I was wondering that myself. I am just a amateur for-myself soaper but how the heck am I suppose to get great tips from the expert soapers if they clam up?

Doris, do you mind if I ask you to describe Dog and Garden soap? I don't know if it's correct to ask someone for their recipe but I am very curious about your soap.

Some of us are still around....it's just been so dead...
I pop in daily, sometimes several times a day. Have replied to several posts here & on the craft board.

I do craft shows & sell on my web site. Soap (M&P) & other scented stuff, no candles, but I have made them.

Currently I am working on jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, earrings. Am using some scented beads, also some real stones like rose quartz & flourite etc, that have "properties" to them, & are also used in Reki.

Also trying to clean out the craft/ebay room, getting rid of the stuff I no longer use/sell & making room for the new stuff.

I have a show next Saturday, one the following friday/saturday & the 1st weekend in April, then all done till fall.

Hazel

I pop in a couple times a day as well to see if anything is going on.

I don't have a show scheduled until May but it is a big outdoors show that is very successful, it is 3 days and is alot of fun. It is a German Festival. I am getting ready for that while making product and TRYING to get pics for my website that is under construction (if I don't get the pics done it will remain that way).

In a recent post I added that I finally made CP soap and was very excited about it. I am getting ready to make my 2nd batch next week (waiting on a fragrance)

I make Clear glycerin and Goat's Milk based soaps and now adding some CP. I also make body butter, lotion bars (huge seller for me), lotion, lip balms, bath salts, salt scrubs, body/linen sprays, bath bombs and have just added a Muscle Relief Balm with EMU oil, I love it! Oh, I just added Loofah Scrub Bars!

Some things I would like to try: Body Powder, Shampoo Bar(tried and flopped the 1st time but will try again), dish soap and anti-bacterial liquid soap.

I am also going to dabble growing some herbs this spring.

I sell on ebay as well and am constantly trying to clean out my shop. I have refrained from listing on ebay last several weeks so I could get caught up on other things.

Michelle

I am here, too. Have been sick the past couple of days, but like Hazel, I usually pop in a couple of times a day to see if there is a new post. I don't sell on a website or Ebay, but we have our own shop. We sell our M&P soap, a few other bath products (like shower gel, etc., but they don't sell well), some CP soap (which doesn't sell well- people like the M&P best), and we are experimenting with rebatched soap. We are also selling some botanical products like sachets and eye masks and dream pillows, and they are selling well. We also make and sell candles. Our biggest seller is our M&P soap (we use SFIC base). All of our products are made to target the special-skin-care-needs customer. (Our son is allergic to commercial soap, that's how we began.) Our best sellers, by far, in our soap line is our Oatmeal Soap and our Kitchen Soap. Our best seller, overall, is currently Whipped Shea Butter. I will be happy to assist anyone whenever I can, but I am not available on Saturday and Sunday, as that is when our shop is open.
Susan

I have been reading on this site off and on for about a year. Just broke down and spent the money to be able to "converse". LOL. Would like to help everyone else bring the forum back to life.

My sister and I have been doing soaps for about a year and a half. Selling primarily at local craft shows, developing product line. Have a web site up (sorely in need of updating already!) and are trying to figure out how to expand into shops, etc.

Our best selling product has been salt glow -- which does well as long as we do demos at the shows. Branching into more aromatherapy type stuff and just introduced goats milk soap.

Seems like we're all looking for the "new thing". People are so fickle sometimes, aren't they?

Looking forward to getting to know you all better!

Happy soaping!

Jennifer

Just dropping in to see what's going on..yes, I am nosy...lol
Anyhow, I purchased a soy candle, large , with two wicks, and I noticed that not only did the candle burn unevenly, but it was also very hard to light the wicks.
Is this common for soy candles?
If so, I think I will only buy non-soy after this.

Good Luck to all you handy crafters out there. Will look for you at the crafts fairs.

A soy candle, properly made, should burn just like any other candle. I do not like working with soy wax because it is too finicky. However, there are many people who make wonderful soy wax candles. In your case, I would say that either your candle was underwicked (if whoever made it knew what they were doing, the chances of it being underwicked are slim), or you simply got a candle with a defective wick. We buy our wicks by the thousands, and every now and then we get a few defective wicks. My customers are always told and encouraged to return to me anything they are not satisfied with, and they do and I am glad they do. If I were you, I would return it to wherever you bought it; if you purchased it from a crafter, they will be glad you did because it will alert them to a problem.
Susan

Thanks for your reply, Susan.

I have thrown the candle away, and am reluctant to notify the maker, because it was a benefit for animal rescue and I ordered it for the donation.
I know, I am a wimp when it comes to possibly hurting someone's feelings, esp when it was done to help.

In all honesty, since it was a benefit thing and not something that I had picked out with a special purpose in mind, I would have done the same thing. Although I am sure the crafter would have been glad to know they have some defective wicks, I am sure if there are any other defective ones, the regular customers will let them know. Just don't let it discourage you from buying one again. However, should the same thing happen twice on a product made by the same crafter, I would take my business elsewhere.
Susan