LuminousBoutique

sweet pea is very light, but nice. You can get away with using more than 1oz PP. Lavender I got DOS with, which confused me because I used my stand by recipe and changed nothing... so I tried again... watching very carefully.. and again, DOS. I dont know what thats all about, but I then soaped peaks lavender, same recipe, same everything, NO DOS.... based on those results I really do believe that the FO had something to do with it, although I have no way to know how....

yes but it wont always be clear- I use a crock too

I love both.... I make liquid and truly enjoy it, its not snotty... and I think it works better on tough stains... but I like the powder for lighter loads

.....yeah..... im just not gonna touch this one:D except to say... wish him all the best... hope all the wicks dont burn like the one in the video....

Thanks Alan- signs point elsewhere... but its great to know you guys are on it

LOL!! Yeah they rock at the sage- they are only about 30 min away from my house and I love going in there! Learn something new every time!

I agree with Ashee- feel no different when I use them, but I think they are pretty- and they are edible, make for pretty decor on food, the fine grain ones that is. check out saltworks.us (i think thats the link) they have great prices and free shipping

yep. I order all my dead sea salts from saltworks.us, their bokek israel dead sea salts- http://www.saltworks.us/bokek_deadseasalt.html they come with kosher certification and a certificate of authenticity. Pretty cheap, and they do free shipping too. I also really recommend them for all other sea salts- good company.

thats smart!

nope - and we're on a secure network (wireless so I can work from anywhere in my house) but its encrypted and secure so it cant be "blue snarfed"

me too. I got a refund for my booth fee at a show last fall that was stated as handmade only and juried.. I was LIVID that not only did scentsy get a double booth, but they were set right by the entrance. I spoke with another vendor who confirmed it was one of the organizers sister in law! ooooh hell no. I was so mad.

They are huge here in Utah- started here before they went to Idaho I think. Anyways, sales are easy to take from them because #1- they are reps. They dont make a damn thing and their "arguments" against our handmade tarts fall apart the second you start pressing them. They couldnt tell you a single thing about the fragrance oils, about the actual wax.. and they cant beat us on price because they have to charge more so they get paid themselves! There is no middle man for us. I have a sign that says ".5oz more, handpoured in Ogden, Utah, and $1.50 less!" and I sell 4x the tarts they do if they are at a show I'm doing. If people want to support a mom- they can support me! If people want to support small business- I'm the obvious choice over scentsy. If people want to know who they are buying from- hello, let me shake your hand and tell you about my workshop, my process, and explain in detail how I do what I do- THAT is the difference between me and scentsy. Scentsy reps tend to be rude because they are taught to be. They are taught we are copying them, when in all reality its the other way around- scentsy started the same way we all did- and they were NOT the first to use clamshells despite what they claim. They are taught to be firm, to put down other burners and tarts- and to claim our tarts will break their burners. They make so little on each tart sale its no wonder they fight so hard for them. Be warned- they are spreading like the plague. I cant go anywhere without seeing at least 2-3 cars with scentsy stickers on them, and there are 300+ reps in my "area" and they practically claw EACHOTHERS eyes out trying to get spots at shows and markets.

A year of solid testing - after that I went to market with 12 scents, I'm up to many more now of course. Hers just a quick guide for you if it helps... Say you want to offer up 12 scents to begin with, in three jars. Here is how I'd suggest getting that started Lets assume (this is just an example..) you'd like to do a 7oz tumbler, an 11.5oz tumbler, and an 8oz tin. Now select your waxes to test... in soy you have many choices but lets just say you try c-3 and 464 or 444... 50lbs of each at least for testing. Now wicks. For each container, you're likely going to go through at least 2- at LEAST.. but likely 4. Lets just for examples sake go with cotton core and HTP You'd pour 4 candles per wax, in each jar size, with the different wicks. So for example: 8oz tin: suggested wicks cotton core: c-80, c-85. htp: 83, 93 you'd pour four candles per wax, with these wicks, and burn them start to finish- no frag, you're just looking for a good burn. So when you're done with that and you've determined which wick works best in your container with no frag, you move on to frag testing. Here's where it gets complicated. Some fragrances require a smaller wick, some larger. I suggest going with your wick you decided on in the no-frag test, but you need to burn that candle from start to finish, all 60 hours. If you have any burning issues, you know you need to wick up or down from there. Good note taking comes in here- if you keep great notes you'll never have to second guess yourself. You CANNOT guess what a fragrance will need. I've had scents completely shock me.. scents I thought which would be fine need a larger wick and choke out halfway through the burn- which again is why a full burn is important. If you properly test 12 fragrances, in two different waxes, with two different wicks (you're looking for scent throw too, which wax and wick provides the best and strongest scent)... thats ALOT of test jars. But its so very worth it. Those notes, that knowledge you gain, and the frustration pays off. ooh.. edited to add this video CS put out recently.. thought it was a good starter video! http://www.candlescience.com/video/choosing-the-right-wick-size.php

this. candles do not, have not, and likely will not ever make a LARGE profit for my line- but I'm a soap maker who began to make candles a few years ago- and my focus will always be mostly on the B&B side. Could I make a profit? sure- but it would require thousands more in investment (buying wax by the pallet instead of 4 cases at a time, buying jars by the pallet, and fragrance oils no less than 5lbs at a time) competition is fierce, customers are loyal to brands they love, and candles are time, money, and energy consuming. But we love it, thats why we do it I dont LOSE money on them, and I always have beautiful candles burning around the house.. but it has taken YEARS to make back those initial investments- and while I wont give you a solid number, its more than $5,000, and thats just initial investment - how much more I cant be certain, you pick things up here and there.. but thats an honest answer. I'm still dropping hundreds here and there all the time that I wont see back for months. Maybe a year. I sell my candles wholesale, at shows, online, and to boutiques for private label. You'll find different markets are more accepting to different prices.. one boutique sells my private label candle for just under $40, another for 12.95. Same candle. My #1 advice to you is never go to market with something you are not 100000% confident in, and please insure yourself. If you sell a candle which is unsafe, a candle which does not burn well, a candle thats underwicked and choked, or overwicked and smokes... that not only looks bad on you and you've likely lost a customer but it looks bad on handmade candles in general. I say this all out of love and understanding- I've been in your shoes. I think most of us started with the intent of paying for our hobby and making a nice nest egg on the side- but I must warn you its frustration, hard work, and patience that makes a nice candle- money? that comes later. Have people been successful- of course. But they worked for it...

and think about the kinds of charges... makeup, xbox live, baby supplies... sounds like someone youngish to me..

nope dont click on links and our computer is double-triple protected... DH is a wizz with computers... I really believe its either an employee at a supplier, or a breach. double checked and CS, SKS, and Peaks are the only places I've used that card- my other card (business account) I've used at NG, Peaks, CS, SKS, The Sage, Chemistry store so on so forth... but nothing weird on that one at all. I agree its just too much of a coincidence we all got the same KIND of activity.. same websites and such.. for it not to be somehow connected.

yeah- samples are not needed. MAYBE a set at the school, but thats as far as I would go with it. People order candles online everyday without smelling first- its no different.

OK- related places I've used HIS card specifically in the past six months, because thats the one that was affected: Peaks Candle Science SKS thats it... I use my card or my paypal mastercard for everything else. Nothing weird on my paypal (I'd know right away I check it all day long because of orders) and nothing weird on my card, which is on the same account as DH's card but has different numbers... im trying hard to think of anywhere else it could have been used but I cant come up with anything...

HEY- that strawberry.net is one my husbands card that got hacked was used for... I have used that card for supplies but only once or twice maybe- because generally I would use mine thats on the same account, but mine was NOT affected.. I wonder if I can do some backtracking and see what supplier I've used it for.. I'll try! island girl- this place, right? http://us.strawberrynet.com/main.aspx?region=US&CurrId=US$&langBox=US thats too much of a coincidence for this not to be connected somehow.

There are so many cool things you can do with this mold! I rarely purchase molds but this one I might consider!

Yep I suggest mixing them with glycerin first.. thats worked well for me. I use Yorker caps http://www.thesage.com/catalog/products/Yorker-Caps-Size-24.html and 2oz squeezey bottles http://www.thesage.com/catalog/products/2-oz-MDPE-BottlesSize-24.html I mix as little glycerin as possible into the micas to make it liquid, but so its a minimal amount in the end result. I only do this for M&P, scrubs, that kind of stuff... it lasts a pretty long time, too. With CP its so easy to just mix the micas right in but cant do that with MP

thats awesome!

I was going to email peaks- but you know what- they look the same! I wonder about contacting peaks and seeing about doing a pops co-op. I have about 2oz of each color right now and I need more. I wonder how much they have.. and if they could handle a bulk order from all of us... but they only have raspberry and apple green that I see.

lol I dont think I'll ever get used to change- even though it happens so often.. so and so goes out of busines, OK gotta replace those soap boxes. Such and such FO stops being made... OK gotta test 5 different ones and still not find a proper replacement... jangled nerves!!