The Handcrafted Soapmaker's Guild - Conference 2010

Lots of announcements have been released for the HSMG Conference. If you are not a member of the Handcrafted Soapmaker's Guild, I recommend joining. There are other wonderful trade organizations that you should consider as well.

The HSMG holds an annual conference, this year's event being held in Denver, Colorado on April 30- May 2, 2010. And here's the scoop.

The key note speaker is Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun. See more about Ms. Braun at her website. More information is going to be released about Ms. Braun soon!

2010 HSMG Conference Speaker Line-Up and It’s Good!

The HSMG is excited to begin announcing the 2010 Speakers for the Denver, CO Conference. http://www.soapguild.org/industry/conference2010.php

Anne-Marie Faiola – Bramble Berry, Inc. http://www.brambleberry.com/
· Opening your own bath and body boutique
· Liquid soap

Kayla Fioravanti – Essential Wholesale http://www.essentialwholesale.com/
· Aromatherapy

Marla Bosworth – Back Porch Soap http://www.backporchsoap.com/
· Beginner Social Media
· How to make a living out of your own M&P Business

Debbie Chialtas – SoapyLove http://www.soapylove.com/
· M&P – basics and advanced

Donna Maria Coles Johnson – Indie Beauty Network http://www.indiebeauty.com/
· Taking your social media to the next step
· Advanced Social Media

Amy Kalinchuk - Olde Crone's Bewitching Bath Soap http://www.soapcrone.com/
· Ditch your thermometer to save time

Kelly Bloom – BloomWorks Soap Company, LC http://www.bloomworksoaps.com/
· Master Batch Soap Techniques
· Emulsifiers and how they vary

Marie Gale – Author of Soap and Cosmetics Labeling http://www.mariegale.com/
· Labeling
· Features of the HSMG Website

You do not need to be a member of the HSMG organization to attend the conference, however, being a member gets you a discount, including an early, early bird special if you register by October 31, 2009. You can also sign up for payment installments by October 31st.

For more information, check out http://www.soapguild.org/.

Post a comment. What do you think of the line-up so far? Who is planning on attending? Who is interested, but unsure? Who's opting out this year? Let us know!

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How to Make Bleeding Candles for Halloween

“Bleeding” Candles for Halloween

This variation to hand-dipped candles creates the illusion that the candle is bleeding or dripping blood, a great product to market for Halloween. Begin by reading this article titled Tapers and Twists (click here) to learn how to hand dip candles. This formula is based on already having this knowledge.

Supplies needed:
Paraffin wax

Flat braided wicks

Double boiler

Candle thermometer

Wooden spoon

Newspaper

Deep metal container or vat

Deep cardboard box

Dyes, scents, and additives

To make four 8 inch tapers, you will need approximately 11-12 oz of wax. Lay newspaper where you will be working for easy clean-up. Melt your paraffin wax at 160 degrees F in the double boiler, maintaining the temperature throughout the dipping process. Add any colorants, scents, and/or additives once the wax has melted and reached the desired temperature.

Choose a deep red color for the inner portion of the candle and a different color for the outer portion giving the candle an ordinary look. Black, purple, orange, or moss green are great for Halloween.

Prepare your wick for hand-dipping. Begin dipping the wicks in red wax until the candle is about ¾ its desired thickness. Once cooled, over-dip the red candle with your selected exterior color until it has reached the desired diameter.

As a final touch for added smoothness, dip the candles in wax set at a higher temperature, not to exceed 180 degrees F, for the very last dip. Hang the candles to fully cool. Once cooled to room temperature, you can snip the wick to the desired length, and your hand dipped tapers are ready for use.

When you light your innocent looking candle of your chosen color, it will drip the red core color on the outside of the candle creating a spooky, bleeding accent for your Halloween decorating.

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