Stephanie

Duh :embarasse - didn't try that. Thanks! I'll give it a try.

Thank you! I actually do have the Design Pro, but you can do so much more in Publisher, and you can't import the files.

Does anyone have or know where to find a template for 1.67" round labels (Avery 5293)? There are 24 to a page. I'm using Microsoft Publisher. TIA!

I'd be interested to hear more reviews about this wax. I tried 4045H and could not get it to hold oil even with vybar 343. I went back to 1343 but if someone has found a formula they are willing to share, I'd give it another try. BTW, how does it compare to 1343? (It's been a while since I tested it, curious what others have to say.) In the meantime, I'll dig up my notes and post here.

Thank you all for your responses. I was feeling overwhelmed with the choices - and rightly so. Fortunately, I love to do research, so it looks like I'll be busy for a while. Can you point me to any informative websites to get started? I have a few bookmarked, but would love any recommendations. Thanks again!

I apologize if this has been asked a thousand times. I'm totally new to the B&B world and I've been reading and searching and I haven't come across it yet - is it better to use EO rather than FO in your bath products (linen sprays, foot scrubs, bath melts, etc.)? EOs just seem so expensive so I'm a bit intimidated to start testing with them. And, if EOs are the way to go, how long does 1 oz last? Thanks for any advice!

I also had a, rather 3, bad experiences with Candlewic. The very first time I ordered from them I received a dented mold, after that every order was wrong. Each time customer service was less and less helpful. I wrote a letter to the owners and had no response, which I expected. Now I refuse to order from them. Candles and Supplies is located just as far from me, so I only order from them and haven't had any issues.

I get mine from Willowwoods and LOVE it! Like I want to eat the candle LOVE it! And sadly I just read on her website today that they are temporarily out of business because of an illness. I'm coveting mine!! Sorry, I guess that wasn't very helpful. But she's hoping to get back into business, and if not has something worked out with Bittercreek to sell her popular fragrances. Fingers crossed!

I love a deal too! If you're selling tins, do you offer more than one size? Like a 2 oz and 6 oz or 4 oz and 8 oz? It seems almost repetitive to offer 4 and 6 oz - they're so close in size. Just curious.

Thanks for your input. Since I have tested both J50 and J223 and didn't notice much of a difference between the two I thought maybe I was missing something. It appears that I'm not. Sorry to beat a dead horse with the question.

My mom LOVES the travel tins. So I started to think they'd be easy to do because you don't have to worry about the dreaded wet spots. But my question is are people really buying these? And if they are, what sizes? I have 2 and 4 oz ones to test, but I'm thinking I might need to go bigger. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

I'm glad you brought this up - I just scheduled an open house on an upcoming Sunday from 10 to 4. I wonder if I should rechedule to a weekday. I did have one a while ago on a Thursday in the early evening and called it "Cocktails & Candles", it had a decent turnout. Well, maybe I'll keep my Sunday one for the comparison. Sorry for the rambling - just thinking out loud. I'll keep you posted on the results though!

I've played with J223 and J50 a while ago and can't honestly remember which one was better. I think I even combined them. I'm planning to make some tins and thought I'd start with the one with the best scent throw (duh!). Which one is the best or are there new ones I should try? Thanks!

Great job - they're perfect!

Thanks everyone. It seemed to have a decent crowd of shoppers but I don't know what they were buying - I know they weren't buying my candles! Oh well. Thankfully, I have a wholesale account who happily took the bulk of my stock.

I had my one and only show this past weekend. HUGE disappointment! It was 2 hours before I sold my first candle then didn't sell any more until the very end. I did make almost 4x my table fee, but I essentially had 4 customers including my sister who was sitting with me! I don't understand it - loads of people, about 100 crafters so it wasn't a small show, I was the only one selling candles (at least pillars and votives) and I had a nice setup. I'll upload pix later. Last year I sold over $300 and that was my first show ever, this year barely $100. What's up? But the best part of the day was when a woman came over to sniff the candles then started telling me how dangerous they are and how she wouldn't even buy them for her daughter who is a "candle freak". Thanks lady!

Here's one end of my table - next to some guy who had sports paintings - not quite the best location IMO.

Candlewic and Candles and Supplies are closest to me, but I've never used their liquid dyes.

I also test a full pillar in an appropriate sized room. And I act like a customer and burn it longer than you're supposed to .

I didn't think that stearic effected the FO. I know Vybar does, but that will also give you a solid pillar rather than mottled. Hmmm. I'll have to look at my old notes and get back to you.

I tried 4045H and it mottles beautifully, but I also remember it didn't hold a lot of FO. My candles came out of the mold super wet. That was back when I was a novice, of course.

I don't think you need stearic with 4045H. Try a batch without it.

The pits/pinholes have been holding strong. I finally called my supplier thinking something must be wrong with the WAX (course it couldn't be me! ). There were no complaints about the batch of wax (it's 1343, of course not!) and she suggested pouring hotter. Hotter?! Yes, pour around 190-200 degrees. So I did. And the pits are gone! Thank you all for your advice.

Try CD 5 or 6...

They all look awesome! But I'd like to say that Number 2's excellent photography skills are a dead giveaway to who it is .

I've worked with 4144 - actually I should say it worked against me. I thought I could use it in place of 1343. I could get it to mottle with mineral oil, but it was never consistent, rustics always came out with strange looking air bubbles inside. It was the worst wax I've ever used.