1st Gel Candle Convention 2001

Loaded With Pictures... Please Be Patient

The First Gel Candlemakers Convention was held in Las Vegas, NV on March 12, 13, & 14 2001
The number of gellers attending were 140 and we all had a great time, except maybe the ones that came down with the flu (bummer). With 11 Vendors and 4 speakers a lot of information was given out.

The Speakers:

Penreco (gel wax producer) had a booth and David Morrison talked about "Polarity Test" the miscibility of fragrance oils in mineral oil" and about the gel wax, flash points testing fragrance oils for being gel safe and mixing the fragrance oils into the gel, using grafts on a overhead projector MIXING FO INTO GEL: mix FO into the gel when it is melted and stir thoroughly for 4 to 5 minutes, then let sit, so the bubbles will raise to the top, bring temp to 220*F, then slowly pour.

Roy Demaret from SCORE talked about "Starting a business/Marketing your business/Insurance for your business". He said you should go to a insurance company that handles business insurance instead of a company that covers our homes and cars. He answered questions on these subjects.

Jill Bullwinkle from Wick N Clip gave us a "Wicks 101". She talked about the start up of her company and how they had started small and now have 11 employees. Jill described how they make their wicks. Then she answered question on wicks asked by the attendees.

Clariant's (a dye company) Mark Self talked about "Color Chemistry & Coloration of Candles" with pictures on the overhead projector. Sorry I was not able to hear the talk.

The Vendors:

Penreco (gel company), Barbara Montgomery & Tom Daly, Jr. from Belle Aire Fragrance Company (producers of FO), Lynn & Tom Thomas from How To Make & Market Your Gel Candles with her new book, Jill Bullwinkle and Tom McGuire from Wick N Clip (Wick producer), Dee and Reed Buckley from Silky Tyme (Online Store), Critter from Critterlights (geller T-shirts), Pylam Products (candle dyes), Jeanie (me) from Purrfect Scents (sand castles, lighthouses & more), Wicks Unlimited (wicks ), Bill & Dave Binder from Candlewic (wicks & wax embeds), and Clariant (candle dyes).

Most of the booths give out samples and loads of information. There were others like Doreen from Wick Your Wax, and Karla from Creations of Illumination who also give out samples. I want to thank Lyn Lewis (Queen Carmelita) who went through all the trouble and expenses to make us all the cute Gel Candlemakers Convention Buttons.

The dinner of Chicken Picatta was very good and the company delightful. Centerpieces were provided by me Jeanie/Purrfect Scents.

Through the generosity of many companies and my begging we had 75 door prizes to give away and only about 60 people (due to the flu) to get them. Door Prizes included: gift certificates ranging from $10.00 to $100.00; glass and wax embeds;Gel Candle ebooks; luggage, and even shirts (Penreco).

A good time was had by all. I want to also thank everyone for sharing their experience in gel candlemaking and answering questions for a lot of beginners.

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR IN SAN DIEGO, CA or check my website for conventions in your part of the country.www.conventions.bigstep.com

Jeanie/Purrfect Scents

Thank you, Jeanie.

I hope Jeanie's report and my pictures give you a taste of the convention... the information... the ideas... the fun.

We all had a wonderful time... and it was such a great opportunity to put faces with the voices and emails.
The following is a sampling of the fun... hope you enjoy... and more importantly...
Hope to see you Next Year!

Happy Candling,

Lynn Thomas
Editor
Gel Candle News©

Welcome to the 1st Annual Gel Candle Convention ~ March 12-15, 2001 ~ Imperial Palace Hotel ~ Las Vegas, Nevada..

Upon entering the Showroom, you will have been greeted by Karen Giordano... who was Jeanie's helper as she handed out Goodie Bags stuffed with information and free "goodies'. Karen makes paraffin candles as "Two Angel Candles" ~ Thanks, Karen!

Belle-Aire Fragrances~Illinois
http://www.belle-aire.com
Thomas W. Daly, Jr. (Texas) & Barbara Montgomery
Very friendly... and informative.

Be sure to get your Gel Candle apron and T-shirts before you leave the Convention. Thanks to Critter McDonell Critterlights Gel Candles

http://critterlights.homestead.com/critterlights.html

CONVENTION T'S ARE HERE! http://critterlights.homestead.com/convention.html

If you mention you got the link from here, you can have a 30% discount on your order.

Karla Miller (left) from Creations of Illuminations
http://www.gellycandle.com
visited Lynn Thomas (right) from HowToMakeGelCandles.com
As you can see... Karla is a lot of fun!

Penreco
http://www.penreco.com
was represented by:

• David Morrison, Ph.D., (pictured at left in picture) New Product Development Manager
• Ed Potter, Market Manager (pictured at right in picture)
• David Guth (sorry, not in picture) Sales Representative.

David Morrison spoke on "Polarity Testing".

Pylam Products Co Inc.
http://www.pylamdyes.com
Pylam Dyes
William Row, Sales Representative

"Shhh... quiet everyone... Jeanie's announcing the door prizes... How many prizes did Dee win???"

Banquet Dinner networking...

Front: l-r Ed Potter (Penreco), David Guth (Penreco), Dee Buckley (SilkyTyme), David Morrison (Penreco)... Standing in background -- Karla Miller (Creative Illuminations)

and...