Saturday, December 23, 2006
Soy Candles Success Story
Burning desire: The Candle Attic hitches onto Soywax wagon
By Liz Chretien
Lorna-Faye Belleville used to make her Soywax candles in a six-room attic in Haverhill, Mass. Now, two years later, The Candle Attic in Sandown boasts 70 scents and more than 30,000 candles sold. "All those candles were poured by me," Belleville says. "I’m very proud of that."...
Exeter News-Letter Currents: Burning desire: The Candle Attic hitches onto Saywax wagon
What a great success story of Lorna-Faye Belleville who has a thriving soy candles making business and tells all about it. She also elaborates on some of the soy benefits such as cleaner and longer burn and easy of make.
A great idea she has introduced is a "refill program". Customers can bring their own containers and get them refilled for a much cheaper price than buying a new one. That is a great idea!
Eran
technorati tags:candle, making, soy, success, business, story, refill
Groovy Candles
As a part of their "13 Groovy Days of Joy!" Groovy Green are offering you to shine your own light on the holidays!
Read about Steve Balogh own experience on making candles, and his recipe for pillar candles. Don't forget to discover what other joy suggestions they have for the rest of the holiday season.
technorati tags:candle, making, groovygreen, project, ideas, holidays
Friday, December 22, 2006
More Troubleshooting Candle Tips
Having problems?
Wick smokes? Flame dies? Wax is left on the side of the container? Or did your candle just sadly break down?
Ohhhhhhh.... Don't worry! Help is on its way. Here are helpful troubleshooting tips from Cierra Candles, guaranteed to help you make better candles.
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, troubleshooting, tips, better, candles
New Soy Candles Video
Take a look at these new videos on how to make soy container candles. ZionsvilleCandle did a good job showing how easy it can be to make candles in the convenience of your very home.
For full instructions on how to start making candles see Candle Making Techniques basic instructions.
Eran
technorati tags:candle, making, soy, container, video, ZiovsvilleCandle
Thursday, December 21, 2006
How much time would my candle burn?
Isn't this one of the most popular questions about candles?
But how do you know how much time your candle will burn?
Well, similar to other things in the candle making world - it's all about testing! But you don't need to light a full candle to that. 3 hours will be enough.
Read Candle Cauldron's explanations and estimated burn times for standard candles.
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, calcuate, calculating, burn, time, CandleCauldron
What's the secret behind this candle?
And surprisingly enough, it is pretty easy to make. The secret, according to One Stop Candle, is coating a white candle with masking tape, dip it in red, and then peel off the tape.
Easy does it.
Have fun!
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, perppermint, project, masking, tape, OneStopCandle
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Happy Hanukkah
This is the coolest Hanukkah video I've seen lately:
Hanukkah is all about lighting candles. After the Jewish people won back their Temple in Jerusalem from the ancient Greek empire, there was only a small vase of oil left to light the Temple menorah. Thanks to the Hanukkah's miracle, the oil lasted for 8 days. So on each day of Hanukkah, you light an extra candle, starting with one and finishing with 8.
The menorah is a universal symbol of freedom. May we all share it and cherish that freedom.
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, hanukkah, candles, temple, menorah, miracle
Dedicated their lives to beeswax
Listen to this: these nuns went through 6 months of wick research just to come up with one that would work perfectly with their beeswax votives. And their candles are now burning for 18 hours!
Read all about it:
Candle-making nuns know their beeswax
By Diane Wright
On a chilly December afternoon, a vat of molten beeswax heated inside a water-jacketed tank, smelling slightly of honey, while candles stood on trays ready to be packed in boxes...
The Seattle Times: Candle-making nuns know their beeswax
Eran
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
This is YOUR competition
I think this article summaries the difference between the BIG candle companies and the human-sized candle makers and candle making businesses.
No more hand-made candles in Northern Lights Candles. A robotic machine is now doing the job. I guess it is now up to the "humans" to show what unique, special and different candles they can make, that no machine can duplicate.
Robotic Equipment Automates Candle Making Process for Northern Lights Candles
When Northern Lights Candles decided to make the transition from hand-made candles to automated product assembly, it turned to Alfred State College’s School of Applied Technology in Wellsville for assistance...
Alfred State - Alfred State College
Eran
technorati tags:candle, making, northern, lights, robot, machine, competition, humans, hand-made, business
Using coffee and a food processor for making candles?
This time it's Candle Cauldron Tools & Tricks page with the ever-lasting recommendation of the Presto Kitchen Kettle for melting wax, and of course the heat gun. But have you ever thought someone would recommend using a food processor? Read and find out!
On the tricks side, there are excellent ideas for testing colors, removing scents from molds and more. I especially like the tip on how to clear your nose after smelling too many candles: keep a jar of coffee grounds next to you or your craft show table. Sniffing it will allow you customers to keep appreciating the true scent of your candles.
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, tips, tricks, ideas, scents, presto, kitchen, kettle, food, processor, advice, clearing, nose, CandleCauldron
Beautiful Decorated Candle
Before you read further, take a look at this amazing candle on the left. It is the creation of Autumn. Just beautiful!
This just goes to show that you can make your candles even more interesting by embellishing or adding things to them. It can also help make candles a more personalized gift.
Here are some embellishing candles tips from Fresh Cuts. Try them and add comment with some of your own.
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, autumn, embellishing, candles, amazing, Fresh, Cuts
Monday, December 18, 2006
A highly recommended candle making book
Rated at the top of Amazon's candle making book list both as a best seller and in customers reviews is "Basic Candle Making: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started" by Eric Ebeling and Alan Wycheck.
Look at these reviews written by people who bought the book:
The author does a great job of explaining the little things that I never would have thought of on my own.
This book takes you step by step through the process to get you started.
This is must have for a beginner or someone who need to freshen up on candlemaking!
Does anyone have other book recommendations s/he would like to share?
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, book, basic, amazon, reviews, recommendation, beginners
There is sand in my candle, and I like it!
When was the last time you built a sand castle?
If you want to have a taste of that childhood, or if you are just looking for a cool project, here's the thing for you - sand candles.
You make these unique sand candles by using sand holes as molds.
The hotter you pour, the thicker the sand crust will be after you dig the candles out. 225 deg F will give you a thin coating of sand, 250 deg F - a medium crust and 275 a thick one.
As David Fisher from CandleAndSoap.about.com explains, this means you cannot use a double boiler to make these candles, so make sure to be extra safe.
It is also a good idea to use sand candles to make outdoor citronella candles and never worry about cleaning the sand off you living room floor.
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, sand, candles, double, boiler, david, fisher, candleandsoap.about.com, crust, project
Nice Scent List
Here's another nice and long scent list. This time from Ginger's Garden.
As always there are the "weird and interesting" scents such as: Wine & Roses, or Zen2 (what kind of scent is that?) and even Cucumber.
What is your favorite scent on this list?
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, scent, list, GingersGarden
Sunday, December 17, 2006
You can't get easier than this
If you feel like taking a shortcut once in a while, here's an idea for quick scented candles:
Just use pre-scented waxes.
It'e easy: they come with the scent and other additives already inside. Just melt, pour and wick.
Here is Wicks-Wax-Scents' page for their pre-scented wax. I'm sure you can find lots more!
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, pre-scented, pre, cented, wax, easy, idea
Live Your Candle Dream
Read all about it and learn about Linda for yourself.
All about feeling at home
Linda Crandley started making fragrant, hand-dipped candles in her basement years ago as a single mom living in a Philadelphia suburb.
Pasco: All about feeling at home, by Elizabeth Bettendorf
And after talking about coffee candles lately, perhaps you should try Linda's recommendation for a real one: The Wawa Coffee Brew. Sounds interesting...
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, Linda, Crandley, story, pasco, coffee, maker
Coffee anyone?
Have a look at these cappuccinos:
Looks good, right? Would you believe they are actually cappuccino candles? And from what you can hear on Timeless Candles podcast, they smell like real coffee and vanilla.
These candles are the creation of Bridgette of "Candles by Bridgette" who features on the podcast. Listen and learn about her and her unique candles.
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, coffee, cappuccino, candles, podcast, TimelessCandles, Candles by Bridgette
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Wild Woman Making Candles???
But it does seem like she's enjoying making candles and beeswax ornaments, while what it looks like about a million other things she's up to. Busy lady...
She also put together a Candle Making for Amateurs Page which is worth a look.
I personally like a kitten candle she made. Cute, isn't it?
Take a look for yourself, and feel free to comment with your own candles and blogs.
Eran.
technorati tags:candle, making, blog, lisa, wild, celtic, rose, kitten, beeswax, ornaments, amateurs
