Christmas in July Sale!

Christmas in July Sale!  Everything in the Etsy shop (except signs) is 15% off through August 1st. Get a jump start on your Christmas shopping and stock up on ornaments now!  

Just use the Coupon Code "JULY2018" to get 15% off! 

New England Maker: Wolfeboro Candle Company

As you know by now, I love sharing about companies and products we love on the blog and our Instagram - and most especially those made right here in New England!  Next in our series of interviews from New England Makers, we have Carrie Meier from Wolfeboro Candle Company! 

Wolfeboro Candle Company is best known for their New Hampshire-inspired wooden wick soy candles. Each scent is developed by Carrie to capture the essence of New Hampshire's diverse regions, and each candle is hand-poured and made by her right here in New Hampshire. Recently Carrie has expanded to offer scented soy wax melts in addition to candles, and will be expanding the candle line in the future.

Tell me a little about yourself and your business. 

Carrie Meier:  I'm a wife, new mom, and creative person living in rural New Hampshire. 

How did you start Wolfeboro Candle Company?  Had you been making candles for a while or was this a new leap for you?

CM:  I started Wolfeboro Candle Co in Spring 2016.  At the time, I owned a small gift shop in downtown Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.  I couldn't find exactly what I wanted for the store (locally made wood wick soy candles), so my supportive husband suggested I start making them myself.  I had never made candles before, but I've been a creative person most of my life and decided I would give it a try.  We ordered supplies, wax, and a variety of containers and fragrances to mess with.  After lots of reading, and trial and error, I figured out the best technique for me and the best temperatures for different stages of the candle making process.  Next came figuring out the branding side of it - what do we call ourselves?  What fragrances/blends, and fragrance names will work best for the image we want to create?  Being also on the retail side of the business, I came up with the names and fragrances that I thought would sell best not only in our store, but for potentially other stores in the future.

What does a typical day look like for you?

CM:  Well a typical day doesn't doesn't necessarily involve making candles (we aren't to that demand - yet!), but I also try to make large batches at a time as the set up, warm up, and clean up processes can add up doing lots of small batches.  In addition to making candles, I have also recently been setting up a new website, updating my Etsy site, creating our new wax melts, and testing out new containers and fragrances for a new line of candles.

What is your favorite part about owning your own company?  And least favorite part?

CM:  I love being able to be creative, with the additional reward of selling a product and having feedback from people who use what I have made.  I suppose if there is a downside to this project, it's moving all the 50 pound boxes of wax around!

A custom-branded candle - Wolfeboro Candle Company also offers custom scent and label options for buisnesses, wedding favors, and more!

What has been the most exciting moment for Wolfeboro Candle Company since you started?

CM:  I think the most exciting moments are obtaining new retailers, coming up with new products, and receiving positive feedback.  Positive reviews from customers never get old!

What advice do you have for people just starting out? 

CM:  Ask yourself - what are your goals?  If you want to have a side business that is more about an enjoyable hobby that you can profit from, rather than just a job and business, then stick with what you can see yourself doing over and over again but still enjoy.  I say that candle making is both an art and a science, which is what makes it enjoyable for me, in addition to coming up with new ideas and having the ability to add on new products when I'm able to.

What is your long-term goal?  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

CM:  I'd like to continue growing the business and make our way into more retailers both in New Hampshire and in neighboring states.  I'm working on a new candle line with a slightly new look, different sizes and fragrances, and that are not based on our state of New Hampshire in order to reach a larger audience. 

Who are some of your favorite New England Makers? 

CM: Well Birch Landing Home, of course! (Awww, shucks.. thank you!) I'm also a big fan of A&E Stoneworks, Payne & Comfort, Art by Alyssa, Seagate Studio, Beedandy, and Fiber & Water, just to name a few.

Keep up with Wolfeboro Candle Company!  

Website | Etsy | Instagram (@wolfeborocandleco) | Facebook

All photos courtesy of Wolfeboro Candle Company

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Do you own a New England-based business and would like to be featured in an upcoming interview?  Or would you be interested in having me style, review, and feature one of your products?  
Please drop me a note.  

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More Interviews from New England Makers:

Shop Small - and Secondhand

I'm a big fan of supporting small/local companies as well as shopping secondhand when I can.  I consign a lot and often use the money earned from the consignment shop towards new items - that way in a sense we're just "trading up" and not spending a lot out of pocket.  

I thought I'd share some outfit details from a recent wedding we attended to show how you can pull these things together. This dress is Lauren by Ralph Lauren (I couldn't find the exact one to link, but here is a similar one - affiliate link), and I bought it second-hand at a NH-based consignment store called M&C. Because I had store credit from consigning some things there, I only had to pay a whopping 62 cents out of pocket for it! The leather "Buoy Block Clutch" is from Maine-based company Eklund Griffin, and while it can be considered an investment piece it's definitely something that's well-made and timeless and will get a lot of use for many years to come. Finally the gold necklace is from The Silver Wren on Etsy - a small shop that makes beautiful hand-stamped jewelry. I had this necklace made with our daughters' initials and love that I can wear it dressed up or down.

By spending your money wisely, you can get the most impact by saving big shopping second-hand and supporting small and local companies when you can.  Happy shopping!  

An Unconventional Wedding Gift

I recently made this custom herb planter as part of our wedding gift for some close friends and I just love how it came out!  I'd love to add something similar to the Etsy shop but not sure how to ship it... hmmmm.    

PS - Congratulations again to the happy couple!!  We're so happy for you both!  

Birch Landing Home at farm + table!

So excited to say that our ornaments are now being carried at the beautiful farm + table in Kennebunkport, Maine!  This eclectic gift shop features lots of handmade and small-batch goods made by artisans all over the country and I’m so honored to be included. 

Make sure to stop in next time you’re in the area!  

 Photo courtesy of farm + table

Honored to Say: “As Seen in Food Network Magazine!”

Incredibly honored and excited to say that I designed and painted the New Hampshire egg for the latest issue of Food Network Magazine!  I was completely blown away when they sent me an email last November, asking if I wanted to be a contributor for this piece (um, YES!) and it’s so exciting to finally see it in print!  Thank you, Food Network Magazine! 

If you want to make your own NH-inspired egg, please check out my full tutorial HERE.  

PS - Make sure to pick up a copy, so many creative eggs from every state - not to mention all the yummy recipes!

A Picnic Lunch with New England's Finest

Brrrrrr!  Anyone who lives in the Northeast knows just how brutally cold it's been here lately - in the past two or three weeks I don't think it's gotten over 5 degrees outside!  So when the thermometer hit double digits (10 whole degrees!), we decided to take advantage of the heat wave and head outside for a little snowshoeing and a picnic. 
| This post contains affiliate links and an honest review of New England's Finest |

As you all know, I LOVE sharing about New England-based products on the blog and was so excited to find out about New England's Finest - a carefully curated subscription and gift box service that only features products crafted right here in New England. New England's Finest was kind enough to let me check out their "Picnic for Two" Box which made for a perfect lunch for me and my husband on our little hike. We're lucky enough to have some great trails here within walking distance of our house, so the second the thermometer hit 10 degrees we bundled up, grabbed our snowshoes, and headed out to enjoy the balmy weather (ha!).

After a short hike we found the perfect little clearing, spread out our picnic blanket, and unpacked our lunch.  Each New England's Finest Box has a different theme (BBQ, sweets, cocktails, etc) and ours was full of yummy locally-made foods perfect for a picnic!  In this particular box we had a selection of delicious jams/jellies, crackers, and salami - all we had to do was pack a cutting board and grab some cheese from our fridge.  

One thing I particularly love about NEF as a company is that for every 12-month gift subscription purchased they donate a gift box to a family receiving care at Boston Children's Hospital as a way to give back to the community.  So if you're looking for that perfect gift for someone (or yourself!) who loves New England or is a New Englander at heart, be sure to check out New England's Finest and get "a little flavor and charm from the Northeast."  

Follow New England's Finest on Facebook and Instagram to see their latest promotions and boxes.

Products included in the "Picnic for Two" Box: Tomato Basil Crackers from Jack's Crackers (NH), Perfect Peach Jam from Better Than Average (NH), Chorizo from Vermont Salumi (VT), Raspberry Smoked Maple Jam from Potlicker Kitchen (VT), and Cranberry Pistachio Crisps from Jan's Farmhouse (VT).

- I received this item for review from New England's Finest but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please read our full Disclosure Policy for more information - 

Small Business Saturday Sale!

In honor of Small Business Saturday, we’re offering 15% off in our Etsy Shop with the coupon code “PLAID15" through Monday!  

Quantities are very limited so please shop early.  Thanks so much for all your support and for shopping small this season.  

Use PLAID15 for 15% off our entire Etsy Shop.  Coupon Code Expires 11/27/17 at Midnight EST.