Baby Bottle Method For Pouring Small Wax Tarts & Embeds : eBay Guides

This idea has saved me time, wasted wax, mess, etc...and baby bottles are pretty cheap, so it's worth a try!

  I use Gerber plastic bottles, the ones you can squeeze. They come in a set of 3 and in two different sizes. You have to cut the hole in the nipple a little bigger. This can be tricky. When you're pouring in very small cavities (ex. blueberries) you want the hole to be small enough that you have to squeeze the bottle a little between each pour. I take my sissors and cut a tiny slit in the top at first, and then if I need to, I can make it bigger. If you happen to make it too big, you can pinch the end closed between pourings to prevent a mess. Once you get the hang of it, you will see you have alot of control on how full to fill your molds and the process will go very quickly--and you will need to work rather fast before your wax starts to cool! Oh, and don't forget to mark your bottles according to scents!

  To get ready, first lay down lots of newspapers. Start melting your wax, I use a big old crock pot and turn it on high at first, and then down to low. Keep a thermometer handy to check temp. While wax is melting, arrange your molds in groups according to which scents you'll be using. I also use a hot plate with a deep double boiler pan to set my bottles in between pourings. You will see how this comes in handy, but PLEASE keep this and your wax pot WAY FAR out of reach of little ones. Infact, don't let them near this area. They are very curious and eager to help, but I have explained the dangers to my daughter and she understands. I find other little jobs for her to help with.

  When your wax is ready (this differs depending on which type you're using, find out from your supplier)  use a ladle to pour into bottle. I do this right over the crock pot to prevent mess. (I found a neat metal ladle with a spout that works great.) Fill almost to the top, you will need a little room for color & scent. Then add color. Keep a little notebook handy to jot down color recipies. Secure top and place a finger over hole. Don't shake or you'll get bubbles, gently swirl and go back & forth until mixed. If the bottle is too hot for you, just use a dishcloth to protect your hands. I've never had a bottle melt, but I suppose it's possible. Just keep a close eye on your temps. Scent also depends on which type of wax and oils you are using. You just have to experiment. The goal is to make the best smelling, best looking product. I use the max in mine and sometimes the first tart I pour has a pool of oil at the bottom. These ones don't turn out too pretty, but I usually keep them for myself or give them away because I know they're gonna smell great! You can also remelt these ones and try again. The rest in that batch usually turn out great. One nice thing about tarts is that you don't have to be as careful with how much oil you use compared to candles. Tarts are not exposed to a direct flame like candle wax, therefore you don't have to worry about flashpoints and burning down the house! Result is an excellent scent throw from one little tart! It depends on what wax & oil you use, how much oil the wax will hold. Always try to buy the best of both, as you will get repeat customers with a quality product. Anyway.....Also gently mix in oil, be sure the nipple is correctly in the top and make sure top is secure on the bottle before pouring. (Trust me on this...lol!!) If wax cools and collects in the nipple, you will have to open the top and remove before pouring. (Learned a lesson on that too!) If you use soy wax, you might have to add some paraffin, as soy does not always work well with certain molds. It's too soft and they will break when you try to get them out.

  Make sure your tarts are completely cool before removing from most molds, otherwise you'll likely be remelting. I put mine in large ziplock bags and mark the scent, until I'm ready to package. If I am coating them with anything (cinnamon, spices, glitter etc...) I usually do this while they are in the bag, and any leftovers can be reused on the next ones.

  I think that's about it, If I think of anything else, I'll add it later. I still love my candles, but I think melts are a wonderful alternative. Especially during the day and when you have little ones who like to blow out candles! (much safer!) I just plug in my electric tart burner and my house smells great and I can save my candles for nightime. At craftshows, alot of people don't even know what they are yet. I bring a couple burners with me and people follow the smell to my table. Sometimes, they think the tarts are edible! I explain what they are and they are usually happy to give them a try. Something I decided to try and worked really well, was I brought my tarts unpackaged in containers and let them (helped them) pick and package their own. I made little signs for each scent, and brought bags and they loved it! This also saved me from packaging them at home!

Hope this helps somebody out there!  Happy and safe candle/tart making!  Sincerely, Tracey