scentsationaldelites

I sell a ton of smelly jellies as well. I have a group that buys them @ wholesale to sell as a fundraiser. I just mix the water, FO & a little preservative in the jar and shake well. I usually shake again when they have absorbed about 1/2 the water/FO mix and they are fine. I will have to see if I can find the beads locally because I really like the way those look.

What kind of preservative do you add to the smelly jellies? TIA

Yes, I do. Absolutely no problems.

Thanks Stella. I do too, but was wondering if anyone else does.

I'm curious to know if those of you who use wick pins in your molds poke relief holes while the candle is setting up?

Can you use hamster bedding? Very nice!

I have used hamster bedding in mine and it works very well. I like it better than the sawdust because it doesn't soak up the wax as much as sawdust does.

Each of the chemicals listed below makes a different colored flame, and different chemicals cost more than others. You can do one of two things for adding the chemicals, you can either brush a little glue along the edges of the pinecone scales and roll in the chemical or you can soak the pine cones in water to which one of the chemicals listed below has been added. After the cones have soaked up all the liquid spread them out to dry. Mix as much of the powdered chemical into water as will disolve. The exception is sodium chloride (table salt) which is mixed one half ounce salt to one pint of water to produce yellow flames.

• Yellow flame - Table salt – The grocery store. You can use the same stuff you fill your salt shaker with.
  
• Yellow-Green flame - Borax (sodium tetraborate) –– 20 mule team borax, in the laundry aisle.
  
• Violet flame - Salt substitute (potassium) – The grocery store.
  
• White flame - Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) - Wal-Mart and similar stores or a pharmacy.
  
• Bright Green flame – Allum (thallium) – Try the pharmacy. It’s for food processing (mostly, pickle making), but natural food stores charge a ton for it.
  
• Bright Red flame – Strontium chloride – Used in aquarium keeping somehow, so check a specialty aquarium or pet store.
  
• Deep Red flame - Boric acid. You can buy Boric Acid in Wal-Mart and similar stores. It is usually in the first aid section. Do not buy Borax which is not the same thing.

HTH

This email reeks of scam!!! watch out for it or let us know if you have received it. I am obviously not going to respond.

Hello,

I want to place an order in your store,I will like to know if you ship to Australia and my method of payment will be credit card,Let me know if you can assist me with the order, Do not forget to include your web page in your replying back for confirming i contact the right store.I will await your prompt response as soon as you receive this mail,I will be very glad if you treat this email with good concern

Best Regards,

Baldwin Junior.

I have received 3 e-mails similar to this in the past month.

January 7, 2009

Hello there, I want to buy some good from your company to my new store in Australia, I will like to know if you accept credit card and ship internationally as I have got new shops opening in other part of the world. So please let me know if you can assist me with the order I will await your prompt response as soon as you receive this mail,I will be very glad if you treat this email with good concern... You can reply back to ...................kateimperial@ymail.com.......... Love from Mr and Mrs Johson

January 8, 2009

Hello there, I want to buy some good from your company to my new store in Australia, I will like to know if you accept credit card and ship internationally as I have got new shops opening in other part of the world. So please let me know if you can assist me with the order I will await your prompt response as soon as you receive this mail,I will be very glad if you treat this email with good concern... You can reply back to ...................hisandhershoppingplaza@yahoo.com.au.......... Love from Mr and Mrs Sarah Kelly

January 26, 2009

Good Day,

I am MarcDaniel DeFischer by name, the C.E.O of a Distributing and Suppling Company named, MacFischer Int'l, We are willing to introduce some new products into our store, and we search through the internet ad locate your company, We will like to place an order in your company but need to know some of your company policy as have some questions to ask you, below are the question:

1. Do you allow Email Order

2. Accept Credit Card (Visa, Master, Amex or Discover) as the Means of Payment.

3. Do you ship to Australia or Can I arrange the pick up with my shipping company after the payment is been confirmed

4. Do you have a Website that tells little about your company and your Products.

Kindly get back to me immediately, so I can email you with the exact items needed with the Quantities.

Hope to read from you now.

Regards

Needless to say, I have not responded to them! I just wanted you all to be aware of the various ones I've received. BTW, how many of you sign your business e-mails with Love? LOL

Can you explain this further? It's probably just because I'm used to wicking by a different method, but that's not making a visual for me that makes sense.

Yes, I use a pretabbed wick. Don't push it all the way into the bottom of the candle until after you have heated the metal wick tab. Don't heat the wick tab for too long, otherwise you'll melt the wick out of the tab. After I push the tab into the candle I also give it a little shot with the candle lighter to make sure it's secure as the wax around the tab will melt just enough to secure it when cool.

HTH, if you need more info, just let me know.

I insert the votive wick about 3/4 of the way into the votive, then heat the bottom of the metal tab with a candle lighter for a few seconds then put the metal tab into the candle with an eraser end of a pencil. I shrink wrap my votives and put the warning label on the bottom after shrink wrapping.

I'm having a little melting, but not much...i just burned like 3 tea lights the other day & after looking there IS some melting around the edge, but not enough to worry about.

Hi Kay,

I realize this is an older post, but I was wondering what you do to prevent the melting around the top of the pillar. I've been adding Palm Searic (2 Tbsp per pound) to my Forever Palm Pillars, let them cure for about 3 weeks and use a low melt point jar wax (IGI 4786) and tea lite wick (s-330) and am still experiencing melting around the top of the glass insert for the tea light. Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated.

TIA

Thanks for all the comments. Believe me I did my homework from the beginning. I did a reverse phone number search and learned that the number was a cell phone, did an area code look up and found out the number was from Texas, asked where the product was going to be shipped to early on because I was not going to send something over seas, his initial response was an address in Florida. I did a reverse address search and learned that the shipping address was a mobile home park. Wrote to him requesting if the shipping address was a residential or commercial property, etc.

No, I did not have the product boxed up and ready to ship (I was trying to get him to either come forward with the money), but I do have that much in inventory presently.

The whole premise of me posting this on the forum was to let other candle makers be aware in case he tries to contact someone else. I'm fully aware of all the scams that are going on and what to look for. I intentionally left his spelling and grammatical errors in the message so others can learn from this. I also wanted to share the website address in my first post so you can look up e-mail addresses of known scam websites associated with them.

Additionally, I posted this same message on the IGCA website and learned within an hour that he has unfortunately contacted another candle maker in Columbus Ohio.

Fortunately, the only thing taken from me was my wasted time in even responding to him.

I wanted to inform all of you of a recent inquiry I have received so you don’t fall into the trap of wasting time and energy even responding to this inquiry if you should receive one.

I received an e-mail to my home e-mail address which is listed as a contact on the IGCA website. First message received on October 30 from e-mail address Gosh_Consult@yahoo.com with a subject Candles enquiry:

Hello Sir/Madam

Accept my apology if this should be a wrong contact, i am

therefore enquiring if i could purchase Candles from your company.

Kindly advise available types and pricing respectively.

Best regards

Gosh consult

Tel: 9154404099

I responded to the message with an electronic copy (pdf) of my brochure since I had my website down for maintenance. The following day, I received this response:

Ann,

Thanks for the prompt response however,we require assortment of below Candles and our budget is $4000.00.

Kindly advise availability ASAP.

Regards

Greg.

(I removed the different products and pricings from the reply above to reduce the length of this message.)

Please note that the person who responded was Greg, and Gosh was the one who made the initial inquiry. I responded with the following:

I have an assortment of popular candle scents per your message below that would be available for shipment next week. Please advise where the candles are being shipped to. Thanks.

Three days later, I received this response:

Ann,

The candles will be shipped to 3100 hawthorne str, sarasota FL 34239.

Advise how to proceed ASAP.

Regards

Greg.

I did a reverse address search on the above address and found it to be in a mobile home park. I responded with an inquiry of whether the shipping address was a residential or commercial property, attached my shipping and returns policy and informed him that my website was back up again. I did not hear from him for another 10 days. Below is the response:

Ann,

Am very sorry for the late response i have been out of town for an external business trip.We however want to proceed with the order and want to know if you have finally got the whole order ready for delivery, so i could proceed with 100% advance payment and have a delivery company of my choice pick the Candles from your company.Also reconfirm total cost after tax.

Regards

Greg

I responded that he would need to place an order on my website so I could secure his credit card information in order to proceed with processing his order.

His response:

Ann,

Yes i do not want the Holiday scents exclud them from my order and let me have the rest the Candles,budget once again is $4000.00 excluding shipping. Kindly reconfirm ETA if we make 100% advance payment by tomorrow.

Regards

Greg.

On November 17 I received this message, subject Delivery:

After talking to my colleagues we have decided to have the Candles sent to it original destination in Nairobi Kenya as we are donating them to a Charity Organization.

Am however working with the delivery company and will have them contact you to get approximate weight and pick up details for quotes,so we proceed with payment from there..

Regards

Greg

I responded with the following message:

Greg,

I understand you don't want the Holiday scents. They will not be included in your order. I have half of the order ready to be boxed up to prepare for shipping and would have the complete order ready for shipment on Wednesday, November 26. If you accept this date, please proceed with payment. Thanks.

Kindly,

Ann Bick

ScentSational DeLites

I received this message from realtyshipping@realtyagent.com

My name is Larry from realty shipping i have been advise to contact you in regards to pickup

of Candles to Tamwee Charity Ctr,23 Haile Sel. Rd , Nairobi 00100 Kenya.Please advise pickup address ,

approximate weight,dimension,and total value for quotes.

Operation Manager

Realty Shipping Int'l.

Tel: 9107785444

I responded and copied Greg with the following message:

Hello Larry,

I was wondering if you have size or weight requirements for the boxes of candles to be shipped? Once I have received payment from Greg for the candles, I will be able to release the information you requested below. I will not release candles until payment in full has been received.

Regards,

Ann Bick

ScentSational DeLites

Greg responded with this message:

We wanted to know how much shipping to Nairobi Kenya will cost us so we know how much we gonna spend on the order plus delivery.

Please supply Realty shipping approximate weight for the order to enable me get shipping quotes.

Regards

Greg

I responded to Greg with this message:

Greg,

I hope you have done some homework on the shipper you have selected. If not, you should be made aware that the website address and e-mail he uses has been identified on this website http://en.kioskea.net/faq/sujet-273-scam-business-emails as a common domain name used by fake businesses online. I wouldn’t want you to be taken advantage of for your charitable organization’s efforts. By the way, I can’t find any information on Tamwee Charity Ctr either, fyi.

Regards,

Ann

I have not heard back from Greg, Gosh, or Larry the shipper since I sent this message on Tuesday November 18.

Please do your homework when you receive inquiries that seem odd. Check out this page for known scam business e-mails http://en.kioskea.net/faq/sujet-273-scam-business-emails

If they don’t include last names, telephone numbers other than a cell phone or a viable address, it’s likely a scam.

You think this is a kitchen? I can't work in the basement where I have my workshop set up. We don't have cable running to the basement so I can't watch tv and I can't listen to CDs either.With the dehumidifier running and my hot plates for 2 pour pots turned on, I blow a fuse when the tv and lights are on upstairs. (very old house with very old wiring)

And I thought I was the only one who keeps blowing a circuit with a toaster oven, two melting pots and a work light on in my workshop, and I have a newer house, just pour wiring! Every time the freezer kicks on and the kids are watching tv, it blows the circuit! I tell the kids to shut off the tv

Both are very good ideas. Thanks for the tips. I've been thinking it might be easier to pack them in cello bags first then place them in the industrial totes I have used the last couple of years for shows. Thank you for your contributions and ideas!

Now to figure out where to order the cello bags from

Hello~

I have a burning question (pun not intended ), I’m trying to figure out how to store my votives, tea lights, and melts for the upcoming craft shows I’m scheduled in this fall. After I have made the candles I store them in plastic shoe boxes (one scent per box) until I’m ready to package them up. I shrink wrap the votives then put them in plastic boxes. The tea lights I just box up in plastic boxes (12 per box) or zip lock bags (6 per bag). Melts I put in individual zip lock craft bags. I’m wondering how to keep the scents from migrating to one another when I put the individual packages in the plastic totes I use to haul to the shows. Any ideas?

Thanks!

I've noticed if I don't pour my tapers hot enough, they get pitted. Did you try pouring at a cooler temperature say around 150-160 degrees?

Just a suggestion....

Try Wholesale Supplies Plus, I bought one from them to try and it works great!

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=6853

I keep my fragrance oils in a cabinet with doors on it in my workshop so they aren't subject to sunlight. I'm running out of space in the cabinet so I either need to quit buying new fragrances or get a bigger cabinet

Ann

I was at a candle convention and asked an IGI wax salesperson this same question and he said he's had paraffin wax in his closet (boxed up and in a controlled temperature environment, kept dry) that has been in there for over 10 years and it's still good.

I wouldn't worry too much about storage of the wax and length of time if you keep it in a controlled environment.

I myself have had wax for over three years and it still performs the same as when I bought it. With wax prices on the rise, I'm tempted to order a few extra cases since it stores so well.

Ann

Same here, I was going to post mine look like crap and I have about 100 sheets but they are ink jet. Guess that's the difference. I'm stuck and have two sizes. Why do I have to buy in bulk??? To save money??? that's a joke.

Mine look like crap too Sharon. I have about 500 sheets in 5 different sizes. I too bought in bulk to save money. I'm stuck too and the best I can do is just re-label my candles before I show them or sell them and redesign my labels to have more color and less white. It's so frustrating!

I have been using the white gloss inkjet labels from online labels and they have turned yellow on me.... and I thought it was just me!

I hate that it makes my product look old and I typically end up having to put new labels on before I sell or display at a show.

Is there anyway to avoid this from happening?

Thanks!

Ann

I would try liquid dye, in golden honey. Try about 2 drops per pound in 4625. Golden honey is a nice warm beige/butterscotch, so using it sparingly should give you the colour you want.

Thanks Chris. I don't have Golden honey dye, I'll have to order that and give it a try. Somehow in my mind I thought using Ivory would be the right choice, because it is called Ivory afterall. Go figure.

Have you tried half the chip? Or, break/cut it into quarters and try one first, then maybe a half.... letting some cool completely to see the true finished color.

I'm currently doing that and keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks!

I make my Ivory 3x9" unity sets with 4045H wax, 3 tbs stearic, 1 ounce FO per pound and 1 peaks ivory dye chip to two pounds of wax. Turns out a perfect light ivory. Maybe try using less of the dye chip. With mine, in the pot it doesn't seem like it colored the wax much, but when the pillar is cooled & finished you get a nice Ivory shade.

Thanks for the response flutterbye. I did try using the 4045H wax with Stearic but it ended up mottling on me and was darker than what I wanted.. Maybe I didn't add enough stearic. What temperature do you pour to prevent the mottling? I also think I used too much color. I'll try this again cutting back on color.

Currently I've poured another 3X3 test pillar using 4625 with 1 tsp white dye flakes from Genwax adding 1/2 ivory dye chip. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one as I'm about to go crazy from not figuring this out today and I'm driving my husband mad from my being so emotional and stressed.

I hope this link still works....I made some ivory and black candles for my friends wedding. I used IGI 1242, with vybar and mold release and 1 ivory dye chip per pound, but I got the dye chips off ebay. If this is the colour ivory you want let me know and I will look up who I got them from.

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/TwinCandle/

Thanks for the response and the pictures. The link worked great. That's the color of Ivory I'm looking for. The dye chips I am using are like a diamond. I have purchased them from Peaks and Rustic Essentuals and they look like the same chip (both diamond shape).

I haven't worked with IGI 1242. Where do you get the IGI 1242 wax from? Can it be used for taper candles also?

Thanks again for your assistance.

Ann

I hope this link still works....I made some ivory and black candles for my friends wedding. I used IGI 1242, with vybar and mold release and 1 ivory dye chip per pound, but I got the dye chips off ebay. If this is the colour ivory you want let me know and I will look up who I got them from.

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/TwinCandle/

sorry for the double response..... my computer was acting up and I didn't think the first response went through