It's been awhile

Sorry for the long hiatis, a lot of things have been going on since my last post.

HillBilly Kandles has been in full swing since I have my new candle making shop in my basement.

Right now I'm pouring Fall /Winter scents Gingerbread, Sugar Plum Berries, Bayberry, and Mulled Cider.

This past summer I tested several different fragrances and chose just a few to add to my line.

Blackberry Brulee is one of them, it's smells so delicous.

Vanilla Mint, is going to be my new Frosty during the Holiday Season and Vanilla Mint during the off Season. It's one of those scents that can be offered all through out the year.

That's all for now, soon will come more.

Whipped Container Candles (Testers)

I love trying out different candles when I have the time to and January is usually the only time I have a few weeks to test finished products that have been waiting to be tested.


This time around is Whipped Wax Container Candles, I'm sure there is an easier name to call them but I'm drawing a blank right now.

The colors aren't that appealing at all but I grabbed the blue coloring block instead of the cranberry one.

All my candles are Natural Wax, so I get a lot of pastel looking colors but not this time.

These are the ones that I have yet to test burn, I haven't even clipped the wicks yet. I got the idea from looking at this site http://www.candlehelp.com/?content=whipped

They are scented in the following scents Cranberry, Cinnamon, and Marshmallow. They smell wonderful.

The site gives me insperation on making different styles of candles to try to see if the will work or not for my candle business. Right now I just have the basics containers and melts. I want to add on so this year is for testing new products.

Soon I will have a complete Candle Shop in my basement that will give me room to do whatever I want. So this year I know I will be doing many things that have been on my list for years that I just couldn't do because of having no room.

I also closed down my Etsy Shop to work on a Regular Website. It's still a work in progress, I'll keep everyone updated.

ttyl

What this blog will be

This blog will be turned into HillBilly Kandles Blog ONLY. No more personal information nothing like that. I started another blog just for that. I will be sharing tips and tricks that I've learned and tried. I will be posting new pics of products that I will be testing. I also will be posting ideas that I so want to try and would like to see what others have tried.

I want HillBilly Kandles Blog to be just about Candles and maybe some Bath & Body Products.

ttyl,

To help friends or not, that is the ???

I always get asked by people how do you make candles? I hate that question with a passion, not because I don't want competitors or anything like that, that one question leads to others. Like for instance what type of wax do you use, where do you buy it, or where do you buy your fragrances??? What jars do you use, what supplier sells them?

I feel like they want the easy way out instead of testing all the waxes that are out there through trial and error like I did or the thousands of dollars that I wont recoup till whenever because I tested hundreds of fragrances in all those different applications till I found that perfect wax that I thought knocked your socks off with each fragrance oil that I decided to keep in stock.

I want people to test their products thoroughly like I do every time I pour an order. But with TV shows like Martha and other DIY shows that make it look so simple it's getting harder to emphasis testing to the newbies of the candle the world. It's not as simple as putting a wick into a jar and pouring wax in it. You have to test, yes TEST that product for at least a year.

Why a year?? Because of all the different seasons, when I first started I thought this was going to be a simple hobby that turned into a lucrative business within months. Boy, was I wrong...

Seriously test test test till your broke because if not your not going to know if your candle will frost after some time, if it burns right, if it throws good, if it catches fire at the end of the candle, I could name more but I'll stop.

The same goes with Tarts, not a year but give it time. Also get testers, they aren't going to have the same tart warmers as you so to test all the different types of warmers with your tarts is great.

I usually point them to http://www.fragranceoilsbystate.com list and http://www.craftserver.com

With those to sites you can't go wrong in researching and ordering candle supplies.

But please don't ask me how to make candles and hand you over all my trade secrets. Yes there are several fragrance oil companies out there, yep we might end up buying from the same place but I wont tell you...

I feel better now, lol

ttyl

Melt Orders Are Rolling In

WOW, they are really rolling in. I have to mail out an order from Etsy tomorrow, my friend keeps getting orders from her party 2 weeks ago, my other friend gave me 2 orders on facebook from her friends, my usual customer ordered and the lady down the street from me ordered more. So that's over 100 Melts that have to go out this week.

I love orders like this, keep them coming....

HillBilly Kandles is getting more and more exposure by the minute by referrals from friends. Facebook has become an incredible marketing source for my company.

I'm reading a book called Trump University Wealth Building 101. It's a little outdated but the information in this book is the best advice you would ever want to know about being an Entrepreneur. I'm only on Chapter 12 and I've learnt so much already, I can't wait to dig into the book tonight.

Donald Trump is one person that I would love to meet, I would love to pick his brain for a few min. But anyways back to the book... In the 11 Chapters that I have read it talked about getting out of debt which isn't a problem that I have that much but the information I got out of it gave me such a duh moment.. It also talked about what type of business you want to get into and how to pick the right one. Which I already have a business but it made me think of my business in another way. There is so much more once I get further I'll let you know...

I have made a list thanks to this book of all the ways I want to market my business, ideas started popping out every sentence I read. Now I'm not endorsing this book I'm just telling you what the book did for me, it may not do it for you but I like it so far.

Anyways, lol.. The best selling scents from this order of 100 melts are:

Love Spell "Type", Blueberry, Downy Clean Breeze, Autumn Harvest, and Cinnamon Bread Pudding. What a variety, huh??

Well I gotta go just wanted to update you on how HillBilly Kandles is doing..

ttyl,

Little bit of this & that

I think I went over board on the colors on this blog, lol. If their to bright please let me know, I will change them.

Ok, the melts are a work in progress round 2 didn't go as well as I hoped but hey I'm up for round 3, 4, or 5. I'm hoping to have them ready for at least Spring so I have plenty of time.

My man is stringing up the lights on the tree, we put up the white tree this year. Last year we had the green tree up. The little one is getting into everything, he even broke a bulb or two but what's Christmas without some little accidents.

I can't wait to let them decorate their own bulbs, I'm sure they will look great.

Tomorrow our Advent Fun List Begins, I finished it and put them in the Snowman Container our Girl Scout Pretzels came in.

I love Christmas, the Family, the Traditions, the Music and Spirit really gets me going.

I forgot to add in my pasts posts about another Tradition that we do every year, I don't know how I forgot about it because it's the most important one, I think.

We donate to Toys for Tots, each year my kids pick 1 toy each for a child then we drop it off.
It makes my oldest feel great, that he is helping out someone that might not get a toy. He understands that Parents and Santa Clause both buy presents for kids.

Well I better get off of here, the kids are screaming, my man is starting to raise his voice at them, lol. They are digging through the decorations throwing them everywhere, lol..

ttyl,

Practice Makes Perfect

I love trying out different ideas that pop in my head, but they are so much more work than I anticipate. Last night I was looking at some pics of soap and got really inspired by them to try out some techniques on my melts.

My Melts are my #1 seller, so they are my main focus. I made up 2 different styles, they didn't come out so well but it's a good start. At least I know what I have to focus on now to make my idea a wonderful reality.

I would post them but they are so not what I want to show anyone right now. I have a list of projects that I want to do to add to my line in a 3 subject notebook that I keep looking at and adding to. I know all will come a reality at some point, especially when my shop gets built at the house.

Well my main purpose for this post was to say Don't Ever Give Up On Your Dreams, Make Them A Reality!!!!!