rebeccajo99

Thanks everybody so far for the thoughts and suggestions. I thought about just using Amarah Eve, but then how would people know what I sell unless they have found me before??? Any thoughts on that. This name thing is very difficult.

Thanks everybody for all the ideas.

I'm trying to think of a business name to do as a DBA since my LLC name already has way to many variations out there. I want to have some subtle thing about my faith in it. So I did some research on some names and was wondering what you thought of this name Amarah Eve Candles and Creations Amarah Eve Candles and Gifts Amarah Eve means Eternal Life. Let me know what you think and/or suggestions Thanks

That looks great and sounds like a wonderful scent. You can really make soap in the crockpot. Now that is cool.

I like that one too. Maybe I'll have to give that one a try as well.

What is something that you have discovered (either by trial and error or on purpose) that made you really excited about. Mine was that permanent marker comes off glass with hot soapy water!!! I used to use a dry erase maker or write on a piece of paper what I poured the candle is (scent, FO load, wick, date poured), but paper can be lost and dry erase rubs off if you are not careful. Found that by accident when I graped the permanent one instead of the dry erase one

good to know that I am not the only one. I was starting to get worried that I have been doing something wrong this whole time

different waxes have different recommedations for heating/pouring. The wax I use (ecosoya 135) recommends heating to 175, adding the fo and dye and then cooling to around 125 before pouring. I pour usually around 115 so I can stir everything back up before pouring. I just like the looks of my candles when I pour at 115, but that is different for everybody.

do you think my woodchips from my yard would work as well or would those be too big? I can head down to the pet store otherwise and get pet bedding. Thanks for the idea

Thanks Candybee It would be nice to have that, but safety is my main concern. I'll just leave things as it is. I should look into seeing if the jars can be recyled with that little bit of wax left in it. That way those that choose to still be "green" can recycle the jars. :undecided

I used to be like that until I read a post from Stella. It made me really think and re-evaluate my candles and how I test them. I now follow her testing standards (modified it a little to fit some things that I am also looking for) and do that. I will copy and paste what she wrote from that post for your referance about the power burn. Once the candle passes the careful testing, then I do an abusive powerburn (burn from beginning to end without extinguishing, trimming, recentering the wick, etc.) to be sure the container doesn't heat up too much, the flame stays at a reasonable height, the candle produces little or no soot, or the sustainer base fails to self-extinguish at the height of the base (indicating the glue has failed allowing the wick to continue sucking liquid wax from below the top of the sustainer base opening) or becomes unstuck and wanders. I set the candle on a varnished wood surface to see if it damages it (violating the "place candle on a fire-resistant surface. Never place directly on furniture" rule.) I feel the container and make sure it doesn't burn my hand. Once the candle is completely liquid, I deliberately move it around (as in "never carry a lighted candle or move one with liquid wax") to see if the sustainer base comes loose and allows the wick to wander. In short, the powerburn is the abuse test to reassure me that even in the hands of the village idiot, the candle will perform reasonably safely (although I can't assure that the idiot won't set it under the drapes, where the cat will catch on fire, let their kids throw matches in it and light their hair on fire, etc.). If the container becomes too hot during the powerburn, I retest, wicking down one size. If the wick doesn't self-extinguish, or comes unstuck and wanders, I change the stuff I am using to stick it to the container (I don't worry about this one any more 'cause I learned my lesson and now use high-temp silicon gasket maker to stick on the sustainer bases). This is taken from the following post http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79424&highlight=abusive+burn

I know that I shouldn't leave a candle burning unattended and I will have that on my warning lable when I do start selling. I just cannot test that knowing that there are people out there that will burn their candles unattended and while they are sleeping. As a candle maker we are supposed to make our candles safe for even those "stupid" candle burners. No, I'm not going to stick mine under my curtans to make sure my candles don't start them on fire, but I am going to make sure they are safe if they are burned from begginging to end without "blowing them out." Its a risk I'm willing to take to ensure the safty of my consumers. (even those that may accidently forget to blow theirs out before going to bed or leaving the house) Just my opinion

When I make my container candles there is some wax left on the bottom of the jar. I just figured this was normal because all the warning lables that I see say to discontinue use when 1/2 inch remains. However, when I was reading some information on here and brousing some competitor websites (or will be competitor websites when I get selling) they have their cantainer candles fully consume all the wax so they can reuse the jar for things. (They mention candy dishes or even showed small christmas ornimate bulbs in them). What am I doing wrong that I cannot have a fully consuming container candle??? Or better yet, how do you get a container candle like that? Thanks in advance

I do keep them burning. When I plan my power burn, I make sure that I don't have to go anywhere. I never really thought about going to sleep. I just do. I have them burning on my stove and make sure there is nothing around it. The only reason that I do that is I know of somebody who does keep hers burning all day and all night. I do make sure that the end is while I'm awake so I can make sure it self exstinguishes.

I'm sorry if this is posted somewhere else. I have been searching for a few days and have not found what I'm all looking for. I was wondering what else you can all put in the wax for firestarters. I normally use our christmas tree from the year before, but that is now gone. (husband got rid of it ) I saw posts about saw dust and egg cartons, but I don't have access to saw dust and our egg cartons here are made from styrofoam. I don't want to use those. I do plan on selling these, but not for very much (basiclly 25 cents a piece)... so they don't have to be fancy. Anything else that I can use???

I don't use zinc wicks, so I am not sure if you still want to or not. I use CD wicks and according to my supplier, they say they are almost self trimming (whatever that means ) When I power burn, I trim the wick to where it is supposed to be before I light (I plan on having the wick to 1/4 inch when I sell them so I don't risk not having the customer do that). I light and burn to the very end, never blowing it out, trimming the wick or removing the mushroom. I want to create the worst case customer and make sure my product is still safe.

Thanks

Thanks Vicky For the ones that just started, how long do you allow for them to finish, or do you take their results as is? Thanks

Mushrooms are the least of my concerns when I am burning my candles. My main concern is saftey and ht. If I do get a mushroom while test burning, I do try to wick up one to see if I can avoid the mushroom. However if ht and safety is compromised, then I just keep it at the original wick and not worry about it.

I am hoping to pour my first round of testers this week to send to some people. It is a 9 oz hex jar (so 7.5 oz of wax). How long do you think is ample time for them to test the jar and give the results back to me? I'm thinking 3 weeks, but I don't want to be too quick to get good results from them or turn them off to testing other scents in the future, but I don't want it to be too long so they forget about it. Do you think 3 weeks is fine or should it be longer/shorter? Thanks in advance

Thanks everybody for your help so far. Candlelady- That is the reason why that I really like the name Keziah. Shows that we will be treat our daughter with the same equality as our sons. It will fit as a business name beautifully as being a women trying to make it, but like I said, if the Lord ever blesses me with a daughter, it is the name my husband and I have picked out for her. I don't know if I want to use it as a business name as well. Tangerine- Thanks for the suggestion to not change up letters in common words. As I think about it more, it would be hard for customers to find it. After lots of thinking this weekend, here is a suggestion that I thought of. Let me know what you think or if you can play off from it to come up with something even better. "Eternal Lights Candles and Creations" Its long, but it I think it can easly be called Eternal Lights and the candles and creations are on there to show what I make. I don't know, just an idea that I am also throwing around. Shoot... just did an internet search and there is an "Eternal Lights" that sells candles for cemetaries. :-(

I have a loose "start selling date" of October 1, 2009, so with that only being about 2 1/2 months away, I need to start thinking about a business name then a logo. I have an LLC already set up, but did not put too much thought into it and variations of the name is way to popular, so I want to put a DBA with it for a name on my candles. I do plan to some day add other items to it besides candles, so I want to keep that option open as well. One thing that I would like to put in my name is something subtle about my faith. One of the names that I have been toying with "Keziah's Kreations" but my grandma who I highly look up to as a strong Christian did not even know that name was in the Bible. Plus that is my favorite girl name (which I hope to use someday, but so far only been able to produce boys), so do I really want to use it as a business name? So any suggestions on to help me out? Thank-you in advance

If I remember correctly, you are making colored candles... so the bright colors may clash with them. So either find a color that would match the candle that you are putting it on, or find a subtle color like that green or tan (may get hidden on the lable). Maybe even a brown.

ok... looking at the new selections... i like #2 for the logo- but take the name off and use the last one underneath it. I think i like doing that the best. Not sure if I totally like the colors.