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  1. Mellifera

    Questions about bath bombs, bath fizzles, or bath balms

    A great place for labeling information is Marie Gale's site and books: http://www.mariegale.com She does a great job taking the federal labeling laws (they aren't by state) and translating them into English for us non-bureaucrats. And I commend you on wanting to make your labels accurate...
  2. Mellifera

    Pot Tipper

    Hi All! Has anyone bought a pot tipper? I'm thinking of going for the all-in-one from soapmelters.com. It's pretty pricey, so I'm looking for reviews. Thanks!
  3. Mellifera

    Lotion bar w/ Rice

    I bought a Buffy bar from Lush to try it, and I liked it. You shower as usually, scrub away, then rinse the bits off. Cocoa butter and shea butter stay behind. It could be too oily for some, but I can see the use in winter.
  4. Mellifera

    Whats wrong with this picture?

    Yeah, but has the seller been contacted with the information that it isn't directions that are needed, but that there is a problem, that it's lye heavy, etc.? ETA I guess I'm saying: if you contacted the seller with, "Hey this looks weird," it's time to contact again and say, "It more than...
  5. Mellifera

    Whats wrong with this picture?

    Why isn't she contacting the seller for a refund? No point in losing money. Also, the seller should know that he/she has a problem with their process or formulation.
  6. Mellifera

    Pricing Strategy

    Technically, all my products are top shelf. ;)
  7. Mellifera

    Pricing Strategy

    See, that's a perspective I hadn't considered. More hmmm.
  8. Mellifera

    Pricing Strategy

    Thanks. That helps. I don't want shelves full of differently priced products, but I think there might be tiers or lines or something. Hmmm.
  9. Mellifera

    For Craft's Sake Block Molds

    Awww, thanks! I happen to live in an area with lots of local beekeepers, so selling my honey was possible... but not terribly profitable. I sell a little honey, but mostly it's B&B (or bee and bee???) now, with bee products as the foundation of a lot of what I'm making.
  10. Mellifera

    For Craft's Sake Block Molds

    Since I started this thread, I thought you all might want to see the results of the block mold! I'm really glad I can get pretty swirls even in such a large mold. And it's pretty gratifying to make so much at once. ETA I'm going to cut a sheet of mylar to fit the top, so that the top is...
  11. Mellifera

    Pricing Strategy

    Hi All, From the start, I've priced all my soaps the same: my standard was a bar between 4 and 4.5 ounces, and whether it had no color and no scent or was scented with expensive geranium, they cost the same. I figured that even if I made less on the geranium scented, I made more on the orange...
  12. Mellifera

    Successful craft show?

    Right! and these first fairs are as much for the experience as for the sales. This gives you an idea of what's involved, how much product to bring, how to talk to people, set things up, what kinds of signs... I really liked talking to people at fairs. It was always a great way to get feedback.
  13. Mellifera

    Successful craft show?

    Congrats! Isn't that a great feeling? The first big fair I went to, I sold every last lotion bar (I was doing honey, lotion bars, lip balm, and candles)--a women even offered to buy the tester! It's so great when people love the things we make, isn't it?
  14. Mellifera

    tax time

    I use QuickBooks online, the cheapie starter edition. It works fine, but I'm considering changing to Xero or something with built-in inventory.
  15. Mellifera

    Dr. Bronners

    Interesting history! I took Dr. B's with me when I went to study in the Soviet Union (yes, I'm that old) and again to Russia in the early 90s. I wanted something all purpose, for hair, body, clothing, etc. I found it very drying on my skin, but Dr. B.s and a scrub brush got the mud out of my...
  16. Mellifera

    Good natural beard oil?

    I made a nice beard oil for my husband with argan oil, avocado oil, rice bran oil, and olive oil that I'd steeped propolis in. Propolis may help with hair growth, so why not, right? I use copaiba balsam as a very light, resinous scent.
  17. Mellifera

    For Craft's Sake Block Molds

    The expensive errors are what worry me, too. But if the soap is usable, I donate it to local shelters. I haven't binned much soap, luckily. I make a lot of things besides soap: balms, lotion bars, lip balm, fizzies, liquid soap--and I have beehives to look after and honey to pull in...
  18. Mellifera

    For Craft's Sake Block Molds

    Very cool! I like the device that holds her stick blender... I'll bet her overhead is low. :razz:
  19. Mellifera

    For Craft's Sake Block Molds

    I bought the Waring Big Stik. The shaft is removable, AND you can buy various lengths. I started with a 12 inch, since that's the depth of this guy, the vat I used to mix the 50-ish pound batch yesterday. It also has a gizmo for clamping it to the side of a pot for hands-free blending. I might...
  20. Mellifera

    For Craft's Sake Block Molds

    The other issue is having a vat large enough to mix 50+ lb of soap. I do, but the spigot on it clogged and I had to scoop batter out. (You aren't going to lift and pour 50lbs, right?) Also, I've just bought a larger stick blender. The wimpy 8 inch one is not long enough. All part of scaling up...
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