Shop Small Business Day

On November 24, is shop small business day. Thanks to American Express for their advertisement and support.  There are many small businesses that are in store fronts or farmers markets or craft shows and we do appreciate their support.  There are a lot of local artisans or crafters that create by hand or with the help of tools to make their products.  They make items you can buy in big retail stores and most of the time they are priced higher, but the difference is they are one of a kind. When creating by hand, no one item is the same.  They are really one of a kind. We always give you the best because we are our worst critic when creating our work.  We pay more for supplies, we don't carry large inventory and we never pay ourselves enough what are time is really worth.  So when shopping for just a gift, make it a one of a kind gift. You are supporting a small local business.

Synthetic Dyes in Candles

Synthetic dyes in almost all candles, what are they and how are they made?
I really didn't know, I don't use dyes. So, my quest for information was on. I found out most dyes use aniline, what's that? First place dictionary, I used World English Dictionary - Definition of Aniline:
"Also called: phenylamine  a colorless oily pungent poisonous liquid used in the manufacture of dyes, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and explosives. Formula: C 6H5NH2" I tried Wikipedia but that was like chemistry 101 for me. I then looked up Encyclopedia Britannica, this is what was written" aniline, an organic base used to make dyes, drugs, explosives, plastics, and photographic and rubber chemicals.
Aniline was first obtained in 1826 by the destructive distillation of indigo. Its name is taken from the specific name of the indigo-yielding plant Indigofera anil (Indigofera suffruticosa); its chemical formula is C6H5NH2.
Aniline is prepared commercially by the catalytic hydrogenation of nitro-benzene or by the action of ammonia on chlorobenzene. The reduction of nitro-benzene can also be carried out with iron borings in aqueous acid." Aniline is used to make dyes but to make it simple, it's a water down version, supposedly not as toxic.  There are other additives (chemicals) like toluidine that are not so good for you either. Then there are Trade Secrets again, not going to find out  exactly how their made, we just have to believe they are safe.Synthetic dyes are in a lot of products, from pharmaceuticals to almost everything.  As for me, I think I'll just enjoy what ever color nature can give me.  If it doesn't have a pretty color I'll use my imagination.

Flame-less Candles?

Flame-less candles?  I guess I should know about them since I make candles.  I had to do a web search to learn a little more.  I didn't really have a lot of time,so I got a little peek into it.  What I did find was that you plug the candle ( pillar or jar) in to an electric outlet. OK, but don't we have enough stuff now that we use electric for.  I think the Electric Co should send us a thank you for making them richer.  Of course there are battery operated tea lights, no electric.  I then got to thinking,some company in China making all these tea lights and workers having to work harder, more and more to put out.  They just can't keep up with productively and riots break out.  Gee, I think I heard this before.  I know there are several reasons why people don't want to burn a candle with a flame.  I was one of those people,mine was fragrances and waxes.  With all that being said, this is just my thoughts and they are mine.  Everybody can choose for themselves.

Soy Candles & Moisturizing

If you didn't know about soy and vitamin E, you will now.  What started out as an alternative to paraffin candles,  became a great moisturizer for your hands. When burning the soy candle, the wax burns warm.  Blow out the lite wick and touch the wax.  The soy wax should be warm to the touch, that is a course if it is 100% soy wax.  There are a lot of soy candles out on the market, so be careful.  Soy candles that have color or additives can burn hotter. If it is a soy blend it will burn hotter, deepening on what it is blended with.  So again be careful.  The natural vitamin E in the soy wax is helping to repair your dry and damage skin hands.  Don't you just love when things have more the one use.  A cleaner burning candle and a lotion too.

Soy Wax - Soy Bean

I'm sure you have guessed by now, that I am all about soy wax or what a soy bean can do for you.  Kudos to the soy bean farmers.  Just to think, it was a plant grown for feed.  Now used for cooking oils, cosmetics, to bio-fuels.  The book or movie "The Help", they made references to Crisco, the cure all to everything, to fry chicken, to a moisturizer for your skin.  
What is Crisco? Hydrogenated oil from a soy bean.  OK, I got side tracked. I should be writing about the trials and errors of wicking candles.  All the advice I got was to test wick first. What kind of wick? Do I use paper or cotton?  I a course looked up what's the difference between the two and went from there.  I chosen paper, it burns hotter and gives a better wax melt.  Different size jars, calls for different size wicks.  Pick the size wick that best matches the candle jar size and start from there.  I always started with the bigger wick size and worked my way down.  To much wick is not good, as is to little.  One melts fast and the other not enough.  When you find the right wick, test burn more then once.  Sometimes they don't burn the same way twice.  There are a lot of reasons way, but by checking to make sure the wick is centered is usually the first one.  That one is not as simple as it's sounds when you make by hand.

Beginning III Fragrances

When it came to fragrances for my candles I  was cautious.  After my first experience turn out bad, essential oils was the way to go.  The candle aroma was wonderful...actually awesome,   but the scent throw is limited.  I guess the best way to describe is a box of roses.  When you open the box, you smell the roses right away.  Then when you put them in a container or jar and place them on a table in a room, they don't smell as strong.  Most candle lovers want a scent throw, to do the whole room. Essential oils really don't do that they are an aroma, like the roses in the box. They are cold pressed or a heated method is used from the natural plants but not all plants you can extract from.  Scents are a little trickier,  I guess that's why they have trade secrets on them.  Synthetic and oils  from the natural plants  were produced to get as close to the naturally scent, some good and some not so good.  This is where things get a little confusing.  Like I said "trade secrets" you don't know what's in them, some are harmful and some not, if at all.  Saying that, I have to rely on organizations  that watch over or over see.  The RIFM ( research institute for fragrance materials) they have guidelines and I like to say that, the fragrance industry follows but I don't know that for sure.  With that being said,  where do you get fragrances? Ask, do they follow the RIFM guidelines or the place where they get their fragrances oils made.  I feel if they do, then you and I are a little step closer to a safer synthetic fragrance oil. Which will help in making better candles.

The Beginning II

It seems like I spent  a life time on the Internet looking for 100% soy wax.  So many choices, but I never really  found one stating  100% soy wax.  I then looked into soy beans.  You have cooking oil (soy bean), shortening "Crisco" (soybean), so how do you make soy wax.  No,   I'm not going to bore you with all those details.  I read them.....that was enough.   Finally,  I  found  a company that sold soy oil, shortening & wax.  Their products are used in the bakery industry.  I like bakeries,  no problem there.  Now, I could only imagine how long it's going to take for fragrance oils.  There are commercial grade or cosmetic, let the journey begin.