How did you come to start making soy candles

[rookie2004]

I just wanted to here some of the reasons. Why we all started making soy candles.

The reason I started doing soy candles or candles in general was that my son was selling soy candles for this gal. He'd make a couple of dollars a candle and I do have to give her credit. Man they were the best smelling candle we ever bought. The problem was he would place an order and it might be 3- 4 weeks before he would get the order. All the while she required the money up front and people were always asking when their candles will be delivered. SOON I HOPE, would be the stock answer. Well if that wasn't enough of a problem, half the time the order would be wrong or exclude a candle or two at the time of delivery. She would make it right eventually. I don't have the patience for excuses. I figure this isn't brain surgery RIGHT! This can't be this hard RIGHT! So I got one of those starter kit online and I couldn't wait for it to get delivered, OMG 1 week felt like a month. Finally it arrives, I rifle through styrofoam peanuts all over the garage floor read the instructions and I'm off and running. They were some of the god awfulless candles I'd ever seen. Then it was off to the internet that's when I found this board. How lucky was I, now armed with much more needed info ordered more supplies from a better co. than I started with LOL My wife keeps track of what I spend on supplies and I believe at that point it cost me 1k before I made a really good acceptable looking, you know no major flaws, great smelling candle. Now I don't think I could sold it to someone, but I could give it away with pride and confidence it would work just fine.

Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it. What's yours.

John

[Gypsyjen]

After making soap for 6 years, I figured it was time to learn something new. Also, I was spending way too much money on store-bought candles and thought, if I can make soap, surely I can make candles, and I can even pick my own fragrances! I always liked soy because to me it seemed to last longer than paraffin, and I could eventually sell all-veggie candles to go with my all-veggie soaps.

[Brat]

There is a supplier near me that has it in flalke form. I don't like slabs, and the only non-slab wax they have is soy. Less shipping since they're closer than anyone else. So... thought I'd give it a try, but I'm having a heck of a time wicking these things. Making progress though.... oh I'm making votives with V-1.

[LauraAndrews]

Well believe it or not, my first soy candle was actually one of the "Insta-Candles" <cringe> from CandleWealth. I was exchaning links for my gift basket website and met someone who had an ad on their site about making candles. I thought it sounded like something really interesting and fun so he sent me one for free.

I got my package a few days later after anxiously waiting for it, got out the ingredients, followed the instructions, and voila! I made a little 5 or 6 oz. Jasmine-scented candle for my bathroom and mmmmmm, did it smell wonderful, and it burned better than any other candle I had ever tried. My thought at that time was, "I am NEVER buying another candle again!" I was really proud of that little puppy.

It must have been beginner's luck, but I have been hooked ever since.

Laura

[scentlady]

Actually I started out makiing wax dipped bears. Thought I could make a few bucks. Just happened to pick a supplier using soy wax and thought hey I can do candles too. And now I'm hooked lol.

[Kigers24]

I was having a hard time finding soy candles close to home (live in a small town) so I was having to order online. Decided to try just making my own to get the colors and scents that I wanted. Now I'm hooked!

[topofmurrayhill]

I encountered an American Farmer begging on the streets of Manhattan. He pointed an accusing finger and yelled, "Paraffin user!"

So I thought I should make some soy candles too.

[geekrunner]

Well, mrs. geek is the One Woman Campaign Against Stink. She has always fough the good fight due to our four cats and my stinky sweaty running clothes :rolleyes2

When she had a Patchouli-like candle blow out, I liked the smell so much I broke it up in piecs, kept a large piece in my gym bag, and not wanting to waste any of it, I ripped off wicks from tealights, and drilled holes into the od-shaped piec and burned them! Eventually my curiosity took over, then I melted the rest of the pieces into tealight cups. One thing led to another, and I bought some candle stuff on eBay to mess around with. Then I was picking up odd pieces of glassware from Goodwill and Salvation Army store, and made some crude containers. :embarasse I picked up a box of S1 from an eBayer, and really got stoked!

Then, the angels sang, the clouds parted, sunshine shone down upon my face when I discovered the candletech board.

The rest, they say, is History.

geek

[Mnhorsemom]

I live in the lakes country of west central Minnesota. We are pretty small in the winter but in the summer our population triples with tourists and people that have lake homes. Anyway, gift shops abound and one in particular always has a 50% off sale in the winter. Well, last winter I bought 2 soy candles and LOVED them. When I went to buy more I found out a. they were not common around here and B. they were really spendy so I decided to try making my own. I started out with a kit off Ebay and went from there. Several thousand, and a year later I did my first craft show! I have also gotten into B&B and soaping.

[mystical_angel1219]

I was spending a King's Ransom on soy candles that were not even all that fabulous, and the scents were so common in the marketplace. So being that I already had candlemaking experience I ventured into soy wax. It was one of the best decisions I have made from a business stand point, ever.

[Breanna]

Well I have been doing Paraffin for a long while now and I had not thought of getting into Soy until Jason from Golden Brands came along and I found a distributor 45 minutes away from me that carries the Soy,,Most was the shipping costs and then one day,,I had a lady ask me about Soy candles,,,she stills buys my paraffin but now I have some other folks asking as well and it all started because I was testing the 444 and 449 and a friend of mine was here when I was doing it and it spread by word of mouth that I was in a testing stage,,,I quickly let them know it may be a year or so before I put Soy on anyones shelfs and my customers seem to be okay with it as they keep ordering,,,So I will continue my paraffin and keep testing the Soy.

I would like to add that the GB 444 & 449 has a great cold and hot throw,,I am still burning my testers on these waxes,,,,,With some GREAT help from a couple of the members here I am also testing the GB 415,,and I am very Thankful to these people....okay Im done,,

[maryann]

My 11 year old son was taking a $6000 trip to Australia w/ People 2 People last summer. We needed to find a way to fundraise most of the $ so a yr before the trip we started selling the soy candles I made.

I choose soy candles as my fundraising tool because 1 year before this I been to a Flea Market in Lakeland FL where a man was selling 100% soy candles (knowing a little about candles now it was a paraffin blend w/ a zinc wick) and I loved the throw and the way it burned. So I put the two together stumbled across MillCreek when I was researching soy candles and the rest is history. I was soooooooo fortunate to have the help of two EXCELLENT chandliers from their board or I wouldn't be where I am today. One is sick and hasn't poured for almost a year now- I miss her info/knowledge which was invaluable. I called her yesterday to check in w/ her and I only knew her from the MC forum but she left such a mark, I miss her incite and can't wait for her to get better and start pouring again!! I guess I should thank her again as she directed me here to CT where my B&B obsession started .

So to sum it up fundraising (+) luv of candles (+) soy -IMO a cleaner burn (=) how I started

[Bev]

I dabbled in candle making when I was a kid (Mom and Dad bought me a kit for Christmas one year) and later in life I decided to give it a whirl again. In all honestly, I decided to try soy wax mainly because it cleans up easily. I am as sloppy a candle maker as I am a painter! Anyway, it's a decision I don't regret. I'm proud to be able to produce a candle that is long-burning, burns all the way down with little residue and no tunneling, and has a great scent throw.

[islandgirl]

A friend of mine was into the natural thing with soy milk, chips ect...

We went shopping one day and I said look... SOY Candles...

What the Heck is a soy Candle??

Well we both bought some and I was hooked...

Soy candles were so new to the market, they were hard to find at stores... So I started making them for just for me.

Friends, family co-workers loved them, so I started making them part-time, now I make them full-time... THE END:yay:

[mindy5140]

I started making candles after my dad passed away, I needed a hobby, something to help ease the pain and keep me busy. Making candles is good therapy. Especially after going to court hearings, and getting absolutely no decision who the executor of my dads estate is. To come home and make candles, its great.

How I got into soy was, so many people where I live make and sell paraffin candles. The ones that made soy, their candles looked awful on the tops, and they were really expensive. I remember I bought an 8 oz mason jar for $8.

Boy did I get ripped off. Don't get me wrong the candle smelled awesome but I make the soy with the same type of jar and I sell mine for $5.50.

Mindy

[Steve]

I started by first buying and selling Candles that were returns from a number 1 home shopping network. They sold fast and at a good price. But they were and are terrible candles. They burn straight down the middle and leave a ton of wax in the jar. Although they do put out alot of aroma and smell very nice. Probably why they sell so well. The claim was they are 100 percent Soy Wax and natural. Some othersd I had got from a friend looked alot different and burned almost all of the wax. I know now the ones I was selling were a blend and not even close to 100 percent Soy Wax. The ones my friend made smelled better and the texture was different. Hers were made at home and were actually Soy.

I had an accident at work and was laid up for a few months and needed some thing to do. I liked the soy candles so I decided to try and make some. I figured it would be easy and cheap but it was neither. Then I started to really like making them and experimenting with them and then I was hooked on it and still am. Now I make them from all types of waxes. I have also found a way to make them in my truck. I use a Burton 12 volt stove to melt the wax. http://www.cetsolar.com/12vstove.htm . There are pans that go inside them. Just put water in the stove and a pan on top and it works just fine except it wil get the wax to hot so I have to be careful. Then I pour it in the jar or mold. It does make the truck smell good, to good some times.

Now my wife is going to try it out so she'll be hooked very soon also.

[simply soy]

Prior to this last Christmas, I was doing a google search on goat milk soap

and read something about soy candles. I liked supporting the farmers,

knew we needed to start substituting for petroleum because of peak

oil productions. Then I read where soy candles are pretty near soot

free. And, I could melt it in my microwave, boy, that's what I really liked.

I did a search and found Ky soy wax supply had great prices on their

soy waxes compared to other suppliers.

I ordered some stuff and starting making candles. I've made all kinds

of mistakes and am really frustrated but I love the challenge.

I started talking to the girls I work with in the school cafeteria and

they all wanted to buy my candles. I told them I am not ready. I

haven't even made a good smelling candle yet. They have been

a world of encouragement. Each want to do fundraisers for their

church. And, the school of 4,500 students want to all do fundraisers.

Then there is the fact that I live close to Hot Springs, Arkansas and

a great toursit market. Word of mouth spreads like wildfires here.

It is a kin state, if you get my drift. I got girls set up to test my

candles who have huge families and they will pass the word. Some

of the family members has those who own nail and hair salons. I even

have a woman who owns a donut shop who wants to sell my bakery

type candles in her shop. I'm going to use her to test my candles

and when the folks comes in, she will be burning Lemon Pound Cake,

Orange Chiffon, and Southern Vanilla. She says she is going to get

feedback and see if she can made those favored pounds cakes to

sell in her store. The possibilites are endless.

Now, if I could just make one good soy candle