Can I order any of the items from your website?
Now that HGP DIRECT is live and available,
you may browse, shop, view and request the catalog online at
http://www.homeandgardenparty.com/home?webid=HGPgal.
In order to maintain the high quality customer service you've come to expect, Designers are always available to help you in any way. That's one of the things that sets HGP apart from other home decor companies: you build a relationship and trust with me, I get to know you a bit better so I can service you the best way I can.
When you choose Home & Garden Party, you are choosing to have a decorating consultant at your fingertips (me!). You can have a working relationship with a well-trained, professional work-at-home Mom who is committed to your satisfaction and access to one of the most beautifully photographed decorating magazines available today. It’s like having your own Designer-On-Call!
If you are interested in ordering, please use the Order Form to get an idea of your total. Thanks so much!
Use my WebID HGPgal, or goto http://www.homeandgardenparty.com/home?webid=HGPgal.
Can I see the products online?
Yes! The company has made our products available for you to browse, shop, view and request the catalog online at http://www.homeandgardenparty.com/home?webid=HGPgal. This system, HGP Direct, can take your orders online, but cannot assign hostess benefits. Go to the "Orders through DIRECT" secion of the FAQs to learn more.
Thank you!
Is the catalog online?
YES! You can now order DIRECT from the HGP catalog. Just input my name or Designer WebID (HGPgal) to progress to checkout.
Do you have to have a party to be able to buy the merchandise?
You certainly don't have to have a party to order product. You may contact me anytime to place an order, by email or by phone. If your total retail is at least $100, you receive Hostess Benefits: 20% in Free merchandise and 1 half-price item/grouping/set! So for a $300 order, you'd get $60 in Free and 3 half-price items! * Check it out under the "Let's Have A Party" page.
If you'd like to order less than $100, please contact me to make shipping arrangements. The product comes from Marshall, TX by FedEx or UPS. A really great idea is to gather a few orders together, send me one check and get the Hostess Benefits for yourself! (That's a catalog party!) Contact me by email to discuss the best options. If you'd like a full-line catalog, please see the Request A Catalog page. (-;
* Here’s a helpful chart that shows how much you’ll earn with our Hostess Benefits. Our Hostess Benefits program is designed to give you the most for YOUR efforts…
Party Free ½-Price
Sales Mdse. Selections
$100 $20 1
$200 $40 2
$300 $60 3
$400 $80 4
$500 $100 5
$600 $120 6
$700 $140 7
$800 $160 8
$900 $180 9
$1000 $200 10
Is that not TERRIFFIC?! Now, remember that everything in the catalog qualifies for ½-off: set of 4 mugs, table settings, GROUPINGS, case of candles, prints, canister set... Everything! You think that’s great... Ask me what I make with a $500 party!
How do I figure the tax and shipping?
HGP has FREE SHIPPING!
Tax is calculated on the retail portion of your order. Tax is the local tax rate of the Hostess’ address (or ship-to address). If your tax rate is 6.25% and you have a $120 order, the tax amount is $7.50 ($120 x .0625). If you order online using Direct, the highest tax rate of your area will be used. This is a state regulation and all taxes go to your state. HGP keeps none of the tax money.
I make a "miscellaneous order" once a month for my local Customers, independent of party orders. Depending when you email me, it may be a few weeks before I order your products. I appreciate your patience! Only orders placed with me can earn hostess benefits.
Browse, shop, view and request the catalog online at http://www.homeandgardenparty.com/home?webid=HGPgal.
How do I pay for my purchase?
Browse, shop, view and request the catalog online at http://www.homeandgardenparty.com/home?webid=HGPgal.
Please see the section "Ordering through Direct" for more information.
If you'd like to use your hostess benefits, please place your order with me. After contacting my via email, I will email you back with the total of your order, including tax for your area.
You may pay with a Money Order made out to me, Lisa DeClue, or use PayPal. You have 2 ways to use PayPal: cash, credit card. If you choose to use a credit card through PayPal, I'll need to add the 3.4% that I'm charged for this convenience. Just visit PayPal.com and use the email (decluehgp AT hotmail DOT com). Then just click on "Send Money" and you're done!
I also accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover.
(FYI: I am charged an administrative fee every time I place an order, so I would appreciate you combining orders to at least $40 or more, per shipment, if possible. Thank you!)
How long will it take to receive my items?
I can guarantee less than three weeks from the order date, but it is usually closer to two. If you would like to order something special for a gift, please be sure to add sufficient time for delivery. For example, since Mother's Day is the first Sunday in May, you would need to order with me before April 18th (approx.).
Many of my Customers order gifts each quarter for all the birthdays, anniversaries and other gift-giving needs during those three months (fill your "gift drawer"). (This also saves time for you and administration fees for me!)
Teachers, Sunday School & Church Staff, Mail & Paper delivery, Graduation, Father's Day, Bridal/Baby Shower, House Warming, Holidays, Co-Workers and all kinds of celebrations. Shop from your Seat, not on your Feet!
What's the point of getting my order to $100 or $200?
Firstly, you save on time. It is more efficient to make one larger order than several smaller ones. Secondly, $100 retail is where our Hostess Beneifts start! (Please see the Let's Have A Party page for details on Free merchandise and Half-price items and groupings.) If you're placing an order with me, why not get the benefits for yourself?!!
Look through the catalog and see if there's something else you'll need for an upcoming birthday or special event. I would love to help you with your gifting and decorating needs ~ just email me! And don't forget to fill up your "gift drawer"!
Floral Stoneware to Retire
Home & Garden Party continues to offer our customers updated and beautiful ceramic collections to enhance the beauty of their homes. In an effort to keep our offering fresh and current, the current pattern of Floral Stoneware pattern will be retired as of December 31, 2008. This will give our current Floral Stoneware collectors a full year to complete or enhance their collections. Watch for announcements in the fourth quarter of this year with more information on the new pattern of stoneware.
Are HGP baking stones free of lead?
Yes, all of our bakeware items are free of lead and safe for food use. Bakeware that is imported actually has to meet more stringent requirements regarding food usage than items that are made in the U.S.
How is the "naked" Bakeware NEW and IMPROVED?
Our bakeware line has been improved through a few subtle changes to the material components and the manufacturing processes. The result is a smoother, more consistent body finish that also shows a much more stable color. The benefits go beyond these cosmetic changes however because the material is perfectly safe for use in your dishwasher or submersing in soapy water. This clay material is also microwave safe. By nature of the heat distribution, the pieces still perform best in conventional ovens. This surface is made to handle traditional spatulas and other kitchen utensils.
The new items come packaged in a box denoting these attributes. Because of the modifications, it is no longer necessary to use the scraper that we used to send with the earlier versions, so these will not be included in future shipments.
Many of us have liked the character and personalization that wear and use has baked into our old version stones and the new models may be cared for in exactly the same manner if that is your preference. You are still encouraged to season your stone by cooking some oily foods in the beginning or by lightly treating with a vegetable oil to complete the sealing process.
The previous three year warranty from protection against defects in workmanship and materials still apply to this line.
Can you take our bakeware directly from the freezer to the oven?
d Our bakeware is freezer safe, but we advise that you not transfer any piece of bakeware or stoneware directly from the freezer to the oven. Dense frozen foods such as frozen meat, chicken, roasts, fish and pork chops should be allowed to thaw completely in the refrigerator before baking to prevent thermal shock. It is probably okay to cook frozen pizza on a baking stone, but to be completely safe, you might consider placing the frozen pizza on a room temperature stone and then placing the pizza and stone in a cold oven. The baking time will be a little longer, but you will certainly be protecting your baking stone from thermal shock.
Will there be an Americana flier?
We are working on an Americana flier for the spring. Watch the Specials & Updates page for all of the details.
How much will the new cookbook sell for?
The retail price is $22.00. It is a hardback cookbook with gorgeous photos which include HGP products. It is of high quality like collector cookbooks and will please the cooks in your family.
Will you be introducing new lotion scents and spa products in the new catalog?
The lotions are the best selling items in our personal care line, so they are in the spring catalog. We did not add any new fragrances. I personally love the spa products, but sales dictate whether items are retired or not and whether we add more items to a particular product category.
When will there be new pieces in the different patterns such as birdhouse, apple, etc?
With the introduction of Veranda and Summer Brights and the expansion of Welcome Home in the spring catalog, we did not add any new pieces to the traditional Stoneware patterns (Floral, Birdhouse, etc.) because we wanted to draw the excitement to the new patterns. Great news for the Fall -- we are planning on adding new pieces in the catalog to the traditional patterns. We are adding a couple of new items to those patterns that you will LOVE. Great new shapes and uses as well.
Will the new oval bean pots in the Welcome Home and Veranda patterns fit our bean pot basket?
The new larger capacity bean pots in both the Welcome Home and the Veranda patterns will not fit into the current bean pot basket. We are very excited to offer this family sized item to both of these new pottery collections and hope to offer a holder for these in future catalogs. However, the traditional bean pots both with and without the new handles fit very nicely into our bean pot basket.
I am always asked how much our bean pots hold? How many quarts?
A bean pot will hold approximately 10 cups or 2 ½ quarts.
Are you phasing out all traditional stoneware?
No, that is not our intent. All product is judged on its individual merit and as patterns quit performing, we have to eliminate to make way for new ones. Currently Floral and Northwoods are in the spring 2008 assortment and will have a few new SKUs of each including a two-piece serving bowl set I think will be very popular.
Will we have a larger jewelry line in the future?
This will be our last catalog with jewelry featured. Although the line was growing slowly, it was overshadowed by the success of food, kitchen accessories and serving pieces. We continue to assess those areas growing and SKUs necessary to support best categories in order to make decisions necessary to support them.
Will we ever have table linens for our beautiful dishes?
We are reviewing a couple of lines of soft goods now that are candidates for future placement. We have details that must be resolved before these could be picked up in fall of 2008.
How do I best take care of my candles?
Information about Home & Garden Party Candles
Home & Garden Party uses a food grade parafin and tests their candles each day. The candles are burned alongside other well-known brands to compare fragrance and smoking. In tests, Home & Garden Party candles perform as well or better than other top-selling brands. Because all cotton wicks are used, there are no materials that cause smoking or soot. Home & Garden Party uses the maximum amount of scent oil in each candle recommended by scent and wax manufacturers.
What is Soot and what causes it?
Soot is a natural by-product of incomplete combustion and is comprised mainly of carbon particles. Fireplaces, stoves, furnaces and cooking can all cause soot to form. To prevent your candle from producing soot keep the wick trimmed to a quarter of an inch (use our wick trimmer and snuffer set) and in a properly vented area with no drafts. Should you need to place your candle in a less-than-perfect area, please use it with our candle chimney to reduce soot and uneven burning.
Soy Candles
Discover the new soy candle difference. Supporting our American soybean farmer is only the beginning of your feeling of satisfaction when you purchase the Home & Garden Party soy candles. These exquisite candles, with chiffon-like wax, are environmentally safe and clean burning. The 10 oz. crystal jar is a perfect compliment to any home décor and can be reused once the candles have completely burned down. In five designer colors and fresh fragrances, these candles have an unprecedented burn quality and are an incomparable value. Create the ambience that your guests will always remember.
Candle Care Tips
If you will take the time to follow these few simple tips you will not only prolong the life of your candle, but your enjoyment of its wonderful fragrance as well.
- Before lighting remove any decorative packaging and trim the candle wick to 1/4" (3/8" for gel)
- Keep the wax free of matches, wick trimmings, or any other flammable materials.
- Keep the wick centered in the container, and trimmed to 1/4" to prevent smoking and soot buildup on the container.
- Burn only on a flat, stable surface, and for not more than 4 hours at a time.
- Burn your candle for at least 2 hours.
- Place votive and decorative candles on a heat resistant dish or holder.
- Keep candle away from drafts and fans. Discontinue use when the wax level reaches the metal wick safety tab.
- Never move the candle while burning, or when the wax is hot.
- Keep out of the reach of children and pets.
- Never leave a burning candle unattended.
What are our candles made of?
Our jar candles are made of the highest grade parafin that is available. It is actually food grade parafin which makes it a high grade. Soy candles can be very deceiving, very few soy candles are 100% soy wax because it is very soft and burns very very quickly. It is generally a more expensive form of parafin and when we tested soy candles a couple of years ago, our customers and designers did not want to pay the difference in price because, I believe, our candles are a high grade of wax.
August, 2008
Home & Garden Party has researched and discovered a better burning soy blend of wax that has a higher melt point than what we have been using in the past 2 months. As of today, we have replaced all the soy blend candles in our warehouse with this new blend wax that we believe will burn better and will throw the fragrance better. This new, cleaner burning blend of soy wax should solve the summer heat issue and present you, our Customer, with a premium quality candle you'll be proud to show off.
How do you remove the candle fragrance from the candle crock after the candle is gone?
The wax and the fragrance are both oils. Even though the inside of the crock is glazed, a very small amount of wax and fragrance is "held" by the glaze. To remove all traces, place the crock in an oven after the wax has been removed, and then heat the oven to 375 degrees for about an hour. After the crock has cooled, fill it with bleach, allow to sit overnight and then wash it in a dishwasher. This process should remove the scent.
How fast can I get started?
Once we receive your request we mail your FREE fundraiser kit and brochures immediately. You can expect your package in 6-8 days. Order now!
Do I pay for shipping?
Shipping is 100% FREE! You pay nothing!
Which products can I sell?
Option 1: Sell only candle jars using a 1-page brochure (order form).
Option 2: Sell candle jars, candle tins, candle accessories and more using a 3-page brochure.
See all products.
Is there a minimum order requirement?
We require you order/sell a minimum of 50 items, shipped to a single address, in order to receive our discounted rates.
Do we pay taxes on the sales?
You only pay taxes if your group is NOT tax exempt. See the state-by-state chart on the Fundraising page.
How much does it cost to get started?
Zero! Zip! Zilch! Nada! You pay nothing.
How will my fundraiser be shipped?
Fundraiser Shipping Guideline
0-$1500 FedEx Home Delivery
Fundraisers with a retail value up to $1,500 will be shipped FedEx Home Delivery. This service delivers packages to your home or place of business Tuesday through Saturday.
$1501-$7000 FedEx Appointment Flag Delivery
Fundraisers with a retail value between $1,501 and $7,000 will be shipped FedEx Appointment Flag Delivery. FedEx will contact the recipient by phone in advance of delivery to schedule delivery Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM excluding holidays. Delivery will be made within one hour (2 hour window) of the agreed upon delivery time.
$7001 and above, LTL Truck Line
Fundraisers with a retail value above $7,000 will be delivered through an LTL truck line. Home & Garden Party will contact the hostess to schedule a delivery date. Upon arrival of the shipment at the local LTL truck line terminal, the LTL carrier will contact the hostess to set up a time for delivery either AM or PM.
What H&GP items are available for purchase online?
o Generally speaking, all of the Home & Garden Party products featured in our catalog are offered for online purchase excluding bonus buys and booking gifts. However, there may be times when an item is temporarily unavailable for purchase online. Out of Stock certificates will NOT be issued for online orders.
Do I need an e-mail address to order from Direct?
o Yes. We are indeed using e-mail addresses for the Direct customer account. This account/e-mail is used for order confirmations, account update notifications, and order shipped notifications; so we strongly recommend using a real e-mail address.
Will there be credit card fees associated with Direct orders?
o All Direct orders have to be paid with a debit/credit card or a Gift Card. The 2.75% credit card fee does not apply to Direct orders.
Why do the customers not have the option to choose a tax rate?
o Unfortunately, not all customers would be honest and may choose the lowest tax rate. States would deem this as an underpayment and assess H&GP with penalties and interest. If H&GP pays in a higher rate, but a rate that falls within that zip code, the state will accept that payment as correct.
After conducting some research, it was decided to use the highest tax rate per zip code for Direct for ease of use and because that is the prevailing e-commerce practice. All of the tax money collected does go back to the individual states; none is kept by H&GP.
Is the gift card mailed directly to the recipient?
When ordering gift cards, the computer prompts you for the recipient’s name and address. Is the gift card mailed directly to the recipient?
o Yes, the gift card is mailed directly to the recipient. It will not ship with other Direct or party orders. The information of the recipient is critical insomuch as that is where we will be mailing the cards(s) and there will be a letter sent with the card containing the information entered.
Can I buy gift cards as a Designer's cash & carry?
o Absolutely! However, if you purchase a Gift Card from the Designer (as a cash and carry item), lose the card and call the Home Office, the company will not be able to identify you with the lost card; therefore HGP will not be able to replace the card for you.
Can a Direct order be associated with a home party or Hostess? Will benefits apply?
o No. Direct orders will not be associated with a home party; therefore, hostess benefits will not apply. To earn hostess benefits, please place your order with me. I can assign the appropriate benefits when I input your order.
Can Fundraisers be placed on Direct?
o No, but fundraiser items will be available for purchase.
Questions about Bamboo Diffusers
Questions about Bamboo Diffusers
Q: Bamboo, Reed, Wood? What is this stuff~ and what really works?
A: Lately we've seen more and more misinformation about diffuser reeds. The answer is simple. It's not wood. It's not bamboo. It's "reed", and reed is the only fiber that will work. Easy to understand if you think about it botanically: Bamboo absolutely does NOT work because of its structure. Bamboo has what are called "nodes" on the outside of the plant. These are like tree "knots". On the inside of the bamboo at this location are "diaphragms" which block the flow of liquid from one section of the bamboo to the next. When bamboo is used for fountains, the solid wall of the diaphragm needs to be knocked out to create an opening. When bamboo grows to this size, it's also very hard and dense. (hard to be used as a substitute for hardwood flooring.) When you slice bamboo into slivers that make up "bamboo skewers", the plant doesn't lose any of this characteristic hardness. A bamboo skewer just looks similar to a reed. But it can't wick oils like reed. Reed, on the other hand, is very porous and excellent for diffusion. Each 2.75mm or 3mm reed stick contains 20 or more individual cellular sections that run from top to bottom of the reed- like 20 micro-mini straws, totally open to pull liquid from bottom to top. This wicks the fragrance from inside the bottle, carries it to the top surface of the reed, and releases the fragrance into the air naturally. We've been in the reed business for 25 years. We absolutely stand by these facts.
Q: What are "Reed Diffusers" and how do they work?
A: Reed diffusers are the best alternative to candles. Strong, vibrant scents. No risk of fire. Reed diffusers have a wonderful aromatic scent while being flame-free. Absolutely no heat is needed. This makes them safe for classrooms, offices, nursing homes, homes. Reed diffusers emanate NO soot or film onto your furniture, walls and ceiling- the way candles do. If you use an ionic air cleaner, you already know that ionic cleaners must be cleaned twice as often if you use candles in your home. Not so with reed diffusers and fragrance oils. The BEST thing about Reed Diffusers? They last for months! Pour the oil into the diffuser bottle, insert sticks. Turn over once to expose oil-moistened sticks to air. The oil will continue to wick up the sticks and scent your room for several months. Turn sticks occasionally to refresh scent. (When the oil is finally used up, simply pour in an oil refill and replace the diffuser sticks.)
Q: Can I just add a vegetable oil carrier to make Diffuser Oil from Fragrance oils? Can I use my candle oils or other oils "as is"?
A: No. Fragrance Diffuser oils are oils that have been designed for maximum wicking and optimum fragrance dispersion. Standard fragrance oils are too thick to diffuse properly through the reed. It's not just a matter of adding x ounces of some kind of diluted liquid. Each essential oil or fragrance oil has different characteristics of scent components and viscosity. Achieving the right formula for each fragrance diffuser oil requires the skills of an experienced perfumer (aka fragrance chemist).
Q: What size reed do I use?
A: The diameter of the reed is not terribly important. 2.75 mm and 3 mm are very, very close in size. It might be said that 3 mm emanates an infinitesimally greater amount of oil. Barely measurable. In terms of length, you want the reeds to stick out of the bottle at least as much as the height of the bottle. See proportions at left. The photo are left shows, from left, the mini-orb with 10" reeds, the 3.5 oz apothecary with 10" reeds, the 8 oz apothecary with 12" reeds, and the 13.5 oz apothecary with 12" reeds.
Q: How much Fragrance Diffuser Oil should I put in the diffuser bottle?
A: Start out with a full or half full bottle of oil. 4 to 8 oz of oil in a typical 8 oz bottle. This will not only allow the oil to enter from the ends of the reed, but also, to permeate the reed sides too. The diffusion will take place faster and stronger. The fragrance will continue to diffuse as long as there's any amount of diffuser oil in the bottle. However, if you start with just 2 oz., it will take a much
longer amount of time for the oil to begin diffusing, since it will be wicking purely through the capillary action on the bottom ends of the reeds.
Q: How many reeds should I put in the bottle?
A: 10 to 12 reeds will diffuse plenty of scent with our fragrance diffuser oils. If the bottle neck is a little wider, 15 reeds look and diffuse fine too.
Q: Can I dilute Fragrance oil with water to make a diffuser blend?
A: No. Oil and water don't mix. The viscosity is totally different too. You'll end up with uneven wicking and warped reeds.
Q: How does your sense of smell operate?
A: Your nose has at least 350 different odorant receptor proteins. These receptor proteins detect the scents in the air by combining in different combinations to identify scents entering the nose. The coded signals then transfer from the nose to the olfactory bulb in the brain. From the olfactory bulb, the signals transfer to the cortex where they are mapped as "odor perceptions". They are stored there throughout your lifetime. This is how a certain scent will remind you of a certain place or a time in your life.
Q: Why can't I just re-use my sticks over and over again?
A: Once the sticks are totally saturated, the cells in the reeds get somewhat clogged and lose their ability to pull the scent up into the reeds and throw the fragrance into the room. Needless to say, you definitely can't move the reeds to a different scent of oil- because the cells will be clogged with the previous scent of fragrance diffuser oil. You won't get a pure scent transfer.
Q: Will airing out the reeds outside "clean" them? (Someone recently asked us this.)
A: No. The reeds are saturated with oil. Oil doesn't evaporate in the same way that water does. The molecules are far too dense. It would be somewhat like trying to "clean" your dirty clothes by hanging them on a clothesline. After a day or two, they might not smell like whatever has soiled them, but the soil is still there.
Q: My bottle is not empty but my fragrance doesn't seem to be diffusing.
A: Add new reeds and your fragrance oil will start up again. Occasionally reeds may become saturated. (We haven't found this to be the case with our fragrance diffuser oils, but we sometimes get this question about oils from other companies. Maybe the oils that people are asking about are not really diffuser oils.)
Q: Why can't we get 100% natural fragrance diffuser oils? After all, essential oils are all natural.
A: Fragrance diffuser oils are the 3rd step away from essential oils. We start with Essential oil - which is natural. Then the oil is thinned with non-natural elements to make Fragrance Oils (that are also used in candle making). Finally, the fragrance oil is thinned a 3rd time with non-natural elements to make Fragrance Diffuser Oils. If there were a natural formulation available, we would be using it, but none of the labs we work with have been able to formulate a 100% natural formula that works with reed diffusing. Cold diffusing with reed is very different than diffusing essential oils with heat. This is complicated by the fact that there's no one formula that works with all scents. Each fragrance requires its own formula.
Are there more My Life magazines coming out?
We are not doing any more of these now due to staff traveling to the field so frequently and visiting directly with our Designers. We are adding more information to the DIRECT site with training, informational aids and decorating tips to help fill this gap. Be sure to keep an eye out for new ideas in the form of Articles and Tips...
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