JanetsCandles

We started these last year, with awesome success. They take forever to make though!

They have no current plans to close. USPS has been broke for quite some time. They're working on restructuring their retiree benefit payments and also possibly the number of days they will run. They are required by law to make that $5.5 billion payment, which according to CNN's version of the story is an overpayment. Congress is supposed to work on changing that. But that's a whole other kettle of fish right there.

You might also check out OpenCart. http://www.opencart.com/ There have been a few glitches in the past, but seems to be very stable so far. It's pretty useful. Opensource though. I don't have a problem with that, but some people do. But it's free and it's easy to work with. At the very least, it's another option.

Actually Orange and Clove go very well together. I sell a lot of the combination. Does anyone know if there's a problem getting it from Peak? Their website doesn't say that it's backordered or anything.

I guess everyone else has a bigger presto pot than I do. Mine only holds 6 or so LBS of wax. Wish I could get 8 or 9 in there!! But yes, I do the same as everyone else, but I do keep it full. Melt time is not long and doesn't bother the wax to keep being remelted. That and we just cycle through so much in the first place that it gets used quickly anyway.

It's more that people like cheap stuff right now. The gift baskets seem to not go for me either right now because the combined basket isn't cheap enough. I get the "Oh, that's cute" response too, but they just don't sell.

It has a drip pan though to catch the drippings, so I'll assume it has a vent at the bottom or something for those to go through. May not work for a wax vat because of that.

I would be holding off on my order from them, myself. I've never seen a donation request on any of the suppliers I use and would be asking the same questions!

I've never had that one either. Not just from sitting them next to each other. Now I'm sure breads or something could pick up a bit of the FO if it is very very close and unwrapped. I've done it by having some oil on my hands and then touching a sandwich. But rest assured, it tasted nothing like a candle! Uck!

I use 3x4 zip bags for my tarts. Uline is good on cost for them and they do ship pretty quickly. Only downfall is they aren't US made and they only offer them in a larger quantity, but if this is something you'll be doing for a while, it's a good investment. Same size also works well for votives among other things.

One thing I'd suggest first is to back down on your FO load. Some of the heavier oils will only take 3 or 4% before they start to separate. It can be frustrating, but that's the point of testing. I can't promise that's the problem, but it's a starting point. It's a good thought to keep in mind that even if the name of the FO is the same, it often is made by a different manufacturer, so will have different components and different reactions at different loads.

I use glitter to make mine colored in certain areas. You can get straight colored glitter in shakers at most craft stores and they do have a variety of colors. This is one that I had colored blue and then needed a gold outline for a special order. Worked very well. I've got plenty of others that I did the same way. You sprinkle the glitter into the areas you want before you melt it. The glitter works its way through the beads and adheres to it very well.

Only if you plan on snorting the wax when it's liquid! Wax combusts like gasoline does in an engine. It's a fuel source. Yes, I'm sure it leaves particles in the air, but it won't condense back down into wax, no matter what you do to it. As for the oils, what does she think her nose does? You get particles of everything you smell in your nose, that's how you smell things. I've heard some far out claims from all sorts of people, but that one made me laugh!

One of the major concerns with it is that sometimes the royalty free sites have some photos that are uploaded by someone other than the original artist. In cases such as that, it's very difficult because you can still be held liable by the original artist under copyright laws. Also sites such as picasa or google image don't always have the original artist posting the images. It's a sticky minefield with copyright and images. Just be sure you do the research, and if you are asking permission to use a picture, keep the response you get. Make sure it is in writing and if it is an email, keep it for the duration of the use of that image, plus some time. You may need it.

I recently had it with a Papaya scent from Wellington Fragrance, so it's not just the Coconut Cream Pies that are doing it. I went down to 3% (which by the way, you get almost no throw, hot or cold, from) and it still separated. So yes, I have had it happen, and very recently.

Seconding Candybee on this one. We're seeing a serious decrease in sales. I have quite a few wholesale accounts and have cleared less than $500 this month. All the shops are very slow, it makes me start wondering if there are people just holding it until this government BS cools down or if it's worse and going to be a long term thing.

I have, don't care for them much. They have a much higher melt point, so I have to heat/melt them in a pan by themselves before adding to the wax. Biggest problem I have with the bag I've got is that once it hits the wax, it granulates again. Doesn't actually blend in. That could easily be though because I can't keep the temp up that high.

We use a digital oven thermometer for ours. Works beautifully. Have had this one over 2 years, it's magnetic on the back of the readout display and has a probe on a longer cord. So much nicer than the clip on glass ones.

It has to be a New Mexico, USA thing too then. I can't compete with tealights. When Walmart sells a bag of 100 for a few dollars, there is no way to compete on a smaller scale.

If there is access to electricity, you could get a couple cinder blocks and a small window air unit, if your tent would have sides anyway, close up the tent and keep it cool that way. Other than that, the heat would keep me away. I was told that if you are attending shows, you are better off to not do shows that have little or no entry fee for the vendors and not being juried either, plus if there is no entry fee for the customers (most only charge a dollar or ask for a donation to a food bank, ect) that it's almost not worth doing. And honestly here I believe it.

Thanks Karen! A trunk sale/show is basically a solo show for vendors. A few folks around here put them on, give you space at their store to bring in extra product (more than you already sell to them) and it brings in sales for both the vendor and the shop that sponsors it. The one shop here has put on one per month for the last 4 months with awesome success it seems. So I guess in a way it's like me renting out part of the store to have my candles in for a weekend.

I'm doing my first solo show this weekend, a trunk sale at one of the shops I supply to. I've done other fairs with the same shop in the past, but this is a first time thing for me. Anything you folks think I should know ahead of this?

One of the reasons it's wise to avoid E.O. when you're pregnant is that some of the essentials are harvested and may contain pesticides. Trace amounts, but most people agree that those aren't the best thing to have in contact with the baby. Don't forget that when you are pregnant everything you put in and on your body has a chance to transfer it to the child, through blood stream, skin, various ways. Many doctors recommend staying away from them also because flat out Essential Oils aren't studied as much as they should be. You have a LOT of various issues to consider with Essential Oils. Allergies, sensitivities, pesticides, fertilizers, other alternate substances, contamination, strength changes in the EO from sitting for a certain amount of time (they do break down, and each essential oil has a different time frame), interactions with other medications that you may have to start taking for the safety of the baby or to treat a problem... the list is almost endless. When you are doing your research, see if you can find a doctor or pharmacist that may know more about the individual oils as well.

That's another good point. Only way to fix it really would be to split it depending upon what application they are using it in. I use soy, paraffin, palm. But don't care a lot for parasoy. And depends a great deal on what my customers ask for in a scent too.

If you like the design of those molds, give candlechem a call. Arnie is awesome on the customer service and should be able to help get them. They look like the same exact molds as the ones I purchased. I can't say they're horrible, but I do get frustrated very very easily.