Fire and Ice

I've looked for it in the roll too but no luck thus far. I found plain Rice paper by the roll but it's just plain white. The handmade papers, no matter what are going to be pricey because they are handmade.

I think I'm getting a little ahead of myself whith wanting Banana paper for wrapping soap bars. I've seen the prices on the internet and they are VERY pricey. Still, I just want it for soap bands and not a full wrap.

Fire

Congratulations on finding the real thing! How very nice of the people to give you the milk for free. My friend, when he starts milking again, will be charging me for the milk. But that's okay because he uses the money to buy excellent qulity hay and grain for his goats. Although I hope later that he will allow me to pay for milk with soap.

Fire

I also totally think people the YOU don't have personal contact with are not right to be testers. They just want free product. Unless you are planning on giving them paperwork to sign and fill out, you have no way of staying in concact with them yourself, not your husband. These can turn into sticky situations that do not go over well except for the people getting the product for free.

Get insurance and find better people to test for you.People who will be responsible and honest.

Fire

I use a heat gun on everything metal. Melt pot, pour pots, everything! Simple and easy and nothing forgotten in the oven!

Fire

This is excellent new! Maybe by late spring, I'll be ready to buy one of their molds! I've really wanted them to come back and I'm glad to see they are going to be opening next month. I'll probably order a mold in April or May!

Fire:yay:

Well thanks to Amish Ragdoll, I went to my local Giant Eagle and was able to find a supply of canned Goat's Milk. I bought three cans. They were $ 4.39 each. Not a great price but at least I found some. I was looking in the wrong part of the store for it. I was looking in bakery supplies and the regular milk section and it was in Organic section.

Fire

Look at the bottom of this page! scroll down to the bottom inside this thread, past the reply and jump section!

Fire

Why are you telling your customers your prices are going up? If they ask or even notice you can explain in way less detail. I think any normal reasonable person knows everything goes up. I don't see a sign in a retail store as I walk in telling us to beware of prices going up. I certainly would not advertise this on a website. Seems very strange to do this, JMO.

I know I notice hikes in prices in places I shop in regularly. $ 2.00 is a good size increase. It gives my customers time to get use to the idea and settle into it.

The man who owns the tobacco shop I wholesale in jacks up his prices whenever he wants, He does it for profit. He's lost more customers because he's greedy than anything else. If he notices some selling well, he just automatically bumps up the price to make more money. Then, it stops selling.

I value my customers and I keep them in the loop. I respect them and need them and they know it. They appreciate it too!

Fire

Hi Fire,

I have noticed increases too on things, and I believe UPS prices are going to go up...or already have...if I am correct. I will have to raise my prices too, and I am dreading it. How did you go about it? Did you post your reasons on your splash page? I am struggling with how I should word it on my site, so I have not done it yet. I actually have under priced my products from the get go, and now know that I need to raise them. I have avoided it because of the conservative area I live in. Although, there are areas around here that will pay a good price and fortunately, I have my candles in two stores in those areas. It's the craft shows and maybe some home parties that I worry about higher priced candles....competing with other companies.

~Holly

Hi Holly,

This is the way I worded the large signs on my table:

To Our loyal customers:

Ephesians Soy Candles must unfortunate annnounce that as of January 1, 2008 Our candles will be increasing in price. The reasons for the price increase is due to several increases in price of both our supplies, including wax, F/O and jars. This is not an increase we are taking to increase profits but to maintain the same quality stands of our candles.

We have been informed by all of our out of state supplies that there will be price increases due to their increase in both shipping and freight prices. The farmers who grow the soy beans un the USA are also paying increase in their fuel coast in both planting and harvesting.

We, at Ephesians Soy candles wanted to inform out customers as early as possible so that you may stock on our candles while the old price is still valid. Our candles are $ 10.00 a piece~ tax included.

As of January 1, 2008 The price will increase to $12.00 each tax included. You should also know that are clamshells will remain the same price through 2008! price. $3.00 each or 4 for $10.00~ tax included.

I began posting this in July of 2007. That gave the customers 6 months. They stocked up.

I plan to tighten up my line. I only sell one size jar. But I plan to discontinue 3 scents and not put anything in their place. It's why I am trying to head in a different direction by leaning to make soap as well as lip balm, lotion, and body sprays. If I don't try and boarden my base of products, I will go under within two years.

Fire

I guess I'm lucky in not having to pay shipping and I warned my customers 6 months in advance as to when and why prices were going up. When I place the signs and tell them what is happening, they understand because they were once candle makers too!

Still other customers beat the price buy buying by the case. They get a small discount per candle when they buy by the case.

Yes Vicky, I'm noticing the price increase in F/O & E/O too.

I have no plans to switch waxes because I've used the same wax for five years and it's local. I also, unlike other chandlers locally, do not blame the retailer of the wax either. They're paying the increase too and they have to pass it on or close their doors.

Fire

As my range hood vents back into my own house, this is not an option. I live alone and do not get visitors. I also have no kids. Outside is safest way for me to mix. As the back door is right there, I would only have to walk four feet total.

Fire

I tried search here a couple days ago. Maybe I was doing it wrong, but I found very little on hosted parties. Lots on craft fairs and open houses at home though.

Scroll down to the very bottom of this page in this thread and you will see link without searching. It must be a new thing that goes with this craft server website. Go all the way to the bottom of the page of this thread!

Fire

I just stopped into my local supplier of soy wax and was prepaired for yet another price increased and I wasn't disappointed.

In five months, my wax has gone up $10.00 per 50lb box due to gas and fieght hikes. They have also informed me that prices will continue to climb and that they can only garentee the price until the next time they order. All od the smaller candle maker have folded and gone out of business. Over twenty five of them locally. These are the ones to get into it for a year and quickly fold due to mounting prices and a lack of ruputation and capital

My prices went up Jan 1 of this year and though the customers balked, they quickly discovered I wasn't just raing the prices to make more profit.

Are any of you noticing the increase in wax and how is it effecting your business?

Fire

Take a look at the CP soap kit from Bitter Creek north as well because their kit includes a mold as well.

if you decide to make soap, you MUST remember to use a lye calculator so that you know that you do not create a lye heavy bar.

When mixing the lye, take it out on you porch or deck to mix it and allow all fumes to clear before bringing back in (about 5 minutes.) Also, keep this pitcher very well labeled and in a safe place away from where toddlers could reach up and bring the pitcher down on themselves!

Both lye water and raw soap can burn so wear safty glasses and good rubber gloves.

E's tutorial is great and you don't need a fancy mold to do it!

Fire

Amazon has evaporated cans at 12 a case for $36.72 and shipping is included.

http://www.amazon.com/Meyenberg-Evaporated-Goat-Milk-12-Ounce/dp/B000EY5COG/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1199762607&sr=8-2

Hey fire, what part of Ohio are you in? I am in Cleveland and just ran out of lye. Looking for a local source, do you know of any? Also, do you know of any bulk soap making oil companies besides WSP?

I live outside Zoar, just outside Somerdale. I live close to both Dove and New Philadephia, Ohio.25 miles south of Canton.

I was born and raised in Cleveland in Shaker Hts. I lived there until I was twenty-one.

I haven't checked out bulk Lye yet but I know you can get it at Lowes in the plumbing section.

I am 1-1/2 house from Columbus Foods and Soaper Choice but I've never driven down there.

If you come down this way, look me up! I'll buy ya lunch!

Fire

I can get canned condensed at my Walmart for $2.38 a can. (Or was it $2.83? Anyway, under $3) I'd be happy to get some and ship it to you. PM me if you want to work something out! (I'm going shopping Wednesday!)

The Soap Dish (not the forum, the website) has goat's milk powder too.

Donna

Thank You for the offer. I'm going to be looking and one or two more places yet and then I' ll let you know. I just can't believe I can't find this locally. I live in a rual area with two large towns with the limits. I may go to Sugarcreek(Amish country to find in though. I just want some sites in case the fresh falls through. Many people are getting rid of animal that don't produce on the farms due to the econemy. Though I could keep a nanny. I no longer have my pasture fenced and we have Coyotes in the area

Fire

Though we have a Super Walmart here, they don't seem to carry it. I looked in baking area with the evaporated canned milk and didn't find it and then I looked in the special milk section and it wasn't there either. We don't have a Safeway store. We have Giant Eagles and Beauhler's.

Fire

Thanks Care Bear...those are the ones I thought I'd dreamt up! Fire, I would love your links for molds...thank you!

http://creeksidesoaps.com/supplies/soap-mold.htm

http://www.candlesandwoodcrafts.com/woodensoapmolds.html

This site actually has some very neat gisplays as well as molds to save this site and study it! They have standard, hinged and pegged wooden molds and all of their prices are reasonable.

http://www.soaphutch.com/index.html

These are not wooden molds but they have great soap molds.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wooden-Soap-Mold-Handmade-4-pound-Recipes_W0QQitemZ280120563479QQihZ018QQcategoryZ28116QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

ebay soaper who sells molds.

http://www.forcraftssake.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&zenid=3db22a9d4d2e8d03d49ee83738c4efe1

For Craft's Sakes is a nice place too study. They have some great soap cutters as well as very nice molds. Place this site into your favorites if you know you want a great soap cutter later on!

http://www.chestnutfarms.com/index.html

Great molds and cutters. Save this site!

http://www1.freewebs.com/duanesworkshop/soapmolds.htm

Nice molds. Well made and a knife that can be used with all the molds!

http://kelseiscreations.com/

Again, not wooden but a siye to save for the future

http://www.crabapplesoap.com/woodcraft.html

They have a soap mold building plan so you can build your own.

http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/knockdown_soapmolds.html

http://cumberlandacoustic.com/_wsn/page9.html

Very nice molds here too.

http://missionpeaksoap.com/equipment.htm?gclid=CPyOo4-i2ZACFQlxOAodxEafXA

I really like this slab mold but I would line it with freezer paper myself. I don't like the look of the soap on plastic

Unfortunately, I don't have Pauls TOG mold site saved. I do but I can't find it but it's on ESTY. He makes wonderful hand made wooden molds that many rave about.

Fire

I have spent over a week looking in all of my grocery stores as well as Super WalMart of Goat's Milk. My friend who has goats, says he's not breeding any of his doe goats until May of this year. That leaves me with no goats milk for months. I need to lean how to soap with it some day but I want to buy it now so that I can have on hand.

Where is there a site that sells either canned condensed or powdered goats milk.

Thank you all,

Fire

Thanks very much for the advice, Carebear. I plan to keep them on my basement. The butters I will transfer to heavy freezer bags and store in bucket with a lid.

My basement is about 38 degrees in the winter when I don't fire the wood burner in the bsement. Candles sales are very low in the winter so I seldom fire it unless I'm making candles. I have to go pick up some wax tomorrow so I thought I'd get some bottles as well.

I've been reading on the dish how some soaper have entire pallets of oils delivered! I've seen the pictures of Bandicoot's soap barn and am just amazed. She must get entire semi's of oils delivered but then she makes 5,000 a week!

Fire

Are you looking for wooden molds? If you are, I can give lots of links that I have saved for when I buys molds.

I looked around on Ebay first. Type WOODEN log mold when you do the search or you'll get 1,000 returns on that search!

There are some very reasonable molds out there. I can't see paying for something like Soap Hutch yet but maybe in 2009

Fore me personally, good, solid wood log molds will do just fine!

But I'm more than happy to share my links

Fire

and I agree with jbren. I don't generally rebottle - especially not for soaping oils. I DO have a smaller (16 oz) bottle I use for my castor oil since I use tiny amounts in my lip balms, but besides that I just pour from the jugs - they are not unwieldy IMO.

Which oils are you getting?

Well I needed to make the investment last so I bought quite a bit but I also know that I'll use it all too. I only had the funds to invest once so I invested in bulk for me.

Mango Butter 3#

Cocoa Butter 3 #

Babassu oil~ 7#

Castor oil~ 7#

Rice bran oil~7#

Shea Butter 3 #

Coconut oil~ 7#

Palm oil 7 #

Olive oil~ 7 #

PKO flakes~ 13 lbs

Sweet Almond oil 4#

Avacado oil ~5#

I know that it seems like a lot but I do plan to be soaping all winter with several 2 & 4 lb batches a week.

The other reason I asked is that I have a local supply of lb bottle that a local craft store is trying to thin out due to a switch in their bottles so I was going to buy a dozen or so of them. The bottles are fine and they had over 1,000 last month. I'm good friends with them so I was just going to pick up a dozen for a few bucks. They're 16oz PET bullet bottles. very basic but nice to have around.

Fire

Thanks Terri~ I'll have a look around! I hope you are feeling better these days.

My very best to you,

Fire:wave:

I just got into the large Soaper Choice Co-op and I am expecting several gallons of oils to be shipped to me by the end of the month. I need to order 1 & 2 lb bottles for breaking down the gallons and to make mesuring out the oils a little easier. What are the best bottle to have for making the transfer. I am assuming that amber 1# pet bottles would work.

I need advice. The oils will be stored in my VERY cold basement.

Fire

Very Pretty!!! I love the color Green!

Fire