Autumn Sale!

Our Apple Orchard and Pumpkin Pie candles are now on sale for just $4.50! These two scents are absolutely perfect to put you in the mood for Fall. Catch them before they're gone!

Custom Order

We're finishing up an order for beautiful Pumpkin Pie scented monogrammed wedding candles. The couple is planning to give them as gifts to their out-of-town guests along with some chocolates. Isn't that so cute? These candles are going to be the perfect addition to their fall wedding :)

After this we have another custom order for an engagement party, so look out for those pics soon!

Garden Creations

Starting in September, we will be teaming up with Garden Creations in Sharon Springs for a special collection. This lovely shop will carry an assortment of tealights and 4-ounce candles by Candles By Nature.

If you're ever in the Sharon Springs area (home of Beekman Boys fame) be sure to stop in Garden Creations. It's a really beautiful shop with a unique blend of home decor items. The store is located in the historic Roseboro, which is a gorgeous building in and of itself. Actually, the entire town of Sharon Springs is really pretty, you should just come and see for yourself! ;)

Healing Balms Now on Etsy

Today is an exciting day, my friends. As of this morning, our Etsy shop now also includes our all-natural Healing Balms!

We make our moisturizing Healing Balms with all-natural sweet almond oil and beeswax, so it's great for keeping your skin soft and smooth but won't make you feel greasy. We have a scented blend using essential oils of lavender, ylang-ylang, and rose as well as an unscented blend. The unscented blend is also great for guys!

With the new addition of our Healing Balms, Candles By Nature is now well on it's way to expanding into a bath and body shop and we are oh so excited! Our ultimate goal is to branch off into a new shop that has tons of bath and skincare products. We're already in the process of perfecting our own recipes for moisturizers, toners, shampoo, conditioner, bath soaks...you name, we're gonna create it! As always, we'll be sure to keep you posted on our progress, so look for more updates soon.

Monogrammed Candles

My fun project for today was to create some sample monogrammed candles to list on Etsy. We have listings for sets of 25, 50, and 100 personalized candles but we didn't have any nice samples to show off our customization skills! So last night I whipped up a few labels and, being the cheesy girly-girl that I am, I used mine and Nickolas' initials along with our anniversary date.

I think they look pretty darn good for a quick sample, what do you think? Can't you just see them being given out at a wedding or bridal shower?

Tealight Sets for Weddings, Showers, and Parties

Check it out! We just added tealights in sets of 50 and 100, perfect for weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, fundraisers, birthday parties...the list goes on and on!

Use them as party favors or incorporate them into your table settings. You can choose from tons of scents, or request your own personal favorite and we'll find it for you. As you know, we love doing custom orders! Find the set of 50 tealights here or the set of 100 here.

100, Here We Come!

It's quite a milestone, my friends! Our little Etsy shop is this close to reaching 100 sales! Looking back on our first few listings back in 2010, it's amazing to see how far Candles By Nature has come. In that time, we've scrimped and saved to gradually make more and more improvements in our products, and it's all payed off. I am so in love with this little at-home business my boyfriend and I have created together. And the best part? We're always continuing to grow and learn and improve! As you know, we're already starting to expand into soaps and other bath and body products, which is incredibly exciting!

Thank you to all of our lovely customers who have been so wonderful along the way, sharing your enthusiasm for candles and handmade products in general. As a thank you, we're offering a *free gift* to our 100th customer. Whoever makes the 100th purchase at our shop will receive a free 4-ounce candle of their choice. So stop by, look around, and get shopping! ;)

Tealights Now Available!

 

Tealight sets are now available in my Etsy shop! I have sets of six and twelve, available in ALL of the fragrances in my shop. I'll be posting more of them in the next few days, so be sure to check back here and take a look!

New Items--FINALLY!

Okay, so I know I've been promising for awhile that I'd start listing my soaps in my Etsy shop, but I wanted to hold off until I had everything perfected (type A personality, yes that's me). Now, after many months, I am so happy to announce that Candles By Nature is finally offering a selection of luxurious, moisturizing goats milk soaps! Check them out here.

I'll be posting more new items within the next few days, so be sure to stop by again soon!

SEO? What?

Before I opened my Etsy shop I had no idea what SEO was. Now that I've been running the shop for over 2 years, I know that SEO means "search engine optimization" and that it could potentially help bring more people to your shop, but I'm still pretty useless when it comes to the intricacies of how SEO works. My mom has an Etsy shop as well (etsy.com/shop/zasuvintage) and is lucky enough to have a friend who is pretty savvy with computers. He figured out a way to improve her SEO by changing her listing titles and tags and her sales have improved dramatically! Seeing how it helped her, I'm now wondering how I can improve SEO for my own shop. There are tons of resources on Etsy with tips on now to do this, but I'm wondering what other shop owners have found in the confusing world of SEO. What have you done? Has it helped boost sales and/or listing views? I'd love to hear from you!

Thrifty Tuesday Blog Feature

One of my teacup candles was just featured in Thrifty Tuesday at The Hot Glue Hangover. Natalie has put together such a nice collection of sweet Mother's Day gifts ideas--all under $100! If you're still searching for that perfect present for Mama, head on over to The Hot Glue Hangover for some inspiration!

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

I've been looking around for a good recipe for natural shampoo and I think I've finally found it! I plan on trying this one out as soon as Mountain Rose Herbs starts stocking their organic castile soap again ;)

Basic Shampoo for Natural Hair 
(from Easy Aromatherapy Recipes)

1/4 cup (60ml) distilled water or herbal infusion (see below)
1/2 cup (120ml) liquid castile soap
1/4 teaspoon vitamin E (or 1 capsule)
5 drops grapefruit seed extract
Essential oil blend for your hair type
1/4 teaspoon Grapeseed oil (optional, don't use if your hair is oily or fine; it may make your hair greasy)

Combine all the ingredients in a 250ml dark glass or PET plastic bottle. Shake before using.

Additional Ingredients for Your Hair Type
Dry or damaged hair: 1/2 teaspoon vegetable glycerin and 2 tablespoons (30ml) aloe vera gel
Oily hair: 1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar
Thinning hair: 2 tablespoons (30ml) aloe vera gel
Dandruff: 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons (30ml) aloe vera gel

Handy Hint
If you want a thicker shampoo, reduce or eliminate the water. If you eliminate the water, you don't need the grapefruit seed extract--it's a natural preservative that kills any bacteria in the water.

Introducing...Soaps!

Awhile back, I started experimenting with soaps. For my first attempt, I used a cocoa butter base to make soaps to give as Christmas gifts. My friends and family really loved them, so I started looking around for different bases that I could use. I finally came across a really great goat's milk base that is sulfate-free while still having a rich lather. My boyfriend and I have been using it for the past few months, experimenting with different fragrances and essential oil blends. Now I'm getting requests from friends and family for my goat's milk soap!


I'll be debuting my soap at craft fairs this summer and will hopefully be adding them to my Etsy shop soon, too. I'm starting with Cool Citrus Basil, Jasmine Honeysuckle, Lavender, White Tea & Berries, and Spring Rain. What do you think? Which of these fragrances would you like to have in a soap?

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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Today is a cold and rainy day, mixed with some freezing rain and snow...ya know, just for fun. When I was looking for a recipe to share for this week's Tip, I wanted to find something that would help brighten a dreary day like this one and I think this solid perfume blend is just the ticket!

Uplifting Solid Perfume

(from Aromatics International)

10 drops grapefruit essential oil

10 drops sandalwood essential oil

1/2 ounce beeswax pellets (organic)

1 ounce jojoba oil (organic)

Place both the beeswax and the jojoba oil in a Pyrex glass measuring cup. Fill a soup pot 1/4 of the way with water and boil. Place the Pyrex in the pot of water and wait for the beeswax to melt into the jojoba. This takes about 5 minutes on a high heat. Be sure none of the water from the pot boils into the Pyrex.
When melted, mix quickly and pour into a 2 oz jar, add the essential oils, stir, and cover right away. Let it cool and you have your perfume!

Mother's Day Sale!

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In case you haven't peeked at your calendar lately, Mother's Day is coming up on May 13th. In an effort to help make your gift-giving a bit easier, I'm offering 15% off all items in my shop! Simply enter coupon code "IHEARTMOM" when checking out and the discount will be automatically applied.

I will also add a personalized note with any order so that you can express your love for Mom (or Grandma, Aunt, or any other beloved momma). Just specify your note when you check out!  ;)

Happy Shopping!

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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It's starting to get warmer and the days are getting longer which, for many of us, means more time spent outdoors. As much as we may love to get outside, the one drawback are those annoying mosquitoes that are always hovering around. Today I'm going to be sharing a recipe for a natural insect repellent, using essential oils. Enjoy!

Natural Insect Repellent
(from AromaWeb)

4-ounce clean spray bottle with a fine mist setting (do not use a bottle that previously contained cleaning products or hair products such as hair spray)
1.5 ounces distilled water and 1.5 ounces high-proof alcohol (or 3 ounces distilled water)
15 drops citronella essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
5 drops lemongrass essential oil

Fill the spray bottle with the vodka/water mixture (or just water) and add the essential oils. Shake before each use. Spray on skin and clothing before going outside.

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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As you may already know, I've been practicing yoga for a few years now and I'm always interested in ways to improve my yoga sessions. So I was pleased to come across this great article from Aura Cacia entitled "Enhancing Yoga with Essential Oils". The article goes over the benefits of using aromatherapy during your yoga practice.

You can find the full article here, but I'll give you a little snippet for now:

Benefits of Essential Oils

Vetiver, ginger and patchouli will be grounding and earth-connecting while sandalwood and cedarwood are stabilizing, strengthening and centering–all of these essential oils will help with balance and stability in your yoga poses.

Myrrh, frankincense, eucalyptus and rosemary encourage the flow of energy, self-expression and help you achieve steady, deep inhalations and exhalations. (Mastering your breathing process is as important to successful yoga practice as the poses.)

Lavender, geranium and chamomile are calming and relaxing.

Bergamot, lemon and orange lend a sense of fulfillment and spiritual nourishment to your yoga quest.

Neroli, jasmine, ylang ylang and rose promote transcendence and spiritual expression.

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

Being a candle maker, I typically burn candles at home to keep our rooms smelling fresh and clean. But sometimes you want something quicker that you can just spritz before leaving the room. In the past, I've used commercial room sprays but I always found them to be irritating. Then, when we got our cat I noticed she would wince and get all squinty whenever I used a room spray (even though I've always been careful not to spray it in her direction). I felt so bad about possibly irritating my kitty's eyes that I started looking for a recipe for a natural room spray and I cam across this super easy version. The original recipes called for only 10 drops of essential oils but it was such a slight aroma, it was practically invisible. So we bumped it up a bit. Play around with the amount of essential oils and figure out what works best for your personal preference. Enjoy!


Natural Room Spray
(Makes 8 ounces)

1/2 cup vodka (the cheap-o stuff will do)
1/2 cup water
20-30 drops of your favorite essential oils (I used 14 drops of rosemary and 14 drops of juniper)

Combine all ingredients in an 8-ounce spray bottle. Shake before each use.

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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Last week I shared a recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs for a natural deodorant. This week, I'll be showing you another twist on the same recipe--this time using orange and vetiver in place of cedarwood and juniper ;)


Natural Deodorant Spray

Ingredients:
1.5 ounces witch hazel extract
10 drops sweet orange essential oil
1 drop vetiver essential oil

Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a 2-ounce glass bottle and top with a little more witch hazel. Cap with a mister top and shake well before spritzing liberally under your arms.

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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For this week's Tip, I'm sharing a nifty recipe I found from Mountain Rose Herbs for a natural deodorant. I love using juniper, so I was really pleased to find it featured in this recipe! I'm planning to try this one out in the next week or so and will be sure to let you guys know how I like it.

Natural Deodorant Spray

Ingredients:
1.5 ounces witch hazel extract
10 drops cedarwood essential oil
2 drops juniper berry essential oil

Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a 2-ounce glass bottle and top with a little more witch hazel. Cap with a mister top and shake well before spritzing liberally under your arms.


PS: You may recall I had posted a Tip about the use of ginger supplements to help relieve inflammation (which I started taking for my foot pains). Well, I've been taking about 1,000 mg twice a day for a few weeks now and I've really noticed a difference. Although my pain is not completely gone and I do still have some days that are worse than others, it has been feeling significantly better. I highly recommend it!

Shop Highlight: A Tea Leaf

You may recall my ongoing photo project, where I've been hanging seasonal pictures. For autumn/Halloween, I featured bats, a witch, a crow, and a crescent moon.Then for the winter season, my scene consisted of things like a snowflake and wintry trees.

Now that the weather is getting warmer and the days are growing longer, I felt it was time to replace those snowflakes with a spring and summer theme! My first thought was to check out A Tea Leaf on Etsy. I've been admiring her work for a long time and have had my eyes on her gorgeous Herb and Spice series.

My boyfriend picked out four of our favorites and awaited eagerly for them to arrive. I just got them yesterday afternoon and the first thing I did after work was to put them up on our living room wall.

I am so so happy with how these prints work with our decor, I love them! Do yourself a favor and check out A Tea Leaf. In addition to her art prints, Alissa also creates beautiful jewelry and some adorable magnets. Happy shopping!

New Items!

I just posted some adorable new teacup candles in my Etsy shop. Here's a sneak peek!

Fresh Coffee 8 oz Teacup Candle

 

Custom Scent 6 oz. Teacup Candle

 

Custom Scent 8 oz. Teacup Candle

Jasmine Honeysuckle 12 oz. Lantern Candle

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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It’s getting to be about that time again—allergy season. While I am fortunate enough not to have allergies, I know many people who do and I feel for them. Luckily, I came across quite a few ways to utilize the benefits of aromatherapy to relieve common allergy symptoms.

One of the most common symptoms with allergies is inflammation of the nasal passages. Because German chamomile acts as an anti-inflammatory, it can be beneficial when used in a massage oil blend (simply add 10 drops to 1 ounce of tour favorite carrier oil). Other oils that are particularly helpful in relieving symptoms of hay fever include eucalyptus, myrtle, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, and tea tree.

Another common complaint during allergy season are asthma flare-ups. To help open up your airways, oils such as rose, frankincense, and clary sage can be beneficial. Try adding a few drops of the oils to a hot bath or create a homemade facial steam using 1 drop of oil per cup of water.

Note: It is particularly important that anyone with allergies or asthma use caution when trying a new essential oil blend. You should always do a quick sniff test to gauge how your body reacts to each oil before using them. 

Treasury: Woodland Wonder

I just finished putting together a new Etsy Treasury. You can view the full list here, but I'll give you a little sneak peek for now!

Woodland Wonder

Woodland Wedding Bridal Bouquet Cuff

Serrelynda

$52.00 USD

 

Rustic Outdoor Firefly Lantern Woodland Garden Wedding

BriannaPaigeDesigns

$23.50 USD

 

Woodland Photography- rustic decor- green, brown- path, trail photogra...

KimberosePhotography

$35.00 USD

 

nature decor woodland dragonfly green grunge insect print art print or...

Eahkee

$20.00 USD

 

Mystical Redwood Forest: 8.5 x 11 Color Photograph, trees - green and ...

ConnieDillon10

$23.00 USD

 

Victorian Ring - Forest Moss Green Luster Glass - Adjustable - Victori...

pink80sgirl

$21.00 USD

 

Woodland Queen Moss Venetian Masquerade Mask MADE TO ORDER

balmasque

$50.00 USD

 

The Locket, Antique gold locket on chain on forest floor, Moss, Autumn...

xenya

$30.00 USD

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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I'm not sure if it's due to these cold winter months or what, but I've been having some really pesky muscle aches lately. I've noticed that my neck becomes especially sore and achy, most likely a result of sitting at a computer desk for hours each day. To relieve my aches I've tried aspirin and a heating pad, both of which helped a bit, but there was still some pain. I'm not sure why I didn't think of it before, but my next step is to try some aromatherapy for my pain.

Two oils recommended to relieve pain are lavender and peppermint. According to James Duke's The Green Pharmacy, some essential oils (such as lavender) can reduce the flow of nerve impulses such as those that signal pain. Peppermint is helpful for pain relief because it contains menthol, which has an anesthetic effect. Try using a few drops of lavender and peppermint in a base oil (such as jojoba) and massage it into the affected area. For added benefit, also include eucalyptus which can aid the absorption of the lavender and peppermint, boosting their pain-relieving effects.

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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Last week I went to my podiatrist and was confirmed a diagnosis of tenosynovitis, which is basically just inflammation of the protective sheath around the tendon in my foot. While it's not anything really serious right now, it does cause intense pain throughout my foot and up my leg, which often prevents me from being my regular, zany self. I've already tried physical therapy, two weeks of rest (not as fun as it sounds!), and custom orthotics (yes, like the ones old people wear)--none of which have made a darn bit of difference.

So, in an attempt to at least control my symptoms, I sought to find an herbal remedy for inflammation. In my research, I found that both turmeric and ginger can be helpful in treating inflammation. Because turmeric is not readily available at my local drugstore, I decided to give ginger a try (plus, I'm kind of obsessed with ginger right now for whatever reason). If taking turmeric, try 400-600 mg  three times daily. If using ginger, take 500-1,000 mg twice daily. Be patient, though--it can take up to two months to see the results. With that said, I'll check in with you guys again after a few months and let you know if my symptoms subside!

Help Fund a Dream

 
In the past year, I've spent a majority of my daydreaming imagining the possibility of someday opening up my own botanical shop, where I would sell my handmade bath products and candles. While this dream will be years away for me, I recently found out about a great shop who is trying to make a similar dream happen by this spring!

I've been a fan of Ophelia's Apothecary for quite awhile now and I truly admire the yummy products they've developed and the lovely business they have created. Ophelia's Apothecary is currently online on Etsy and on their website, and now they are planning to open their very own brick-and-mortar shop in their hometown of Branson, Missouri. But in order to do this, they need some help in raising the remaining funds. So many of us today are struggling financially, but we still have the desire to make our dreams come true. Please visit Ophelia's Apothecary on IndieGoGo and, if you can, contribute to help support what is sure to be a beautiful shop!

The two women of Ophelia's Apothecary are so inspiring. As if starting your own business isn't hard enough, Heather and Deborah have managed to build a successful handmade business while living with chronic illness. You can read more about their inspiring story and get updates on their progress with the new shop on their IndieGoGo page.What are you waiting for? Go check it out!

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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We've had a fairly mild winter so far, which has certainly reduced the effect of those dreadful winter blues. But every once in awhile, on cold and gray days, I still find myself feeling tired and unmotivated. It's especially tough after coming home from a long, stressful day at work and then trying to gear up to exercise or go to yoga.

To help battle the blues, I figured I'd turn to aromatherapy and see what I could find in the way of energizing essential oil blends. I came across this great recipe for a eucalyptus spritzer on Aura Cacia's website. The combination of minty, floral, and citrus tones sounds like the perfect remedy for getting you energized and ready to move!

Eucalyptus Workout Spritzer

(From Aura Cacia)

This activating formula is great to carry in the gym. Whenever a workout routine needs a little boost, simply spritz your face lightly and inhale the fresh, invigorating aroma.

 

20 drops eucalyptus essential oil
40 drops lavender essential oil
20 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops petitgrain essential oil
10 dash spearmint essential oil

3 ounces distilled water

 

Add no more than 36 drops of this blend to 3 ounces of distilled water. Shake vigorously and add to a bottle with a spray atomizer attachment. Be sure to shake the bottle before each application.

Note: The directions say to spritz the mixture on your face, but because it has eucalyptus (which can be irritating on some skin types and can also be dangerous if it gets in your eyes), I would caution to spritz it on your body, and even your neck, but to be careful about getting it anywhere on your face.

Aromatherapy/Botanicals Tip of the Week

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I know I've been remiss in posting my Weekly Tips and believe me, I've really missed working on them! My day job has been insane, leaving me zero extra time to research a new topic. But I've finally put something together for you guys!

Ever since I did homemade soaps and shampoos for Christmas presents, I've been really excited to dive into the world of soap-making. In the bit of research that I've done so far, I could only really find details on making soap using lye (which can be very dangerous and kind of scares me as a newbie to soap-making) or pre-made bases (which often include a lot of synthetic ingredients, although I have found one or two places that make all-natural soap bases).

Finally, I stumbled across this post on an awesome blog called Crunchy Chicken, which features tons of information on sustainable and non-toxic living. In her post, Deanna Duke (the creator of Crunchy Chicken and author of The Non-Toxic Avenger) talks about a few plants that are naturally high in saponin, making them suitable as natural soap ingredients.

Bouncing Bet (also known as soapwort) is a great option because it grows in most areas of the United States, plus it has really pretty flowers  ;) Deanna also mentions that soapwort smells like cloves, which makes me so excited to start growing it! I am definitely adding this plant to my garden this spring. And when  I finally do try making soap with it, I'll be sure to share my own recipe and photos with you guys!

Here is the recipe that Deanna shares on her blog:

Bouncing Bet Natural Soap

1/2 cup fresh leaves and/or root (or 1/4 cup dried) soapwort

4 cups water (preferably distilled or rain water)

Add the leaves (and/or root) to the water and simmer until it becomes sudsy, about 20 minutes. 

For the full post on Crunchy Chicken, click here.

The New Look Is Finally Here!

I spent all day yesterday making the first batch of candles using my brand-new amber glass jars and then spent most of this afternoon photographing them for Etsy. And I must say...they look amazing. I am seriously in love with them! I'm constantly looking for ways to improve my candles and one of the primary things I've wanted to update were my containers, so I am proud to finally introduce my new amber jars. They are exactly what I had envisioned in my mind for so long and I'm just so happy they came out as I had imagined. I love when that happens  ;)

Here's a little preview to pique your interest, but be sure to check them out on my Etsy shop too!

Introducing the New Look of Candles By Nature!

It's finally here, the new look of Candles By Nature! I am absolutely, completely in love with this new packaging.

I can't wait to post them on Etsy for you guys, but for now here are a few pics to give you a sneak peek. Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts!