This free project shows how to make these shamrock lollypops in eith clear green or opaque green (as shown). Perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day.

See: Shamrock Lollys In Hard Candy Project

New instructions explaining the three most popular wick sealing techniques for candle molds are now available at One Stop Candle.

See: How To Seal Candle Molds

A new candle making project showing how to make these great torched candles has been posted to the web site. This project is heavily illustrated and has step by step instructions.

See: Torched Candle

A new article with ideas and suggestions for Valentine’s Day themed chocolate packaging is now available.

See: Valentine’s Day Chocolate Packaging Ideas

I can’t give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.

Herbert Bayard Swope

When it come to business, a bigger truism has never been spoken. Admittedly, a business relies on satisfied customers and without them - you have no business (or won’t have one for long). No matter what you sell, or how you sell it - some folks will not be happy with something you do. For that matter even if you just give away free stuff - someone will find something to complain about. All you can do as a business person is satisfy the vast majority of customers and potential customers.

You do this by being receptive to customer comments and complaints. Smart businesses actually seek out customer feedback. Although it will sometimes cause you to hear things you don’t want (more…)

This fun project article shows how to make a cute heart person with sculpting chocolate. Step by step illustrated instructions.

See: Sculpting A Chocolate Heart Person

I hate to harp on this folks, but every day I hear horror stories about folks having wax fires due to one or more of the following:

Lack Of Knowledge
There is no excuse for this - safety information for candle making is not a secret. Read, learn, and follow basic safety rules at all times!
See: Candle Making Safety Instructions

Poor Advice
Sadly, this is pretty common - especially on the internet. Remember that anyone with a computer and an internet connection can publish anything that pops into their head. Although there are knowledgable writers out there, the web is also filled with so called “experts” that know little or nothing about what they write about.

Example 1: Years ago when I moderated a weekly candle chat room, I saw folks who said they were beginners a week or two previously giving advice on advanced techniques so all is not always as it seems.

Example 2: Although they may sound like experts, someone who advocates using crayons in candles probably is not.

So take a few minutes to look at the author’s credentials before taking their words as facts.

Intentional Misinformation
I find this really disturbing, but I know of several instances where professional candle makers have intentionally given bad advice. I am not really sure why they did it, but feel it was probably to discourage additional competition. This is much more difficult to judge since these folks are likely to be experts and intentionally deceiving you.

What To Do
I know the above information sounds pretty grim. I am not advocating ignoring all candle making information not written by me, but begging everyone to at the very least use one simple precaution - Melt your wax in a double boiler. That is the one single thing above all others that can make your candle making safer.

Double Boilers
I have been making candles since the early 70’s and teaching candle making through articles, books, and classes since 1997 so I know what I am talking about. I must insist that a double boiler setup is the only way to melt wax with any degree of safety. This does not need to be a commercial double boiler - in fact a home made double boiler works far better. This is simply a pouring pot containing wax placed inside a slightly larger pot with several inches of water in it as shown in this photo.

By using a double boiler, the temperature cannot possibly rise above 212 degrees F. (100 C.). This is well below the safe limit for all waxes I know of and hot enough for 98% of all candle making. The only real danger when using a double boiler is letting all the water evaporate out of the pot (if this happens you are no longer using a double boiler - a dangerous situation). Please bear in mind that although a double boiler is many times safer than any other melting method, you should apply all the safety rules every time you melt wax.

Have a happy and safe 2008.