sockmonkey

KB is where I got mine from too. I was happy with it, but wondered if other suppliers have black junk in theirs too.

Where did you order yours from Christina?

You're right about the color background, Natty. Another thing that would concern me is the border. I used to have a border around my clear labels but found going borderless sure made things a LOT easier as far as getting them lined up. I don't even want to talk about how many sheets of labels I wasted over time due to the border straying beyond the margin of my labels. Something else that might be problematic is flaking or cracking of the toner on the label with that much coverage. I've never had any problems with it myself while using crystal clear labels, but I don't do full coverage on them. The labels might turn out great, but I would proceed with caution before printing a ton of them.

Aren't most umbrellas at least 7 feet in diameter? That would make it too big for your space. Maybe you could glam up your tarp by painting it white, draping some tulle to create a scallop border along the edge of the tarp and intertwining some florals in it. Or, get funky and attach some fringe along the border.

Doesn't your post office have a poster on the wall anywhere that says you will be greeted by courteous, well groomed postal employees? Mine does. It's right inside the entry of the lobby, not in the actual business area, where you stand in line forever and would have ample time to notice it and read it. I can't see your package, so maybe you're really overstuffing it by a significant amount, because I can't imagine taking that kind of abuse from a postal worker every time you go there. Call her bluff and demand to see the regulation she's referring to the next time it happens.

I whipped up something real quick, which I thought would be easier than trying to explain what I would do.

I would think most "larger" candle companies already have the whole thing figured out by now and probably don't need to buy your spreadsheet.

I think it's way over priced for what you get. Contrary to what Cindy says, I don't think there are enough ads. I was hoping that perhaps there would be some different suppliers in the magazine, but I didn't see a single company that hasn't been mentioned here already. If they sold more ads, they could charge less for the mag. By the way, I was also disappointed to see that it was an undersized mag--5.75" x 9", and only 58 pages. Speaking of pages, what's up with the numbering, or lack thereof? Sometimes the right page would be numbered, sometimes the left, sometimes both, sometimes neither. It was just amateurish. I would give the thing a thumbs down. Unless you are completely new to soap or candle making and are too lazy to do ANY research on your own, this magazine has little to offer most people here.

Bottles of bath caviar is showing up at Dollar Tree stores.

The important thing is you made a profit, so you know you're doing something right. My only suggestion is that you might organize according to color, row by row. Take advantage of Yankee's marketing strategies. They organize their candles (horizontally) from light to dark--white, yellow, orange, pink, red, green, blue, purple, black. That layout allows the eye to flow smoothly over the merchandise, not dart all over the place, possibly overlooking the one shade (or scent) they were hoping to find.

I think Vitamin E in their recipe can act as a preservative.

Ideas for what? I don't know what your question is.

Summer Candy Apple Fun Candy Apple Carnival Candy Apple Sweet Candy Apple Juicy Candy Apple Lucious Candy Apple

Ouch! Did I just hear the slam of a hammer?

You probably did this, but I'll mention it anyway--did you set it for the correct paper type, and select the "label" option?

I couldn't find any recipes doing a quick search, but I found one place selling paraffin treatments that had these ingredients listed: Wax blends feature one or more of the following ingredients: Vitamin E, Evening Primrose, Menthol, Eucalyptus, Yucca Glauca, Coconut Oil, Peach Oil. That might give you an idea of things to play around with (but I don't think I would use menthol on hands with cuts).

I checked out their prices and they didn't look like anything remarkable to me. I've never used them, but based on the comments here, it seems like a place to avoid.

http://www.chicagosoapandcandlemakers.com/library/frostingsoapdemo.pdf

Iron-on transfers.

I tried their cocoa butter lotion and would never buy it again. I haven't tried the other items you mentioned, but I use their dyes all of the time, I've tried a few of their fragrances and found them to be ok, with the exception of one that smelled like petroleum. I also bought herbs and bathbomb supplies from them. Their shipping used to prevent me from buying from them, but recently it seems they have revamped things and shipping prices are much more reasonable.

They need to learn their own regulations. Somebody is playing games with you and thinks they won't get caught. 1.6 Flat-Rate Envelope $4.05 is charged for material sent in a Priority Mail flat-rate envelope provided by the USPS, regardless of weight or destination. Go print out information from the link I originally posted, shove it in their faces and ask them to show you where it specifies using tape will incur extra charges. Every post office is under the gun and is trying to look more profitable than the next. They can do that by ripping off customers one at a time. If your envelope wasn't bulging open, then you should have been charged $4.05.

When you say something will bite you in the ass, to me, that means it's a problem.

It sounds like postal workers have found a way to pocket some extra money. If you have a receipt, take it back to them and ask them to explain the extra charge and show you documentation of that policy. You might want to ask to see the Postmaster. http://pe.usps.gov/text/DMM300/709.htm#6_0 1.6 Flat-Rate Envelope Any amount of material that can be mailed in the special flat-rate envelope available from the USPS is subject to the 1-pound Priority Mail rate, regardless of the weight of the mailpiece. $4.05 is charged for material sent in a Priority Mail flat-rate envelope provided by the USPS, regardless of weight or destination. $8.10 is charged for material sent in a Priority Mail flat-rate box provided by the USPS, regardless of weight or destination5.1.4 Package Preparation The box flaps must be able to close within the normal folds. Tape may be applied to the flap and seams for closure or to reinforce the box, provided the design of the box is not enlarged by opening the sides of the box and taping or reconstructing the box in any way.

Here's the best tip--don't use cheap zip lock bags under any circumstances. I tried that route ONCE. The bag tears and then you've just lost product.

I don't know where you sell your soaps Chris, but I'm speaking from my personal experience. I sell my m&p soaps in my store at $5 per bar, as well as wholesale to other gift shops, and I have yet to have one single person ask me about surfactants, or for that matter, how I make my soap at all. I stand by my original statment that most people don't know the difference, or care. The people who are reading labels are doing so for a reason. If they are educated in soapmaking, or have allergies they are looking for specific things to avoid. How is that a problem?