Let the Holiday Shopping Begin!!! :o)

It has been a busy month of poetry writing, crocheting and candle making at my house. 

I sold my first batch of candles through my enthusiastic friend in Bakersfield.  They wanted more Red Currant, Pumpkin Spice, Green Tea, and (by special request) Lavender.  I was able to squeeze in the time for four candle sessions in 5 days to send their order the following weekend.  If you are in that area and would like to see my samples, send me an email and I'll let you know where you can find them.

The other good news of the month is that one of the candle samples I sent out in October has turned into an order.  Homemade by Hoyt pillar candles are now available at the Santa Barbara Winery tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara.  I discovered about a year ago how yummy their wines are and have been dropping in for a visit every few months since then.  (I highly recommend it as a Saturday or Sunday leisure outing.)  It probably helps that I have a friend that works there, both for getting me to visit and for getting my products on the shelf.  But, you get it, right?!  I'm willing to drink as much wine as it takes to sell my candles.  Haha.

The final good news of the month is that I was contacted about being included in the holiday shopping guide for Child Style Magazine.  I'm not really sure when it is coming out or where to see it, but... they thought my Frappuccino candle was pretty nifty.  I hope they can send me some holiday customers!  My website could use the advertising help.

Winter Preparations Part 3: Samples, Etsy and Interruptions

The past few weeks have been a complete whirlwind. I only have two to three weeknights free lately which I can devote to my candle business. The stress knots in my neck and shoulders are proving to me that it's not enough time. I'm working on figuring out which regular commitment I can cut back or cut out, but for now... It is what it is.

The good news is that I'm a little more busy than expected because a few of my friends have been out there promoting my candles. Despite being delayed by an apartment covered in roof gunk (fell through the ceiling cracks during re-roofing), I managed to make enough candles to keep up with the amount I want to post online for Christmas and to hand out samples to a few local store owners who heard about my candles from friends. I got the information printed out for the store sample bags just moments before my computer was overtaken by a virus. Thankfully, none of my files were destroyed. I just had to live without a laptop for a few days.

I cheered myself up about the computer virus by saying the timing must have been good luck for wholesale candle orders. I still haven't gotten any call backs, but will try ringing them in a few days if I still haven't heard.

Winter Preparations Part 3: Direct Sales Strategy

I had an absolute blast this weekend crocheting mug cozies and watching TV. So, you can expect to see a bunch of them on my website before Christmas. I have piles of leftover yarn from beanies, scarves and little clutch purses I've made for myself and family since I re-took up crocheting about 8 years ago. This is the pile I've decided to start with for my mug cozies. There is plenty more where that came from, but I'm still hoping to turn those basketfulls into something beautiful for me at some point... when I'm not crocheting to make a little extra money. Hmmm... I wonder when that is going to happen?

I'm really starting to get excited for the winter. I may not have gotten samples to local retail stores in time to get extra wholesale orders this winter, but I am confident that my two loyal vendors, Midnight Sun and Hempwise, will place orders and I think I have some good ideas for increasing my direct sales both locally and online. First of all, I've been fortunate enough to receive some free advertising from a local e-news source in exchange for weekly submissions from my new poetry blog and some free candle and soap prizes for their readers. Google Analytics has taught me that the ad is indeed working... people are visiting my site. Now I just need to have a more plentiful product line for them to choose from... at least that is my theory on why there haven't been any purchases yet. Also, it's not quite winter aka candle gifting season.

Speaking of candle gifting season, I may have a pseudo sattelite salesperson in Bakersfield this winter. I am just starting to figure out the details, but a very kind Homemade by Hoyt fan has offered to take a few samples around to show her friends, take orders, and call me with the details. Naturally, I offered her my 15% referral discount on anything she wants to order and said there will be gifts involved as well if the orders are plentiful. If you are reading this and are interested in doing the same... contact me. I'd love to have your help spreading the word about my products!

The last thing I plan to do is out of pure optimism that increased online presence truly does mean increased sales. I created my first treasury last week on etsy. It is a collection of coffee related items I thought would make a nice gift with my frappuccino recycled jar candle. You see, I'm starting Christmas shopping super early this year in order to spread out the cost... so I thought I would encourage you to do the same... and to buy from the artists on etsy. So, I plan to create a new treasury at least once a month to inspire my customers' Christmas shoping.  I figure it must be good karma at the very least... people include me in theirs sometimes, so it's about time I do the same.

Winter Preparations Part 2: Introducing Crochet Mug Cozies

For the first time in forever I feel like I accomplished a heck of a lot of stuff in a week!  The most exciting part was the discovery of a crochet item I can make fairly quickly... mug cozies.  Aren't they cute?!  I feel a bit bad about copying someone else's idea, but there are patterns published all over the internet and I think there is room for me in the cozy market.

I've also made quite a few candles to add to my online inventory this week.  The rose petal candles really do smell better than a dozen roses.  I highly recommend them to any man who needs to buy a romantic present for a lady.  The green colored black tea candles also smell amazing.  If you want something clean smelling with a hint of spicy, you should give these a burn.

Happy Labor Day!  I'm off to relax, watch TV, and possibly crochet some more cozies!

         

Update on the (hopefully no longer) upcoming 1099 change.

I haven't had time to photograph or post last week's candle batches yet, due to a very busy last two weeks of summer, but did want to take 5 minutes to post a little update on the 1099 reporting change I wrote a blog post about in May. I read an excellent summary of the current status in this article today. It seems that nearly all business owners are in agreement that the increased reporting requirement places a ridiculous burden on small business owners. How do you get the tax information of businesses where your employees spend money while on the road? How do you figure out who to contact from a national chain store? How can you add the added cost of all that tax reporting time into your product without loosing all your customers? But, probably the most pertinent question is... how is the IRS going to handle the millions of additional papers they will have to process each year and make money to pay for the health care bill? Thankfully, the IRS's own National Taxpayer Advocate is in agreement with business owners' objections and included her opinion in her midyear report to Congress. Thanks to this report and the many questions and complaints received by government representatives, two amendment options are now being considered.

Option #1 (Republican): an amendment to repeal the 1099 change and eliminate it all together.

Option #2 (Democrat): this measure would scale back the upcoming changes. Businesses with 25 or fewer employees would be exempt from complying with the new requirements. Businesses with more than 25 employees would only have to send a 1099 to retailers who sell them $5,000 or more in goods (instead of $600) and they would be allowed to exclude credit card charges because the credit card companies would report the information directly.

I don't know about you, but I would be happy with either of these options. As a sole proprietor, I'd be exempt either way! The issue (as usual) is how the government will make up this lost revenue. The Democrats want to eliminate an income deduction for the five largest oil companies. To me, this sounds like a suggestion the Republicans will never accept and, furthermore, one which will directly effect the pocketbook of every American. I'd hate to see health care finally become affordable at the same time that fuel costs double. The Republican amendment claims it will be paid for with money from health care programs created by the reform law. Uhm... wait... I thought the 1099 change was supposed to pay for the health care. Now it can pay for itself? Hmmm...

The House and Senate are in recess right now, but will continue trying to tackle this issue after Labor Day. I'm glad it seems they are making progress, but hope they are able to come up with a solution that could be accepted by everyone.

Winter Preparations - Part 1

I had a little bit more time than usual to myself this weekend and told myself I would devote all that time to getting Homemade by Hoyt ready for winter.  I had plans to do a few more things than I accomplished (as usual), but managed to make enough progress to feel satisfied. 

My top priority for the weekend was to make more candles to post online.  My current online inventory is only 20 items... not exactly an enticing collection.  I was too tired to further that goal on Saturday as originally planned (on account of the fact that I picked up a catering shift to earn my "extra" income a bit quicker)... but, as I type, the final bit of wax is cooling on two sets of candles. 

Tonight I'm making batches of Tibetan Black Tea (green) and Sweet Honey Rose (mauve).  The rose recycled jar candles are pretty tea and lip gloss tins I saved from my personal collection.  The black tea jars are plain glass which I still need to choose decorations for.  The next big craft night I have available will be spent decopaging jars.  I already had four before tonight that were waiting for their finishing collage.

The other thing I "accomplished" this weekend may be nothing more than glorified procrastination... but I enjoyed it.  I have an embarrasingly large collection of yarn considering the size of my apartment.  So, I have been trying to come up with more things to crochet... small things I could make quickly and sell.  I noticed on etsy that there are multiple vendors selling "scrubbies" - crocheted cotton yarn squares to use like a wash cloth - and I decided to make one to sample.

My army colored square didn't turn out with perfect ninety degree angles, but it will be perfect for testing durability... if it sucks, I didn't waste my favorite yarn... and I practiced crocheting a uniform square with a cool pattern.  I'd say that's as close to "loose = win" as you can get.

I also looked at two other crochet products I would be interested in making: pot holders and rag rugs.  I started crocheting a pot holder sample, but haven't made it too far.  I also hunted down two old sheets which I want to use whenever I get around to trying out rag crochet.  What I really want to know is... how many of my friends and customers would be interested in buying any of the above?

The last thing on tonight's to do list is started, but probably not likely to be completed tonight.  I've chosen samples to be delivered to two locations, but still need to print price lists and informational material before I can wrap them....

My Newest Best Friend in Marketing

July hasn't been the most productive month of 2010 for my candle business. I got distracted by a new project of mine... poetry. At least once a week I post a new silly rhyme to my blog about something I saw on the internet or TV, in magazines, or better yet, in real life. Once I had my first 5 or so poems, I decided to send one to my favorite local newsletter, edhat.com. They send out a free newsletter every day with links to pertinent news, questions & comments from readers, event photos... all kinds of fun stuff that (for me) makes it feel like the new millenium version of a little old town meeting. And, ever since I sent my first blog link, edhat has been sharing my poems with their readers each Sunday. Thanks to blogger stats, I know that quite a few people have clicked through to Rhyme Me a Smile from edhat links.

This week I decided to finally getting around to sending out those prizes I displayed in my last blog post. I had intended one for edhat and one for someone else, but in the end decided to offer both to my new best friend in marketing. This week's newsletter already has a fantastic free ticket opportunity, but soon you shall see Homemade by Hoyt products being given away. It has turned out to be an even better marketing strategy than I expected. In exchange for the prize donations, edhat made me an advertisement for free and posted it to their website. It popped up earlier today at the top of the browser page while I was trying to figure out why the sheriff's hellicopter was flying around the Noleta neighborhood. It was pretty exciting to get answers to my breaking news question and see my brand new personal advertisement simultaneously! If you live in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, or Ventura Counties, I highly recommend signing up for your local edhat newsletter and advertising through them if you are a business owner. If you don't live in the area... well, start searching for your best friend in marketing. He's out there.

Today's Forecast: Scattered Creativity

If someone had read me a forecast on how much progress I would make in June for the various "to do's" I have planned for Homemade by Hoyt... it would have predicted scattered creativity. I have made progress on a few ideas, but nothing has truly been completed. Thankfully, I did complete the candle inventory, so I was able to place it back in storage instead of having it spewn all over my only table / work surface.

The first thing I have been working on is... I plan to offer up gift sets of my products to two entities that have giveaways in my community. I'm not really sure how they choose the prizes they currently offer but think there is a good chance they would be interested in my handmade crafts... and I wouldn't mind getting my name a little exposure in front of their "customers". I know I'm being vague, but I don't want to reveal the complete details of my idea yet. However... hopefully, sometime in the near future, two lucky someones in the greater Santa Barbara area will win the two gift sets shown here. Both contain sage green colored, tibetan black tea scented candles and a bar or two of my vegan hemp soap. It definitely wouldn't be the largest prize either place has given away, but it could be one of the most unique.

Tonight I started a different project... going through all the magazines and other stuff I have stacked around the house and picking out what I want to save for collaging onto recycled jar candles. Things have definiely piled up since I last did any decopaging... and maybe I'll do more soon. I could use a bit more inventory online and my tub of jars is overflowing! If that isn't a sign, I don't know what is... of course, that won't help the July "forecast" be any more focused than June, but any progress is good, right?

New Online Pricing Structure

One thing I've learned over my years of selling candles is that if something isn't selling, you need to change something... usually the packaging or the pricing structure. After a few months pondering, I've finally taken the plunge to include shipping costs in my online pricing. All online listings have already been updated to show the new FREE SHIPPING prices. Coincidentally, the prices I have come up with are only a mere dollar or two per candle over the local retail prices at Hemp Wise and Midnight Sun. I hope you will find the new prices more attractive!

Recycled baby food jars were $3.25... now $4.75 each including shipping!

Recycled frappuccino jar candles were $6.25 a piece... now $8 each including shipping.

3" x 6" Square Pillar was $12... now $16 including shipping!!!

3" x 3 1/4" Small Cylinder was $8... now $11.25 including shipping.

"Nights" at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Tonight I was fortunate enought to venture out to an interactive art party at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. I recently became a paid subscriber to the edhat.com newsletter so that I could enter their contests for free tickets, etc. and I already won my first prize! It was two V.I.P. passes to "Nights" at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and I am feeling oh-so-lucky to have won entry to this experience!

I have been in quite a creative lull lately. I haven't made any candles or soap... nor have I done any work to promote my products. When I saw this event listed on edhat's newsletter, it immediately sparked my interest. I had hoped the interactive art would get my creative juices flowing again... and I definitely feel a bit more energized now than I have for a while.

The galleries were open from 5:30 - 7:30 PM and within them activities and music had been set up. You could listen to an excellent band while having your nails artfully decorated or as you create a piece of art. I chose the latter and was instructed to either brush water colors over my sheet to create a colored background or use nothing if I prefer plain white. Then, I took squeeze bottles of colored paint to decorate my paper as if I was making a smiley face with ketchup on top of my hamburger. To finish, I put a piece of clear plastic on top, squished my squeezed on acrylic paint and taped the edges. It was a simple way to create art which quickly brought out my childlike spirit. I will definitely do it again on my own.

Outside the patio was packed with fun: DJ Jeremy Sole kept the party lively as we spun art on what I think was a pottery wheel (with tape to hold down the paper). If ever there was an activity to inspire me to create candles with vibrant color... THIS is it. I think this activity may have had the highest participation rate because I saw a multitude of amazing color combinations. I believe many people took their paintings home like I did.

I would definitley say this is an event worth attending. It doesn't matter if you're looking for a swanky party to wear your new fur coat or an artsy get together where sandals and tie dye are the main groove... "Nights" merged those festivities into one. Furthermore, it is a reasonably priced event, all amenities considered. Tickets are $25, $35 or $50... I recommend the $50 VIP ticket. There are additional appetizers in the special people's section and the drink tickets are cheaper! (All the non V.I.P. people don't know it, but they missed out on a truly amazing dessert... berry skewers drizzled with multi colored peruvian white chocolate. YUM! We also sampled lamb skewers wrapped with spaghetti strands of cucumber and dipped in a yogurt sauce.) Though I must say... the appetizers I tasted in the art gallery also proved Chef Brenda Simon's ability to create tasty flavor combinations.

If you are reading this now and sad that you missed it... stay tuned to edhat.com or check the Santa Barbara Museum of Art's website for information on the next "Nights" in August. Perhaps I will see you there.

The Health Care Bill vs The Sole Proprietor

Though I am not sure how successful the changes proposed in the new health care bill will work out for the millions of uninsured, I am fairly certain one of the hidden tax changes is going to hurt many sole proprietors. This article was highlighted on the yahoo home page on Friday and reading about the amount of paperwork the IRS will be expecting me to do beginning in 2012 upset me. I work as an office manager full time and am very familiar with how long it takes to gather the information and send out 1099 forms to our subcontractors each year. The IRS now wants all businesses to send out 1099 forms to all businesses (corporations included) which provide them with $600 or more of goods or services each year.

It's the part about goods that bothers me. As of right now, you only send out a 1099 form to an individual (sole proprietor) who has provided you with $600 or more in services. It makes sense. You are hiring that person to do a service which they will get paid for and which cannot be tracked easily by any other method. Generally people such as myself, who make & sell items to stores, online and at craft fairs are more visible and easy to track down without all this paperwork. Perhaps the teams that are already traveling the state checking for proper business permits could do a bit of multi taskings and pass names to the IRS of companies that they think should be audited. Then again, maybe it's too late to get the hidden tax torture erased from the bill.

Considering I have experience preparing these forms and Homemade by Hoyt would have less than 10 vendors who would qualify for a 1099, I think I can survive the change. However, I think there are many sole proprietors (artists, handymen, contractors, etc.) who work their business full time but aren't very good at paperwork. They manage to produce the required sales receipts, invoices or contracts required for the day to day business, but rely on an accountant to do the more complicated things like taxes. It could cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars for someone to gather the information for you and prepare the forms. Maybe it's because I'm the type of person who believes that people will always find a way to cheat, no matter how hard you try to stop them, but I think this 1099 thing is a bad idea. Are they ready to handle the piles of paperwork they are asking us to send? Do they really think they will make enough additional tax money to pay for the extra jobs? I really hope they've thought this through...

April showers bring May flowers...

Spring and Summer have always been the hardest times for me to remain motivated to work on my side business. I could blame it on the change in weather calling me outdoors, the fact that there are less holidays that get me out of my full time job for a few hours, or the fact that people don't seem to burn as many candles when it's sunny and warm during the day, but the fact is that sometimes the best time to promote your business is when you're making the least sales... and I could take better advantage of my down time. I plan to do a few things every year to try to grow my customer base, but usually don't get everything done. I'm hoping this year will be different.

The main thing I try to make time for each spring and Summer is to take samples of my products to the buyers at local stores in hopes they will decide to add my line to their retail selection. Times have changed since I started my business... stores have closed... and only two of my original retail locations remain. (Thank you Hemp Wise & Midnight Sun for your loyal support.) My current strategy for obtaining more wholesale purchasers is to research the location and then bring some nicely wrapped free samples for the store's buyer to try out along with some printouts telling about the ingredients I use and prices I charge. I send custom postcards to thank them for meeting with me (assuming I get that far) and sometimes just to keep my products in their mind (i.e. when the buyer says they would be interested, but want to wait one to two months). It is hard to talk a store owner into expanding their selection during a recession, but I'm hoping to meet the ones who are optimistic about the 2010 economy.

At the same time, I need to continue working on my direct sales if I want to make more than a slight bit of frivolous spending money off my candles & soap. In 2009 I added a website, blog, facebook profile, and the occasional flea market or home sales party appearance to my job description as chief candle maker & marketing guru for Homemade by Hoyt. I even hired Google Ad Words to advertise my website day and night. I have definitely had some success due to these efforts, but the battle for increased direct sales is tough. My experience has proven that the best "advertising" I can buy is the personal referral of a friend. Last week I got to see a thank you note that came all the way from Budapest for a gift box that included Homemade by Hoyt soap & specially decorated Recycled Jar Candles. Many more friends have given my products as gifts and helped me win over another customer. (I'm not going to give you an exact figure, but I do like to give discounts and/or gifts to appropriately thank people who help me grow my business.) I also offer other special deals on my website and facebook page throughout the year, which I hope are making people peek at my products, but don't have a method to measure the traffic from facebook to etsy.


What I do know is that I would love to hear your opinions & suggestions if you happen to be reading this and could spare an idea. Is there a store you think I should check out? A craft fair or home party situation which you would like to attend? Do you or people you know read the blogs that review products and have contests for free samples? I am actually hoping to join an entrepreneurial women's networking group soon, so hopefully they can help me with these ideas if no one on the world wide web can... either way, the May flowers are here... 'tis the season to promote.

Fighting Freight Fumes

On January 1, 2010 I pledged to donate 5% of every purchase to support the Environmental Defense Fund... I think many people wondered why? Well, here's the scoop. I am a bit of a flower child at heart and see myself as someone who really cares about the environment. Yet, I've had more than one semi-heated discussion over the so called evils of paraffin wax which left me wishing I could make certain people understand that those candles are my art, and they would never be the same if I changed the wax. Different wax means an all new texture and color scheme. And, the fact is that my pillar candles are the least of our worries when it comes to slowing and/or stopping global warming.

This week I read some information on the EDF website that made me think (in a new way) about the ways that my habits as a modern candle maker help or hurt the environment. It was a study just published called The Good Haul: Freight Innovations for the 21st Century. It highlights various ways to modernize shipping which are already at work around the world, proving that we can make a huge impact on carbon emissions. I can't say that I read the entire 68 page report, but there were several case studies I found really exciting!!! Did you know that a truck produces 22 lbs of carbon dioxide for every hour that it idles? Now think about the fact that every trucker must rest on the road and often requires air conditioning or heating in order for the cab to be comfortable enough to sleep... and the only way to turn those things on is with power. Thankfully, some states are adding "electrification facilities" at truck stops in order make a dent in the 11 million tons of carbon dioxide produced annually as a result of long-term idling. I personally can't believe this hasn't been done sooner. Idling big rigs are not only unhealthy for the environment, they are more directly harmful to the driver... that air they breathe while resting can't be good for their lungs! I get upset when I see regular sized vehicles idling longer than 5 minutes.

There were many other innovative programs described in the report... cranes replacing forklifts, off-hours driving incentives, and meticulously structured emissions taxation systems... so many great ideas that need to be used on a larger scale.

However, I do not feel that independent entrepreneurs should exempt themselves from personal participation in this cause. I am pretty sure there are a large percentage of us that get our materials shipped to us and who ship products to our customers. Here are three ways I feel that I have directly contributed to the cause:

1. I buy materials from vendors who are located nearby whenever possible to reduce shipping distance. My #1 material supplier, General Wax and Candle Co., is actually only an hour and a half drive away. I stop by whenever I'm driving to or through L.A. to pick up supplies myself, cancelling the need for shipping all together.
2. I purchase my materials in bulk. No matter how close or far away the items come from, it seems to me that the less often I purchase them, the less often a large truck would need to haul the package to my house. My goal is for each order to last a minimum of two months, but for vendors which only sell one or two products I desire, I try to order at least a year's supply.
3. I price my candles in a way that encourages long lasting candle orders. If you haven't already noticed, my smallest candles aren't that much cheaper than the medium sized ones... and my large candles are very fairly priced. The USPS backs up my system by charging progressively less per ounce as the package gets heavier... and candles are not feathers, which means shipping can cost a bit. But, if you spread that cost over four candles, it's a much smaller extra charge than if you only buy one.

I would love to hear any and all tips you may have about how I can be more green in regards to shipping products and/or ordering materials. In the mean time, I hope you will support and promote the Environmental Defense Fund's fight to modernize shipping.

The Ventura Flea Market

Today I visited the Ventura Flea Market. I've been meaning to check it out for years because I heard it was huge and drew a big crowd. It's right down by the beach at the far north end of Ventura, at the County Fair Grounds and is run by the same organization that is in charge of the Rose Bowl Swap Meet. If you've ever visited that one, you are certain to be a true flea market patron. Even I was overwhelmed with the enormity of the Rose Bowl experience when I visited with a friend. And, the Ventura Flea Market was rather large... yet I'm still not sure how good of a venue it will be for my handmade items. The good news is that I didn't see any other candles being sold there. I did see a soap vendor... not sure if the items were homemade, but they were much less expensive than mine. The other good news is that the rest of the show was littered with antiques, furniture, jewelry, coins... and other interesting flea market finds that were drawing a decent crowd. It reminded me of another one of my favorite flea markets, the Melrose Trading Post. It's a great spot to visit on Sundays in L.A. I tried selling there once, but it was a nice warm sunny day... great for getting people out, but not really the type of day that makes people want to rush home and light a bunch of candles. I didn't sell much that day... and even though the spaces don't cost much... and I split it with a friend... I'm pretty sure I had a negative profit after I factored in the money I'd spent on gas to get there. I remember feeling oh so disappointed because I really wanted to sell there so I'd have an excuse to shop there more frequently!!! Anyhow, I'm hoping that if I pick a strategic date with candle purchase inducing weather, that things will work out well. Today might actually have been good since it just rained yesterday and people may have been at home wishing they had candles, but not wanting to leave the house to go buy them... today was nice, though still slightly chilly... and the rainy season isn't completely over yet. It would have been perfect. Too bad the Ventura Flea Market is not weekly -- not that I'm ready to go this weekend... I need a tent to shade the candles -- but maybe I can do it around "June Gloom" time. I love to burn candles when it's chilly and foggy out... I actually love that weather. And so it is settled. I will try selling my goods some time this year at the Ventura Flea Market. Hope to see you there!!!

I have been sick nearly all month, but I managed to track down the recipe I spoke of in my last post while recovering from bronchitis. It's a new favorite of the Hoyt family. We like to toss it with green & red leaf lettuce, artichoke hearts, asparagus, hearts of palm & feta cheese.

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Sun Dried Tomato Salad Dressing

· Servings: ~2 cups
· Preparation Time: 5-10 mins
· 1/2 cup Water
· 1/2 cup rice vinegar
· 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
· 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
· 2 Tbsp honey
· 2-4 cloves of garlic
· ½ tsp dried italian seasoning
· ¼ tsp dried tarragon
· ½ tsp salt
· ¼ tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Throw all ingredients in the blender. Blend until it is as smooth as you like for a dressing. This usually keeps for up to two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

A Brief Trip to Arizona

Life continues to be busy for me... this past weekend I was in Arizona celebrating my mom's birthday. It was a great weekend with family and I even managed to bring home 4 more jars to make candles in. Two were small cups my mom saved for me and the other two I saved after making a new Hoyt family favorite salad. I seem to have misplaced the sun dried tomato salad dressing recipe (oops), but will try to post it soon. If you happen to have a bottled salad dressing that's mostly sun dried tomatoes, try mixing it with green & red leaf lettuce, artichoke hearts, asparagus, hearts of palm and crumbled feta cheese. You could even add grilled chicken and make it a meal.

I have also received quite a few glass jars saved for me by other friends (thanks!!!). I really want to find a local store that's interested in selling my recycled jar candles, but I'm a bit behind with my marketing goals. I seem to have caught a slight cold, which is slowing me down a bit. However, I plan to take a free sample and wholesale price list to one prospective vendor I have in mind soon....

Procrastination and Frustration

Nearly two weeks have passed since my last post and very little has been accomplished. I've been burning tea light after tea light in my old christmas candles... thoroughly enjoying the vanilla smell but not getting rid of much wax. Thus, I am no closer to beginning my project of determining the best way to clean the candle jars for reuse or recycling. I did, however, begin testing a particular apple juice jar candle to make sure it would burn correctly. It burned great for the first 6 or so hours, then it went out due to the pool of wax drenching the flame.

In the morning I had the "brilliant" idea to attempt to pour off the excess wax to create a votive while ensuring that the apple juice candle would continue to burn as well. As you can see below, the results were not that pretty... the flame had blackened the wax. So, sadly I am back to square one. But I love this jar so much that I have to make one more attempt. Perhaps if I don't fill the jar so full originally it will burn better.

Thankfully for me, there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I am currently making an order of candles for Midnight Sun. Below are the first two batches. The gray & red candles are Dragon's Blood scented - like new age resin, dragon's blood is a wonderful oriental blend of orange, rose, and carnation with a hint of patchouli and creamy vanilla. In the multi colored brown candles I am bringing back an old favorite, Tea Time - a spicy blend of citrus bergamot, peppercorn, cloves and more.

The full order of candles should arrive at Midnight Sun by Tuesday at the latest...

Mmmm, pesto pasta...

I may be setting a weekend blog post record (for me), but it's raining out and I've been relaxing inside all day cooking, cleaning and making candles, and I made a quick and easy pasta creation today that I wanted to share. I would have had a new recipe for you sooner, but the asian noodle salad I attempted to create last week did not turn out as desired. I over cooked the noodles and under cooked the tofu. But, today I redeemed myself.

Pesto Pasta with Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes:

1 1/2 cups fresh green beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2/3 pkg Barilla Plus spaghetti - 14.5 oz pkg
1 - 8 oz jar basil pesto
lemon juice

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.

Meanwhile, trim the ends off the green beans and cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Place the green beans in a zip lock bag with a few drops of water and a few drops of lemon juice. "Zip" the bag shut and place standing up in the microwave. Microwave on high one minute 10 seconds. Remove from microwave immediately and "unzip" bag to allow steam to escape.
Place the green beans in a skillet pan with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 3 Tbsp pesto sauce. Heat over low heat stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add halved cherry tomatoes and heat 1 additional minutes, stirring at least twice to make sure the tomato skins don't brown.

When the pasta is done cooking, toss with the remaining pesto sauce then add the sauteed vegetables and serve.

I'm excited to have three servings leftover for lunchtime snacks at work. I think it is going to be just as tasty cold as it was hot!

The P Word

Paraffin has gotten a bad rap as the world has made an effort to "go green". Perhaps the fact that I make the bulk of my candle income from paraffin wax pillar candles is what made me decide to start donating 5% of all purchases to the Environmental Defense Fund. But it doesn't matter if you think I did it out of green guilt, as a generous gesture, or a gimmic to increase sales... what matters is the truth about paraffin.

All over the internet you can find postings about the harmful effects of paraffin. The thing I wonder if people notice is that the authors of the information are usually the same person making and selling soy candles, which is why they follow the list of reasons not to buy paraffin with a monologue on the benefits of soy. I might respect their opinions more if I felt they were truly backed up with scientific facts. But, I tried clicking the link to the supposed EPA Report which details how paraffin candles ruin your indoor air quality, and the report was "not found". I guess we will have to wait a bit longer to back up our opinions on candle pollutants.

For now, let me list some of the main criticisms and my opinion as to their validity:

(1) Paraffin is a byproduct of crude oil, which we know to be harmul to the environment. In regards to the toxic chemicals supposedly released into the air as paraffin candles burn, I would like to point out one key ingredient not cited as a factor: the wick. Paraffin candles have traditionally been made with lead core wicks, the true culprits of unclean air. I used them when I first began making candles because I didn't know any better, but switched as soon as I saw the 100% cotton alternative. And I can tell you from observation that the flame from a lead core wicked candle does emit an ominous black cloud of smoke. While I still have never seen the EPA report detailing the carcinogens in paraffin candles, if it does exist, I am confident those candles had lead core wicks.

(2) Paraffin is petroleum based; it comes from a non-renewable resource. I cannot debate much on this point. Unlike soy wax, the ingredients needed to create paraffin definitely cannot be grown from seeds. However, soy wax is far too soft to be used in a pillar candle unless blended with paraffin. Furthermore, soy wax is more white than clear, which limits my ability to make dark colored candles. So for now, I choose to keep making my pillar candles with paraffin and to promote my new recycled jar candles with 100% soy wax. I highly doubt the world's candle obsession is the one that will use up valuable resources first, so let's focus on more important items like clean water and alternative energy.

(3) Buying petroleum based products supports the evil oil industry. Seriously?! It is hard for me to believe someone would think their choice to not purchase paraffin candles would be felt by the oil giants. They probably wouldn't even notice a change in revenue if you stopped driving completely and never bought a drop of fuel from them again... but at least that would make a significant environmental impact.

(4) Paraffin candles create soot, but soy candles don't. Do you honestly believe that there is anything anywhere that when burned would produce no soot? The only control you have is over the amount of soot, which can be limited by a properly trimmed wick and an undisturbed flame. Again I have no scientific evidence to back up my opinion, but was interested to read on a fellow candle maker's website that not all soot is black. In fact, soy candles produce white soot. Furthermore, the soot produced from any candle is no more harmful than the soot produced by heating cooking oil on your stovetop.

(5) Paraffin is not biodegradable. It may not break down when sent to a landfill, but there is hardly any wax left when one of my pillar candles finishes burning. And, I take those leftover nubs and melt them back down the next time I make a similar batch. I would be more than happy to take wax back from my customers for recycling... though it would have to be from a Homemade by Hoyt candle to ensure it was the right wax blend.

Resources:
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/soy-vs-paraffin-candles-the-great-debate-39919.html
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/soycandles.htm
http://www.scented-soy-wax-candles.com/paraffin-candles.html

The Scent Lives On

It's Friday night and I'm at home, sipping a bottle of Westerly Vineyards 2002 Estate Grown Cab Franc Merlot blend. I decided to relax at home and sip some nectar from heaven... as I wandered to my DVD player to pop in another flick, I caught a whiff of ultra rich vanilla. It was coming from the christmas candles I burned until they smothered, and it made me want to write a bit.

Don't you hate it when your container candle burns "all the way" yet there's wax left along the sides? As a candle maker, let me say, I feel your pain but there's just no controlling the flame. I am not infallible, but generally do an excellent job of centering the wick. I always use the specified wick size for the width of the jar because there's no way I'm going to risk my product heating the jar until it shatters. And so, I suppose the unavoidable side effect is a bit of remaining wax. I recommend burning tea light candles inside this remaining "shell" of wax until the jar is as wax free as possible. I am currently experiencing the reality that there is plenty of leftover scent which can be released with the help of a tea light.Thinking about burning every last drop of wax in each jar candle also got me thinking about what to with the jars after that. I'm excited about the fact that I'm saving the earth a bit of carbon dioxide for each reused jar that I make a candle in... if I had bought a brand new one, another five to fifteen ounces of CO2 would have been released into the atmosphere, depending on how much recycled glass had been used to create that particular jar. Making a glass container from 100% raw materials uses about 40% more energy, so there is both a cost and environmental savings to recycling. (I've been reading up on my statistics the past few weeks.)

The reason I'm rambling about all this is because I think it is important to give my jars another life after the candle no longer burns. My first thought was that the soy wax isn't very porous, so it could possibly be scraped out with a butter knife or spoon. I have also found a few suggestions on the internet, one involving your microwave and the other using a vegetable steamer... I'm not sure I'm thrilled with any of the options at this point, but when my current jar candles finish burning I'm going to try them out and document the process. There are so many things these containers can be reused for. Obviously at my house I can make another candle, but they could store candy, buttons, jewelry, coins... or you could use some as flower vases. If you have enough jars around the house, then put them out with the recycling trash so they can find new life as an ingredient in concrete or fiberglass. There is no limit to the number of times glass can be recycled, so don't let the cycle stop with you... stay tuned for jar cleaning instructions.

One week, one order, one pledge, one recipe

It's hard to believe the first week of the year has already come and gone. I've already gotten my first wholesale order of the year - thank you Hemp Wise - which begins the ticker for dollars pledged to the Environmental Defense Fund. This order will mean a future donation of approximately $5... it sounds small, but I think the number will be much larger when I finally tally it up and make the first payment and I'm excited to be supporting a cause with my work. I didn't find time for any marketing this week, on account of having a cold and being busy enough just making, labeling and wrapping candles for Hemp Wise. So far I've made Red Currant, Rustic Woods and Oceanside... tonight I will make the final batch, pomegranate spice.

I also did a bit more cooking, through the week... glass jars are accumulating slowly. I thought I would share my newest potato salad concoction with you. It's loaded with vitamins and contains much less fat than traditional recipes thanks to the addition of greek yogurt.

1 bag baby gold potatoes

1 - 12 oz jar roasted red bell peppers - diced

1 shallot - diced

6 oz greek yogurt

2 Tbsp mayonaise

olive oil

Wash the potatoes then put them in a large pot, fill with water and put it on the stove. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potato skins begin to crack open (approx 40 min.). Drain and cool.

While potatoes are cooking, heat approximately 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a skillet on low heat. Add finely diced shallots and stir frequently. Cook 2 min or until lightly browned.

Once potatoes have cooled 5 - 10 minutes, pour in a casserole, use a fork to break into smaller chunks, then stir in yogurt, shallots, mayonaise and diced roasted red bell pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow mixture to cool on the counter 20 - 30 minutes before placing in the refrigerator to prevent condensation from watering down your chilled potato salad. Enjoy!

Moisturizer, Mushrooms & Mustard

You know how people will allways tell you to choose your job wisely, because you spend more hours of your life at work than anywhere else? I believe that now I understand the full significance of that statement. I love my day job, don't get me wrong, but I've seen pieces of my lifestyle change recently, all in order to create more candles. Every time I go shopping for anything lately I find myself thinking, "Hmmmm.... Would this make a good candle when I'm done with it?" I picked out a new lipgloss / hand salve combo just because it came in a really cute tin. Apple juice and frappuccino are now my two favorite caloric beverages, because their jars are so cute. Also, I've begun cooking real meals for myself again, both because it tastes better & cost less than frozen entrees and pre-packaged salads, and because it creates more jars to recycle into candles later. And, since I generally combine my jar packaged foods with local produce and other ingredients, I can only assume I have reduced my carbon footprint to some degree.




Last week I had a yummy pesto pasta salad which was quick and easy to throw together and I thought I'd share the recipe with you. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo, but will do so next time!

Rachel's Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

1 lb - approx 3 chicken breasts

1 - 8.5 oz jar sun dried tomato pesto sauce

1 - 12 oz package tri-color rotini or other pasta

1 bag mixed salad greens

olive oil

balsamic vinegar


Place the chicken breasts in a pot of water with 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer approx 20 minutes or until cooked through. Cut to see the middle of the chicken breast to check for doneness before draining and rinsing with cold water. Allow chicken to cool 10 - 15 minutes then shred.


At the same time, boil a pot of water for your pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Mix entire jar of pesto sauce & shredded chicken with pasta when done. Cool on counter uncovered for a bit if needed to avoid steam accumulation, then cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 min before serving.


Serve over mixed salad greens lightly drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

This week I will be eating lots of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for breakfast, perhaps a salad with dijon mustard dressing for lunch, relying on the constant standby - hot pasta - in the evenings, and working on a salad invention to use up the adoreable jars of shitake mushrooms I found on clearance at Gelson's last weekend.


But don't worry, I'm not going to attempt to provide every needed recycled jar from my personal inventory. I already have a few friends who save their jars for me in return for a 20% friend discount whenever they order, and I have plenty of other ideas I'm working on for how to collect more jars from strangers. An infathomable amount of energy is consumed in the aquisition of raw materials for and the production of glass jars each year. Americans burn countless numbers of glass container candles annually, in addition to vast amounts of packaged foods they consume. I hope others will agree it is time we reuse everything we can. Together we can help preserve the environment and slow global warming. Furthermore, to show that I am serious about my commitment to the cause, I will be donating 5% of all gross retail and wholesale sales in the indefinite future to the Environmental Defense Fund. Happy New Year everyone! Cheers to moisturizer, mushrooms and mustard and their re-usable packaging!