Homemade candles make thoughtful and traditional gifts that you can use to enhance the room’s ambiance and fragrance. To set yourself up for success, have the right components and tools in place. Here are a few candle making supplies you need for a DIY project: 

Tools To Use When Making Candles at Home

Proper tools are needed to melt and measure the wax as you stir your fragrance and dye. Proper tools keep the process safe and enjoyable, allowing you to create clear-burning candles. Here are some basic tools for your homemaking process:

Double Boiler

A double boiler melts the wax until it reaches the required temperature without burning. It uses indirect heat to melt the wax steadily. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a heat-resistant bowl in a larger, partially filled pot of water, then bring the water to a simmer. The steam from the water will gently melt the wax in your top bowl.   

Container

A heat-resistant container or mold allows you to create different candle shapes and sizes according to your preference. A good mold design allows wax to cool evenly without ruining the edges and causing the set candle to crack or crumble. You can find various shapes and designs, such as spirals, cubes, spikes, or double-section molds. Pour the melted wax into your mold and allow it to cool completely before removing your candle. 

Thermometer

Use a thermometer to measure your wax temperature to determine when to add the fragrances. Wax burns at a specific temperature, and burning it at higher temperatures and for longer durations affects the quality of your candle. A thermometer helps you to add your fragrance at the right temperature to get the best scent throw. It allows you to monitor the cooling process, providing your candle with a smooth and even texture.

Scale

A scale accurately measures the portions of melted wax when pouring it into tins or molds. Measure your fragrances using the scale, and then mix them with the wax for consistently fragrant candles. A scale helps you calculate the exact measurements to use in each batch you make. 

Materials

After collecting your tools, gather these candle making supplies and start your process. Here are the key ingredients:

• Wax: You can use different types of wax based on scent throw and purpose. Soy wax is vegan and suitable for beginners, while beeswax is a sustainable option with a sweet scent. Such differences allow you to make a variety of fragrant candles. 
• Fragrance: Select your favorite scents for your candles and discover how to incorporate them effectively. Discover the optimal blend of natural and synthetic oils to create your unique fragrance. 
• Wick: Use cotton or wood wicks in your candle. Match the wick to the container size. 
• Dye: Color gives your candles a unique aesthetic. Choose your preferred dyes, whether they are powders, liquids, or blocks, for your candle making project. 

Get These Candle Making Supplies Today

These are the basic candle making supplies for your DIY project. Making candles yourself allows you to experiment with different sizes, colors, scents, and more. Start your search for a wholesale apothecary shop where you can purchase high-quality candle making products. 

Choosing the right gaming PC begins with understanding your specific needs and preferences. Gamers should consider what types of games they play most, whether fast-paced shooters, open-world RPGs, or competitive eSports titles. Performance requirements will vary based on these games’ demands, so it’s important to evaluate the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage accordingly. Budget, future upgradability, and display resolution should also factor into the decision-making process to ensure a system that offers longevity and reliable performance.

Beyond the internal specs, build quality, cooling systems, and case design significantly affect overall satisfaction. Brands like CyberPowerPC provide various configurations that suit casual and competitive gamers alike. Comparing customizable options across trusted manufacturers can help users find the best fit for their setup. Ultimately, the proper gaming PC balances performance, value, and the ability to adapt to future gaming trends without hardware limitations.

Understanding Your Gaming Needs

The very first and perhaps most crucial step in selecting a gaming PC is honestly assessing your personal gaming needs and preferences. Are you an avid fan of competitive first-person shooters like Valorant or Call of Duty, where every millisecond counts and high refresh rates offer a tactical edge? Or do you lose yourself in the vast, story-driven worlds of RPGs like Cyberpunk 2077 or Baldur’s Gate 3, where high-fidelity graphics and cinematic effects greatly enhance immersion? The genres and titles you most enjoy should directly inform your hardware choices. Carefully review the recommended system requirements for these games, paying particular attention to processor, GPU, and memory needs. Players intent on achieving top-tier performance in esports will often prioritize frame rate and reliability, possibly sacrificing visual effects for consistently smooth gameplay. In contrast, enthusiasts who prefer single-player AAA games may favor systems with the latest graphics cards and more robust CPUs to maximize detail and effects. By defining your must-have experiences and considering both immediate and future gaming trends, you can focus your search and avoid paying a premium for features and power you may not actually use.

Essential Components of a Gaming PC

To achieve smooth, enjoyable gameplay and breathtaking visuals, every core component in your gaming PC plays an essential role, and achieving the right balance between them is key to maximizing your investment:

• Graphics Processing Unit (GPU): The GPU is essential for rendering games, with modern models like NVIDIA’s RTX 50 Series and AMD’s RX 9000 Series capable of high resolutions and frame rates. Check game benchmarks and reviews before choosing. Entry-level cards suit casual gaming; high-end options are better for 4K or VR.
• Central Processing Unit (CPU): The CPU handles game physics, AI, and system responsiveness. Faster speeds and more cores improve performance in simulations, strategy games, and multiplayer. Choices like Intel’s 14th Gen Core i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen help future-proof your build. Consider gaming type and background tasks.
• Memory (RAM): 16GB DDR5 RAM is the modern minimum for gaming, with 32GB beneficial for streaming, editing, or multitasking. 8GB is outdated.
• Storage: SSDs vastly improve boot and load times. Use an SSD for OS and games, and HDD for media or older titles. NVMe drives offer even higher speeds.

Prebuilt vs. Custom-Built Systems

Once you narrow down the technical requirements for your ideal system, the next decision is whether to buy a pre-assembled (prebuilt) system or build your own (custom-built). Prebuilt gaming PCs can provide a worry-free, plug-and-play solution. These systems are assembled, tested, and come with comprehensive warranties and professional customer support, making them attractive for newcomers, busy individuals, or those less confident with hardware. Reputable vendors typically offer a range of machines from budget-friendly entry models to high-end, enthusiast rigs.

Alternatively, custom-building your PC grants unparalleled flexibility, letting you select each component according to your needs and preferences. It’s possible to maximize every dollar spent, ensure the precise configuration you desire, and develop a deeper understanding of the hardware itself. However, custom-building requires additional research, patience, and a willingness to troubleshoot. It may cost less for high-end builds, but it can become expensive if you seek top-of-the-line parts or advanced features. Some online retailers support hybrid approaches, allowing you to configure and have your PC professionally assembled, merging control with convenience.

Budget Considerations

Gaming PCs can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the technology and specifications desired. Setting a realistic budget at the outset is essential for making smart compromises. Focus on components that most directly impact your experience, like the GPU and CPU, and remember that high system RAM and fast storage also add long-term value. Often, allocating more of your budget to a powerful graphics card while moderating spending on peripherals or storage can yield the best overall results.

Shopping around and timing your purchase with seasonal sales—such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Amazon’s Prime Day—can help you make the most of your investment. As technology evolves, discounts on previous-generation hardware can provide excellent performance at a fraction of the cost.

Future-Proofing and Upgradability

Given how quickly gaming technology advances, it makes sense to select components and cases designed with future upgrades in mind. Opt for motherboards with multiple RAM slots and extra PCIe slots, as well as cases large enough to accommodate new generations of graphics cards, improved cooling, and more storage drives. A modular power supply with high wattage also paves the way for hassle-free upgrades in the future. This approach allows you to replace one component at a time as new technologies emerge, instead of buying a completely new system every few years.

It’s also wise to research and read reviews about the longevity and upgrade potential of the systems you’re considering. Manufacturer support, user testimonials, and official product documentation can highlight ease of access and flexibility. Prioritizing upgradability means your investment will serve you longer and keep up with the ever-changing world of PC gaming.

Additional Features and Peripherals

Once you’ve locked in your preferred specs, pay close attention to the supplementary features and peripherals that enhance daily usability and enjoyment. Cooling is critical for maintaining performance, especially during intense gaming sessions; advanced options like liquid cooling or oversized air coolers can make a considerable difference in both noise and temperature. RGB case fans and customizable lighting are not just stylish—they also help manage airflow.

• Connectivity: Choose a system with a well-equipped I/O panel, multiple USB ports, dedicated audio jacks, and support for external drives or VR. High-speed Wi-Fi 6 and gigabit Ethernet ensure lag-free online gaming, streaming, and downloads. Verify built-in Bluetooth if using wireless peripherals.
• Design and Aesthetics: Select a case with RGB lighting and tempered glass that matches your bold or straightforward style. Ensure it offers easy cable management, tool-free access, and dust filtration for low maintenance.

Estimates are a key part of the sales process. Whether you’re quoting a job, bidding on a project, or outlining costs for a potential customer, estimates give you a starting point. But once those estimates are created in QuickBooks Desktop, you may need to export them for reporting, analysis, or sharing.

This guide walks you through how to export estimates from QuickBooks Desktop to Excel, and how to make that process faster and easier with tools like SaasAnt Transactions.

Why Export Estimates from QuickBooks Desktop?

Here are a few common reasons businesses and bookkeepers export estimate data:

• To track open and closed estimates
• To review pending sales opportunities
• To generate sales pipeline reports
• To share quotes with team members or management
• To keep a backup outside QuickBooks
• To create customized views not available inside QuickBooks

While QuickBooks Desktop provides access to estimates through reports, exporting them to Excel gives you more control over filters, formatting, and analysis.

Option 1: Export Estimates Manually Using QuickBooks Reports

If you only need to export a small number of estimates from time to time, QuickBooks Desktop’s built-in reports will work.

Steps:

1. Open QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Go to the Reports menu.
3. Select Jobs, Time & Mileage, then choose either Estimates by Job or Open Estimates.
4. Click Customize Report to adjust the columns shown. You can include details like customer name, date, amount, and terms.
5. Apply filters if needed, such as a specific date range or customer.
6. When the report looks correct, click the Excel button and select Create New Worksheet.
7. Choose a file location and click Export.

QuickBooks will create an Excel file with all the estimate details based on your selected filters and columns.

Option 2: Export Using SaasAnt Transactions Desktop

If you work with high volumes of data or need more flexibility, SaasAnt Transactions Desktop is a better option. It lets you export estimates quickly, apply advanced filters, and choose specific fields to include.

This is especially useful for bookkeepers, accountants, or business owners who need to manage or analyze estimate data on a regular basis.

Benefits:

• Export to Excel or CSV
• Filter by date, customer name, or estimate number
• Select only the columns you need
• Save export templates for reuse
• Process large amounts of data quickly

How It Works:

1. Launch SaasAnt Transactions Desktop and connect your QuickBooks company file.
2. Go to the Export section.
3. Select Estimate as the transaction type.
4. Apply filters based on your needs.
5. Choose the columns to export.
6. Click Export and download your file in Excel or CSV format.

This method saves time and avoids manual cleanup after export.

Fields Commonly Included in Export

Depending on your reporting needs, you may want to include:

• Estimate Number
• Customer Name
• Estimate Date
• Expiration Date
• Terms
• Item Details
• Quantity and Rate
• Total Amount
• Memo or Notes
• Job Status

SaasAnt makes it easy to include or exclude these fields without editing reports inside QuickBooks.

Use Cases for Exporting Estimates

1. Sales Forecasting: Export open estimates to review potential revenue.
2. Team Collaboration: Share quotes with departments that do not use QuickBooks.
3. Customer Communication: Provide clients with simplified Excel versions of their quotes.
4. Performance Review: Analyze how many estimates were issued and how many were approved.

Exported data gives you the flexibility to format, sort, and filter in ways that are not always possible in QuickBooks itself.

Limitations of QuickBooks Reports

QuickBooks reports are helpful for basic reviews, but they often include:

• Extra columns you may not need
• Rigid layouts with limited customization
• Lack of filters for specific data points
• Incomplete line-level detail without extra setup

SaasAnt solves these issues by giving you more control over your data during export.

Final Thoughts

Exporting estimates from QuickBooks Desktop to Excel helps you work more effectively with your sales data. Whether you need to report on open jobs, track progress, or share details with clients or team members, having that information in a spreadsheet is often easier to work with.

If you regularly handle financial data, SaasAnt Transactions Desktop can simplify your workflow. It gives you more control, saves time, and reduces manual steps when exporting estimates and other transactions from QuickBooks.

Try SaasAnt today and see how much faster your data tasks can be.