Before Starting A Candle Making Business, Test The Waters To Be Sure Of Success
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Sat 30 Aug 2008
It may come as a complete surprise for many people to learn about how much money is spent each year just on lighting up the nights in a romantic way, and then again it may not be quite such big news because with festivals and important occasions constantly coming round year in year out, it would not be such a big surprise to learn that Americans spend about two billion dollars annually in such pursuits.
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Since candles can be made in different sizes, shapes and with various scents, there is a lot to be said regarding starting a candle making business, and since candles are without a doubt a very popular item used to decorate homes and give a softer glow to the interiors and lending them well in creating a special atmosphere, they will always be in demand. Anytime is a good time for starting a candle making business and you pursue such a venture just to earn a little extra on the side, or take it up full time because there is a lot of potential in this line of business.
However, you would need to research the business well before starting a candle making business and know the exact sales statistics in your neck of the woods and also on the national level as you will then be able to know the level of demand for candles both locally and also nationally, and also can assess the feasibility of your business proving to be a success. Furthermore, before starting a candle making business, you need to assess whether to do business on a local level or on the national level, and whether to also have an online presence in order to further boost sales. In any case, you must be committed and spend as much time as is required and know for sure that you are capable enough to handle it before proceeding any further.
It would certainly boost your chances of success when you start a candle making business if you can also make the candles on your own, and you could advertise through fliers and posters as well as spread the word by mouth that you are giving demonstrations to show the quality of your candle making abilities. However, more important than starting a candle making business is the ability to balance it and thus you must be able to commit your time to this venture full time, and also have the finances to buy the supplies and then set a decent price for the products.
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Soy Candle Making Kits: Learn How to Make Your Own Soy Candles
Subscribe To Our FeedThu 28 Aug 2008
There are many advantages to soy candles, such as the fact that they burn smoke and soot free. This is especially important for people with allergies and asthma, because then they can still enjoy the fragrance and beauty of candles but without the adverse reaction.
Of course you can purchase premade soy candles but you can also make them yourself. You can create candles of our own with soy candle making kits. Not only is this fun and enjoyable but also with soy candle making kits you are aware of exactly what is going into each candle and can feel more comfortable burning them.
When you buy soy candle making kits, make sure that you read the list of ingredients. You want to ensure that the soy candle making kits use soy wax which is 100 per cent natural soybean wax and wicks that are made from natural cotton and contain no lead.
Beginners
There are a few great soy candle making products to choose from. One is the beginner soy candle making kit, which is great for people just getting started. It includes two pounds of CB advanced soy wax, 6 cotton core wicks, 2 ounces of oil based fragrance, 1 dye color, 3 warning labels, and instructions. There are literally hundreds of different fragrances and dye colors you can choose from with these kits, allowing you the variety and selection you are looking for.
Intermediate
Another great option is the intermediate soy candle making kit, which includes 10 pounds of container soy wax, two 8 ounces fragrances of your choice, 1 dye, and 25 wicks. This kit makes many more candles and is better suited to intermediate candle makers. Again you have a wide selection of fragrances and dyes to choose from, and this is a suitable option if you plan to create large amounts of candles and sell them.
Soy candle making kits are typically inexpensive and you can usually find a selection of them at any general candle or candle supplies store. There are also many online companies specializing in soy candle making supplies which you may want to check out, and buying off the Internet is often a great idea because you can save on certain fees that you otherwise would have had to pay.
The benefits of soy candles are great indeed and definitely worth trying out. They are much healthier and longer lasting than other candles and the selection of fragrances and dyes is greater as well.
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Crafts 101: Quick and Easy Votive Candle Making Instructions
Subscribe To Our FeedTue 26 Aug 2008
Everyone loves the look of candlelight, but decorator candles are expensive. With these quick and easy candle making instructions, you can make your own candles for pennies and spend the money you save on something else.
Nothing sets a mood like candlelight. No romantic dinner is complete without candles – just look around at the tables in a restaurant the next time you go out to eat. In most restaurants, there is a candle on every table. Candles are therapeutic: watching a candle burn eases stress, and burning scented candles is a time-worn method of practicing aromatherapy. With these basic, quick and easy instructions for making candles, you’ll soon be burning votive candles that you made yourself.
Supplies You Need
If you’re really serious about making your own candles, you should consider getting a candle making starter kit. You can buy one of these kits at any candle making supplier, and they come with everything you need to make your own candles. Kits are available for votive candles, pillar candles, and long taper candles. The kits will include quick and easy candle making instructions with the other candle making supplies.
If you want to assemble your own candle making starter kit, here is what you’ll need: A double boiler or electric skillet or some other pan that has a temperature control that you can cook wax in. If you’re on a budget, you can get creative and melt wax in a coffee can set inside a pan of water cooking on the stove. If you use this method, you’ll need a candy thermometer to heat the wax to the proper temperature. You also need a pan to pour the wax with, a slab of wax, dye (optional), scent (optional), wicks, wick pins, votive molds, and caution labels.
Getting Started
One pound of wax will make eight votive candles. Melt the wax, keeping the temperature at 165 to 185 degrees. If you want a colored or scented candle, add dye or fragrance when the wax has melted completely. Remove the wax from heat.
The next step in these quick and easy candle making instructions is to insert the wick pins into the votive molds, making sure the pins stand straight up. Next, slowly fill each mold to the desired height, being careful not to overfill them. In about an hour, when the candles cool completely, there will be a dip in the base of each candle that you have to refill. Simply reheat the wax and fill the sink holes.
Finishing the Candles
When the second pour has cooled, remove the candles from the votive molds. If the wax sticks, put the mold in the freezer for a few minutes, and it will release easily. Remove the wick pins and insert the wick in the hole left by removing the pin. Press the wick tab onto the bottom of the candle. Apply a votive caution label to the finished candle, and voila! With these instructions for making quick and easy candles, you’ve made your very own votive candle!
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How to Use Plastic Candle Making Molds
Subscribe To Our FeedSun 24 Aug 2008
There are a few different materials that candle making molds are made from, plastic being one of the most popular. This is because plastic is such a viable and versatile material, one that can flex and fold how you need it. With plastic candle making molds you can create whatever shapes and sizes of candles you want.
Making Candles
Once you have your plastic candle making molds and other necessary supplies, then you can really start having fun and start making candles. The first thing you are going to have to do is spread newspaper around the candle making area so that if you make a mess it will just get on the newspapers which you can throw out.
Then you will need to melt your wax, which typically will be paraffin wax but there are other types you can use as well. Usually to do this you would place a large pot that is about half-filled with water on a burner over low to medium heat and once the wax has melted you can add coloring and fragrance to it as desired.
To make molded candles you will need to have your plastic candle making molds handy, and cut the wick two inches taller than you want the candle to be, to ensure that you will have a length of wick leftover once the candle is finished.
Then all you need to do is to thread the wicks through the hole at the bottom of the plastic candle making molds, and plug the outside of all the holes with putty. Once you have done this you want to place a pencil over the top of the plastic candle making molds and tie the top of the wicks to these, centering the wick. This will help hold the wick up straight while the wax is drying.
Take your time when pouring the wax into the molds, and let cool for at least twelve hours then refrigerate for twelve hours more. After this your candles are ready to be removed and you can decorate them as you please.
Candle making is not only fun and enjoyable but also a great idea for gifts. You can make your own candles and give them out to your family and friends. Just remember not to get frustrated even if your first few candle making experiences do not turn out that well. Patience is a key factor here and remember that the more candles you make the better you are going to be.
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What You Should Know about Mixing Paraffin and Beeswax to Make Candles
Subscribe To Our FeedFri 22 Aug 2008
If you’ve been making candles for a while, or if you’re thinking about starting your own candle making business, you’ve probably wondered about mixing paraffin and beeswax to make candles. After all, beeswax is expensive, and learning to make candles by mixing paraffin and beeswax could allow you to make more candles for the same amount of money.
Differences between Paraffin and Beeswax
Before you even think about mixing paraffin and beeswax to make your candles, you need to know what the differences between the two waxes and what will happen if you combine them.
Beeswax is an animal product: a natural substance harvested from beehives. Bees secrete wax when they store honey in their beehives, and beekeepers collect the beeswax for processing into candle making supplies. Beeswax is more expensive than paraffin, and it makes a very hard candle.
If you have any doubt whether your beeswax candles are made of 100 per cent beeswax, press your thumbnail into the bottom of the candle. The candle should be very hard and should resist any indentation from your thumbnail. Candles made of beeswax burn slowly and evenly and emit a pleasant natural aroma of honey when they burn.
Paraffin is a mineral product: a natural substance harvested from the earth. Paraffin wax is less expensive than beeswax, and it makes softer candles and must be mixed with stearic acid to make it hard enough to make candles.
Formulas for Mixing Paraffin and Beeswax to Make Candles
What formula you use to blend paraffin and beeswax depends on the kind of candle you want to make. With dipped candles, you need to add stearic acid to your wax blend to make the wax set up. Dipped candles are made by dipping a length of wick in hot wax, letting that layer of wax set, dipping the wick again, letting that layer set, and repeating the process until the candle reaches the desired thickness.
Molded candles can be made with a straight 50/50 mix of paraffin and beeswax. Mixing paraffin and beeswax to make molded candles is easy; just add equal amounts of paraffin and beeswax to your double boiler. You can even re-melt old candle stubs if you don’t mind a few imperfections in your finished candles. Be sure to mix the waxes thoroughly, and hold the temperature between 165 and 185 degrees. As always, never leave melting wax unattended.
After the wax is completely melted, stir in any desired additives. The addition of paraffin will mute the natural fragrance of the beeswax, so you may want to add fragrance that will enhance the aroma of honey. Select natural plant scents of fruits and flowers that bees pollinate: vanilla, lavender, rose, apple blossom, and cherry. Mixing paraffin and beeswax to make candles can be a fun, rewarding project and an economical way to reuse your old candle stubs.
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Simple Ways to Market a Candle Making Business
Subscribe To Our FeedWed 20 Aug 2008
Scented candles have never been more popular. Fragrant candlelight is a mainstay of the aromatherapy business; fragrant candlelight relieves stress and promotes a sense of calm. There will always be a market for candles, whether they are handmade or factory made. Opening and marketing a candle making business are excellent ways to capitalize on the candle craze.
Using the Internet to Market a Candle Making Business
If you have a candle making business, then you must have an internet presence. Internet domain names are cheap, and if your business doesn’t already have a name, you should consider choosing a business name that is available as a website domain.
Once you have a website, you need to drive traffic to it. Put lots of candle-related content on your site that contain phrases that people search for on the Internet, like candles, votives, history of candle making, etc. Spread the address of your web site around everywhere you go. Put it in your email signature and list it on your business cards. Print it on the labels you use on your candles.
Using Seasonal Marketing for a Candle Making Business
One marketing plan for a candle making business revolves around the holidays in the year. For example, in January, you’ll mark down holiday candles and advertise a clearance sale so you can reduce Christmas and New Year overstock. Be sure to display football-themed candles for Superbowl Sunday and heart-shaped candles for Valentines Day. Your clearance customers will want to buy candles for those occasions, too.
Using Email and Direct Mail for Marketing a Candle Making Business
Create an email newsletter that calls out special sales and inventory changes in your business. As February gives way to March, consumers are ready to put away their heavy winter décor and get ready for spring.
Write your newsletter articles about the fresh spring scented candles you’ll be selling to bring spring smells of rain and flowers indoors. Leave an email sign-up sheet at your cash register so customers can sign up for mailings. Ask every customer for their name and address so you can develop a direct mail database for your newsletter.
Using Promotions for Marketing a Candle Making Business
Premiums and promotions are an excellent way to market a candle making business. Customers love free gifts, and offering a free candle every month is a great way to get customers inside the store. Create a candle of the month email club and offer one free candle to customers who come to the store during that month.
Using Attractive Displays for Marketing a Candle Making Business
Once you attract customers to your candle making business, be sure to lure them into making a purchase by tempting them with beautiful interior displays that illustrate how great your candles will look in their homes with their décor.
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