'm making a forever pillar, or will my tealight cup be tight enough to the bottom to prevent it from leaking. (From my research it sounds like you all put the cup on the bottom of the mold before pouring.) 2. For votives, I really like the streight sided ones that candle science has. (not a huge fan of the tapered sides or a pointed top ones). Has anybody tried the streight sided ones and does a standard wick pin fit in those? Thanks in advance

great job, just love them. Do you have a website?

for those who sell these, do you also sell larger packages of tarts or only these individual ones (as in larger quanity in the package, not tart size)

I've been testing tarts using feather palm wax. My typical ratio is 1 oz per lb of wax. Now that I have a few scents marketable, I'm going back to the failers and see if I can get those marketable. The FO load according the my supplier website (bcn) says 6%, however, I'm not using a wick for these... would it be safe to go to 1.25 oz fo per lb of wax to see if I can get a stronger, longer lasting throw or would fo just be seeping out of the wax and look nasty? Thanks in advance and again, i appologize if this is posted somewhere. I just cannot seem to find what i'm looking for using the search.

cute. Very creative!!

bummer. Right after I find things from them that I liked. Might be time to shop around again. I don't like places that keep changing their policies.

I don't know what is good or not, but when I buy a new one, I want one that does not have an automatic shut off. It happens to me way to often that mine turns off on me in middle of me measuring out something. Some features that are helpful and I like: measures in both grams and oz tear button (so you can zero out the bowls you are pouring things into) digital Hope that helps

I can't find anything in the search, so sorry if this is actually posted somewhere. I was wondering how you determine what price to sell the accessories for your products, like candle warmers, soap dishes and stuff like that. (so stuff you don't make, but are used with your product) Thanks in advance.

I use shot glasses as well. Works great, easy to clean out. I am trying to go "green" in my business, so I get as many things that are reusable as possible. I'm trying to think of something to even replace paper towels for cleaning out my pour pots.