What to package small tarts in?

[ScentsandMore]

I made some tarts using KY para-soy votive/tart wax which I think is a 50/50 wax and poured in the heart ice trays from Target. This is the first time I have used this wax and they feel kind of sticky to where I'm thinking if I put them in bags and as they are handled the bag will start to look smudged. Any suggestions on what type of packaging to use so that they stay looking nice? Thanks.

[MLJ]

I wrap them individually in some stretch wrap (from Sams) and them place them in a clear draw string bag.

HTH

Mary Lou

[LynnS]

I package one tart at a time in a small votive bag and they do fine.When I do my website I will put 2 to a bag(might need a slightly bigger bag) and also want to package 6 and 12 to a bag. It would have to be the same scent so don't think some people want 6-12 of one scent so the idea of only 2.TWO puts off a good scent throw.To me one isn't enough but I want it to go throughout the house.

I saw the heart molds and started to get one but thought it would take 5-10 for a good throw.Real cute idea though.

LynnS

[MLJ]

Lynn, what is your ratio of wax to FO, and how large are your tarts? The reason I ask is because I use 1 lb soy, 1 ounce bees wax, and 1 ounce FO. My tarts are basically 1 ounce each. I have a a large home with 20 foot ceilings and one tart does kitchen, living room, den, dining room and loft.

The scent is very strong.

Mary Lou

PS...the reason I use the stretch wrap is because soy is softer and tends to smear the bags. So the stretch wrap keeps the bags nice and clear.

[LynnS]

I use 1 lb of wax and 1 ounce of FO.My tarts are not quite 1 ounce.I use the metal tart molds I get from a candle supply but not a ounce.I am starting to do some Jumbo tarts and they are 2 ounces.Don't use beeswax.

The one tart would probably do it but I just tell people 2 would be a better throw. That is what I use and never tried just one tart. I use a 3 oz tureen jar and the 2 tarts almost fill it up(not quite). So I stick with that.

LynnS

[LynnS]

I have a fairly good size house with Cathedral ceilings.Might not a large as yours but the scent with 2 tarts covers GREAT room, foyer, dining room, kitchen and with my computer room door closed I can smell them too.

For my candles everyone says they scent the whole house and one person said the scent was even noticeable upstairs.

LynnS

[firstlady]

ML, does the cling wrap suck up the tart scent ? i had never thought of wrapping them then putting in bags mine also does smear a little if lot of people are shifting them around. i actually had some of the draw string bags and took strings out then tied with a tie wire because i could see they weren't closed good, still had a gap on top side. i made my tarts in the reg, metal tart molds and then some in muffin pan with liners, the reg tarts are just about an ounce so i always use 2 and tell the people to use 2 because they are a lot smaller than the muffin pan ones, which is over a ounce. i also package them 6 to a bag , but the muffin pan ones gets 4 to abag. 2 of the small ones or 1 muffin pan ones will smell up my whole living room 24x22.. plus into the bedroom and living room beside it. some scents are stronger of course and last longer.

[MLJ]

Not sure what you mean by "suck up the tart scent"? If you mean does the wrap absorb the scent, no it does not. I use the drawstring bags that pull from both sides and then tie it. Since I use Soy...the tarts are soft, I use the bees was because it gives the soy a shine. I use the tart molds form Candlewic and they make an one ounce tart.

I think you girls have made some sense here.....I will chage my selling strategy and tell my customers to use two tarts...then I will sell more:yay:

Mary Lou

[LynnS]

MJL,I'm changing too like I mentioned.Going to pack 2 not one to a cello bag.

I sold quite a few (for this area) and people did buy a variety.Just when you package they have to be the same scent.So my packaging will be 2,6,12,.Probably sell the 2 to a bag.I think some would get tired of the same scent with 6-12.

My 6-12 packs are going to be a donation to animal welfare for spaying and neutering.That is why the larger packages.One or $2.00 per bag will be donated for that.

This was my first year making tarts and saw where most candlemakers sold 1.That is how I started out.I did notice some of the customers wanted 2 of the same scent.They already must have brought from others and thought 2 would be better.

[LynnS]

Oh forgot one thing.I WISH ALL TART MOLDS WERE THE SAME SIZE.I already have to from 2 companies and different sizes.Mine are the metal molds like I mentioned.I guess best to ask what size.Like a ounce or 2 ounces.I just never thought about it.

LynnS

[firstlady]

Thanks ML, thats what i meant, i have heard so much about the tarts loseing their smell if they were wrapped in wrong wrap.

[MLJ]

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These are the molds that I use....if you watch the site they often go on sale for 2/1. So I can buy 200 for $48.00. I actually caught a sale at .18 a piece. They are great and I have hundreds of them.

FYI..I don't pre package my tarts in the drawstring bags...what I do is display them in divider box, much like a utility tray. I let the buyer choose the scents. I sell them .75 each and then 2/1.00. Cost me about .12 to make.

So I avergage 4x my cost. That includes wax, scent, coloring and packageing.

ML

[Vintagemama]

For those like me who are clear-plastic-wrap-impaired - always get the stuff sticking to itself and it's a mess ;-) - Here's something that works very well for me.

I do some quilting (don't anyone get all impressed, all my quilting is by machine ). I have a rotary cutter and a big rotary mat. For anyone who doesn't know - a rotary cutter looks very much like a pizza cutter, and is available wherever sewing or scrapbooking supplies are sold. The mat is made of really tough, self-healing material, and is marked with gridlines for measuring. Mine is something like 17x24.

So - roll out enough wrap to cover the board, more or less lined up with the grid lines . Use the rotary cutter (GREAT use for blades too dull for fabrics!) across your chosen grid lines, cutting it into squares of whatever size you need to wrap your tarts. I do this without a straightedge as I don't have a need to be exact, but you can try a straightedge if you do have a thing about straight cuts :smiley2:. Center your tart(s) in each square and wrap 'er up, slap on a label if you need to, and there you are.

Wish I'd thought of this a LONG time ago <sigh>...

Nancy in WI

[agoodsaid]

I make smaller than 1oz tarts (been using the small peanut butter cup sized candy mold) and package them by threes. I'm partial to threes... just feels right for me.

My thinking on the more than one marketing of them is that people DO like to buy a 'spare' so they won't run out of most things ... why should candles and tarts be any different?

Don't have the smudging problem ... but being plastic wrap challenged also, I LOVE the idea of chopping it into little pieces with a rotary tool

Andrea

[LynnS]

I am also plastic wrap challenged and why the cello bags.Not only does the wrap stick to itself before I am done my hands are the ones that are almost WRAPPED.:rolleyes2

LynnS

[mindy5140]

Is there any sort of Tubes we can put our Tarts in?

Mindy

[LynnS]

Tubes would be an idea like tealights but those tubes would be to small.They are made just a perfect size for the tealights.

LynnS

[nbkfdu4]

Scents,

I also have the heart mold from Target. I use a combination of Cargill C-3 & V-1. These tarts are only .4 oz and I package them 12 in a package and sell them for $4.50. (12= 4.8 oz.) I would recommend using at least two heart tarts in a burner. I have two sizes in my tin molds. I too was not aware of the different sizes. I use the small molds which I classify as mini tarts as they are only .7 oz and fit well in the smaller tart burners. I package these up in sets of 3 and sell for $2.00. My 1.1 oz tarts I package in 3's and sell for $3.00. I use a 3 1/2 X 7 1/2 polypro gusseted bag and use a tin tie with a hangtag for all tart packages. IMO they are easier to pick up from the top of the bag and stay fresh looking.

When I first started making tarts I only used C-3 and they were greasy & soft to touch and they made a mess in a bag.....I let them sit out for a day and they did dry out some and then packaged them. Then someone on this board told me that they used C-3 & V-1. I've not made votives and was not aware by adding the votive wax that it made such a difference.

I now use the combo of C-3 & V-1. They fall out of the tin molds and are dryer to touch.

I've not ever sold them individually as it's too time consuming and most people pick up a bag or two each time. I have sample jars for them to smell the scents and then they tell me which scents they would like. I keep my bags in a plastic bin labeled by categories...best sellers.., aromatherapy...and so on. That way I know which bin to look in.

If I sold them individually I would sure use the suggestion above. Using plastic wrap makes sense. Has anyone ever thought about using the foil candy wrappers to wrap these up in? I was looking at these last night and was thinking that might be cool.....

[katinka]

I package mine individually in a square of tissue paper folded around the tart with a small round sticker to hold it all together and then I place two of those in a cellophane packet with a tag stapled to the top. Just another idea.

HTH

Katinka:smiley2: