JanetsCandles

I would say Peak as well, they've got probably one of the best knowledgebases I've seen. And a group directly in charge of technical support. They don't know everything (I've asked a couple things they didn't have answers to) but they're some of the best I've come in contact with. Another thought is to see if you can get information directly from the group that makes Vybar, Baker-Hughes. http://www.bakerhughes.com/products-and-services/other-chemical-services/specialty-polymers/candles That might give you some extra resources.

No it won't. You can still use a heat gun on the empty mold after it has the silicone on it before you pour and have no problem. And you can still use a heat gun after it has been poured as well to increase the cooling period. No problem there.

Lotus Blossom is the only one up there that I've tried from BCS. But it's good. Good hot and cold throw in paraffin. Couldn't tell you for soy.

Would doing an aroma beads sachet work in those? Would it work for the scent throw?

I've used feather palm and not had it stick, but then I haven't tried it with that long/skinny of a mold either. Try putting it in the fridge for about 20 minutes. You may not even need it to warm back up before pulling it, it should be visibly pulled away from the top edge, tip it over and it should fall right out. Seconding Eric on the "don't freeze it!" part. Frozen candles crack at the weirdest times, I swear... I do recommend silicone spray (a light coat) if you keep having problems.

One of your best resources for checking pricing is Etsy. Most are small sellers/crafters and you can get a good idea of going price. But make sure not to go below your cost (include your labor time in there too). There's a sheet floating around the board on how to calculate your pricing that might be a good thing to look up. I don't have a direct link just now, or I'd link it for you. I do put a warning label on mine, mostly to protect myself, and the simple fact that people are ignorant in a lot of ways. My labels include things like "don't move while liquid" and "don't melt with direct flame and don't use a scented votive or tealight to heat the wax melts" and other safety stuff that seems like no brainers. Back to another thought on cost: most of your big box type sellers (hallmark is one of those) have their tarts made in a large factory setting. Some of those tarts are made here in the USA. Others are done in places like China. One of the benefits of doing it as a private individual is that we quality control a lot better than many of those places, other things are that we are able to customize easier. And those are also selling points. Also it's becoming more popular that you're a local. People are starting to care about small local businesses again (yay!)

I can tell you that Bitter Creek does NOT have those in non polar. Just found that Midwest Candle Supply has a chart though of the stuff they've tested in wax and gel. You may check them out. Not sure how their fragrances are though. http://www.creativeilluminations.com/fragrances.php That's the link to the chart I found.

Hey just, In reference to spark-me-up's reply, if you go to Hobby Lobby, you'll see some wicking labeled in fine/small, medium, large. The 15 ply is about the size of the "fine" or "small" wicking on the roll. I THINK they have it in smaller amounts too, otherwise they have it in 75 yd quantities.

Completely agree. Just didn't realize how much I hated the feeling of slimy sticky stuff on my hands!

I just spazzed over here. I really really hate the feeling of the 4627. That is all. :tiptoe:

Ain't that the frigging truth. Between the "triple scented" BS thing and the "Oh Yankee Candle is the best out there!" I seriously wonder why certain people try to go up to a candle maker at all. I sometimes think they're just looking to be negative.

One of the problems I've come across is that there are just some consumers that flat out don't understand anything but "triple scented" in FO terms. I've done fairs where they demand triple scented candles or they flat won't purchase. So it becomes one of those "smile, nod, make a sale" things. And unless the customers understand the concepts of fragrance oil loads, saying stuff like that is very likely to leave you with a blank look.

It's a show that's for a single vendor. One of my stores I supply to is letting me do it. They also do it for a few other vendors, once a month type thing. The name came around because it used to be like those guys you see on the side of the road selling stuff from their trunk or the bed of their truck. But at least this one is indoors and will be nice and cool!

Shade is your friend. Cellophane is your enemy. It traps heat, and if it gets hit with sunlight you will have a melted gooey mess. One suggestion I've read is to take a cooler with ice, rotate your product between the cooler and the table every so often. Sorry the reply is late, but hope it helps.

Cats are also very good for leaving paw prints in wax that is mostly set up. Or alternately, for the cat that really gets into her work, entire body prints. Especially if you're making blocks of unscented but colored wax for future "quick use" stuff. Apparently the soft warm stuff can be used as a pillow?

I like the "no color" one a lot better, personal preference, but if you're going for the old timey feel, that's what I'd pick.

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?73516-Rebatching-Fugly-Pillars That's a good starting place for the tutorial AnnaMichelle. It's fun!

With tart warmers, you should make sure that any warmers you get are UL certified (an electrical spec for safety). As for sales tax, business licensing and all the rest, you're pretty far off from starting to sell if you just started making these. You've got a lot of testing to do first before you're really offering a safe product to any customers. As for the actual business portions and craft fairs, you need to check with your local city hall and your state. Most states require you to register if you are selling to the public. They also require sales tax in many cases.

That's exactly what we have to do. My customer in Phoenix is closed on Mondays, and shipping over the weekend is completely out. So I wait until Monday to ship from here, 2 day transit, she gets it by Wednesday afternoon and it hasn't sat in a warehouse or truck for 2 days. Another thing you can do, if you are talking to an individual customer, you can recommend next day shipping if they are in an area that is very hot. If they don't take it, you've got less options, depending on your store policy. *shrug* It's a mess in the summer.

I use vybar. It does raise the melt point. But I shipped to Phoenix the other day from Albuquerque, and there was still some slumping, even with heat precautions. I've been double bagging in paper bags to put an insulating layer there too. But I can ship to other areas of the country without much problem. But it's still possible to have melt/softening depending on where you're shipping to. Only other option I'm considering is putting some form of freezer blocks in the boxes. Just don't like that idea much.

Was working on a couple of my typical hairbrained ideas tonight. Here's what I came up with. First is an ice cream in coconut shell type thing. Second one is my attempt at mimicking a Mexican throw blanket like you'd see here in the SW part of the country, but in candle form. It has more of a rustic appearance, I'm just not sure how I like that part yet. Opinions?

I do purchase some of their scents. Some smell dead on, like most of the bakery types and the things like patchouli and frankincense ect. But a few of the woods and florals just don't fit the bill to me. Cedar just doesn't cut it, neither does sage. Pine smells more like vicks to me, Fir Balsam is good though. Buck Lure has me wondering too. But the guy in charge is very friendly and their customer service is awesome. It takes longer for shipping for me, but that's UPS's fault, not theirs.

Vybar will make it a more opaque white than stearic will get. Other than that, not sure unless you use a very very small amount of titanium dioxide and see if it will clog your wick too badly.

Do yourself a favor. If you're going with CandleChem, check to see if you can get the patchouli on their ebay store instead of their normal website, unless you're going after more stuff from them. They charge a flat rate on shipping and if you're only getting one or two things it kills your costs. Ebay shipping is cheaper for one or two items.

I didn't care for Peak's version. It was weaker by far than many of the others I've used. CandleChem has a good version that I like and use all the time. It's very strong, but you do have to wick up with it. It does smell a bit different than Peak's as well. I haven't used Peak's patchouli in quite a while just because of that.